KNOWSLEY RENEWABLE AND LOW CARBON ENERGY OPTIONS Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION 1 APPENDICES Appendix A Scope of Study 36 2 SUMMARY OF FINDINGS 2 Appendix B Policy Review 38 3 STRATEGIC ASSESSMENT 6 Appendix C Policy Implications for Locations and Targets for Renewable Energy in Knowsley 45 4 TECHNOLOGY OPTIONS REVIEW 12 Appendix D Review of Local Authority Renewable 5 OPTIONS APPRAISAL 28 Energy Policies 50 Appendix E Renewable Energy Industry in the 6 DELIVERING RENEWABLE ENERGY IN KNOWSLEY: North West 57 RECOMMENDATIONS 30 Appendix F Economic, employment and skils profile for Knowsley 60 Appendix G Consultation with Local Businesses in Knowsley 67 Appendix H Intervention for Renewable Energy Industry in Knowsley 75 Appendix I Knowsley Energy Profile, Energy and Constraints Mapping 81 Appendix J Renewable Energy Technologies Overview 112 Appendix K Renewable Energy Assessment of Knowsley Industrial Park 132 Appendix L Glossary 140 Knowsley Renewable and Low Carbon Energy Options Ove Arup & Partners Ltd July 09 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY 1.2 APPROACH FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council (KMBC) OPTIONS IN KNOWSLEY has made formal commitments to address climate To deliver the project, a Strategic Assessment to change within the Borough through signing the North identify the most relevant national and regional West Climate Change Charter and the Nottingham Renewable Energy policies has been completed. Declaration on Climate Change. Opportunities and constraints associated with delivering Renewable Energy solutions to the Knowsley Council have been quick to recognise Borough, inclusive of technological and material the benefits of taking both a proactive and realistic planning considerations have been identified. approach to environmental and sustainability issues and has commissioned Arup to investigate the An Integrated Risk Management (IRM) tool along practical and realistic options for increasing the with a complementary planning appraisal have been production of renewable and low carbon energy used to assess the relevant options applicable to the within the Borough. Borough. To help test opportunities and constraints an assessment of Knowsley Industrial Park (KIP) A critical issue for this study is how KMBC and has been undertaken along with discussions with businesses in the Borough address the requirements key private sector businesses. This has helped test of the Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) and the the potential for Renewable Energy in the Borough implications this will have on delivering renewable, and provide a steer on some of the key issues the low and zero carbon energy in Knowsley. KMBC Borough will face when delivering Renewable Energy already has experience of exploring renewable energy in short, medium and long term for the existing built solutions for the Borough, however on each occasion environment and future development proposals. it has been identified that potential schemes have not been viable. Consequently this provides the backdrop Consultation with a number of stakeholders, notably to this study and the recommendations have been local businesses in Knowsley was a key part of developed to assist Knowsley on a range of issues to the project. The findings of the consultations are help deliver renewable energy technologies that may set out in Appendix G, touched upon throughout otherwise not have been deliverable. the discussions in this report and reflected in our recommendations. For details on the scope of this study please refer to Appendix A. To inform future developments, recommendations with respect to the Borough’s specific Renewable Energy generation potential and more strategic planning and economic policy consideration and next steps have also been presented. Knowsley Renewable and Low Carbon Energy Options 1 Ove Arup & Partners Ltd July 09 2. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS 2.1 KNOWSley’S ENERGY PROFILE sub regional renewable energy targets set out in the Knowsley presently has a heavily gas-led energy North West Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS). These balance. Much of this can be attributed to industry are set out in the table below which indicates the and process-driven energy requirements, plus space- maximum number of potential schemes that could heating and hot water provision to around 64,000 be delivered across Merseyside and specifically in households and more than 1,000 businesses based Knowsley. The table also indicates the optimum within the Borough. amount of energy produced in Mega Watts (MW) if each scheme was delivered and operated to Whilst electricity consumption within Knowsley maximum efficiency. represents 15-20% of total energy usage, the associated carbon emissions of this level of grid 2010 2015 2020 2010 TO 2020 supplied electricity actually represents closer to NWRSS NWRSS NWRSS IDENTIFIED 35% of the Borough’s total CO emissions, when NUMBER NUMBER NUMBER KNOWSLEY 2 OF OF OF calculated using the NI185 methodology. SCHEMES SCHEMES SCHEMES (MW) (MW) (MW) 2.2 KEY FINDINGS Single large 6 (9 MW) 10 (15 MW) 10 (15 MW) 3 - 6 wind turbines (6 MW) The study identifies that Knowsley already has a Small stand- 8 (0.24 12 (0.36) 12 (0.36) Est 3 growing and thriving Renewable Energy sector. This alone wind MW) (0.08 MW) is still in its infancy but with effective and timely turbines support there is considerable scope to ensure Bldg.