Planning for Renewable Energy in Worcestershire Research Paper
Planning for Renewable Energy in Worcestershire Research Paper Planning for Renewable Energy in Worcestershire Research Paper
Regional3.10 The West Midlands RegionalSpatial Strategy (RSS), published in 2004,provides the overarching planning policyframework for the region. The RSS isundergoing a partial revision, which willallow certain topic areas, including energyissues, to be revisited. It is likely that theRSS will provide regional and subregionaltargets for renewable energygeneration. One of the purposes of thisresearch paper is to contribute to thisprocess and to help inform what anysub-regional renewable energy targetsmight be.3.11 Phase 2 of the partial revision ofthe West Midlands RSS seeks toestablish potential housing figures up to2026. The preferred option underconsideration includes the potential for36,600 new dwellings in Worcestershirebetween 2006-2026, which equates to1,830 new dwellings within the Countyper year. It is clear that this level of newhouse-building will have a significanteffect on carbon emissions, and anopportunity exists to ensure that energy isused more sustainably than in the past.Energy Saving Trust data 8 from 2006provides the average annual emissions ofCO2 from typical dwellings of varioussizes, assuming they are centrally heatedby gas. This data is reflective ofperformance as dictated by the 2006Building Regulations. If we compare theseresults with what is possible at the higherreaches of the Code for SustainableHomes 9 , then it is evident that there ispotential for substantial carbon savingsfrom new housing over the next 19 years.3.12 Alongside the future housingnumbers for the County, the RSS will alsoguide the amount of new commercial andindustrial floorspace. This sector has agreat deal to offer in terms of minimisingenergy usage and maximising use ofrenewables. Any policy in district CoreStrategies requiring provision of on-siterenewables should therefore apply to bothdomestic and commercial/industrialbuildings.3.13 Headline targets in the WestMidlands Regional Energy Strategy 10(RES) are: -●●●89Renewable generation equivalent to5% of electricity consumption by 2010and 10% by 2020.Heat from renewable sources providing250 GWh (0.3% of consumption) by2010 and 650 GWh (1% ofconsumption) by 2020.Production of 460 GWh of liquidbiofuels per year (approximately 44million litres - 2% of current dieselsales) by 2010.Paragraph 4.3, West Midlands Regional EnergyStrategy (November 2004)Data reproduced at Appendix EThe Code for Sustainable Homes, DCLG (December2006) is a "standard for key elements of design andconstruction which affect the sustainability of a newhome. It will become the single national standard forsustainable homes, used by home designers andbuilders as a guide to development, and byhome-buyers to assist in their choice of home".10West Midlands Regional Energy Strategy, WestMidlands Partnership Steering Group and WorkingGroups (November 2004)3. POLICY CONTEXT ● Planning for Renewable Energy in WorcestershireTechnical Research Paper 7
3. POLICY CONTEXT ● Planning for Renewable Energy in Worcestershire3.14 Although the regional target of 5%renewable electricity by 2010 may at firstappear to be only half of theGovernment's national target, the regionalfigure is a percentage of electricityactually used. This gives a challenging'real term' target, as the region is a netimporter of energy; whereas the nationalfigure judges renewables as a percentageof electricity generated, the regionalapproach is intended to more accuratelyreflect the true scale of the region'sneeds. It was estimated in 2004 thatWorcestershire supplied 5% of theregion's renewable electricity 11 , aproportion that could be increasedthrough greater impetus in deliveringrenewables projects.Local Development Frameworks3.15 It is through the district LocalDevelopment Frameworks (LDF) thatenergy policy will be determined at thelocal level. Climate change and energyissues will form part of Core Strategies,from which further, more detailed policiescan then develop. The detailed policiescould be in the form of Development PlanDocuments (DPDs) or SupplementaryPlanning Documents (SPDs).11Worcestershire Climate Change Strategy (2004)Sustainability Appraisals3.16 Sustainability Appraisals (SA),prepared in parallel with LocalDevelopment Documents and RegionalSpatial Strategies, are designed to ensurethat full account is taken of the social,environmental and economic effects likelyto arise from their implementation. At thelocal level, the SA forms a keymechanism to ensure that allopportunities for appropriate energyefficiency measures and renewableenergy generation are considered.3.17 Specific SA issues shouldrecognise the importance of the need toadapt to climate change and to mitigateits effects, as well as recognising theimportant role of energy efficiency andrenewables. The evolving joint SAframework for Worcestershire has thefollowing objective for the issue of energy:"Promoting energy efficiency and energygenerated from renewable energy andlow carbon sources". Appropriatedecision-making criteria