- 190 (0.19 1,900 (1.9 3,800 (3.8 Unknown mounted MW) MW) MW) Knowsley is one of the key areas in the region for micro-wind employment for this sector. turbines Biomass- 1.4 2 (9 MW) 2 (9 MW) 4 (6.8 MW) The study identified that the local business fuelled CHP/ electricity community is one of the main drivers to help ensure schemes effective delivery and make Knowsley self sufficient in Solar 190 (0.38 4,750 (9.5 9,500 (10 Unknown its energy needs in the long term. There are existing photovoltaics MW) MW ) MW) businesses in Knowsley that are already producing Energy from - - - 1 (18 MW) Renewable Energy technologies/ component waste parts and fuels. Equally there is an established Other KMBC Study infrastructure and labour force with transferable skills Options: to deliver Renewable Energy technologies in the CHP with - - - 4 (10 MW) Borough. District heating The study identifies that in planning terms, Knowsley Total KMBC 15 (40.8 MW) is relatively unconstrained for delivering Renewable Study Prospect Energy technologies. The key issues are visual impact and potential loss of agricultural and Greenbelt The table demonstrates that Knowsley has the land, however based on the approach used for this potential to make a significant contribution to the study we consider there are limited circumstances sub regional targets, particularly with respect to were Renewable Energy development cannot be Biomass, on shore wind farms and single large implemented and in the majority of cases appropriate wind turbines. This provides an indication only, mitigation can be achieved. however it has been used to provide an initial target for renewable energy production that KMBC should Following our analysis we have compared the consider when developing Renewable and Low/ Renewable Energy potential in Knowsley against the Zero carbon technologies. In order to have a more Knowsley Renewable and Low Carbon Energy Options 2 Ove Arup & Partners Ltd July 09 accurate understanding of viable schemes and the In addition to the two immediate options there are two amount of energy they can produce in Knowsley, further options that KMBC must consider to ensure KMBC will need to undertake more detailed work and that it optimises the potential in the borough. enter discussion with its sub regional neighbours. These issues are addressed in the recommendation Option 3: Where distributed energy options presented in this study. are not suitable or viable - the performance and economics of building integrated andmicro-generation 2.3 THE BEST RENEWABLE ENERGY OPTIONS are considered on site/ building by site/ building FOR KNOWSLEY basis. Following the completion of this study Arup have Option 4: Biomass Hub – the borough has identified that there are immediate opportunities for significant potential to become a location for the distributed energy generation within Knowsley. In production, storage, distribution and consumption of terms of immediate options there are two main biomass fuels and energy. Renewable Energy technologies that KMBC must consider: Option1: District heating – a heat mapping exercise has been used to identify a number of key sites, with high-level predictions of associated energy outputs and emissions reduction potential calculated. Distributed Energy consists of medium-large scale devices installed in a central location in conjunction with site-wide distribution network(s) as appropriate. Generated energy supplied to buildings via site-wide distribution networks. Most suited to large-scale, mixed use developments with single ownership of buildings. Option 2: Large-scale wind – in combination with a constraints mapping exercise, key potential sites have been identified. Knowsley Renewable and Low Carbon Energy Options 3 Ove Arup & Partners Ltd July 09 RECOMMENDATION DESCRIPTION ACTIONS FUNDING TIMESCALE Key Next Steps: Delivery of Renewable Energy, Low and Zero Carbon Technologies in Knowsley To gain a detailed The main distributed energy Identify potential private sector partners Carbon Trust - Applied Research Short Term view of technical, options are large scale wind, and funding streams for projects. Grant.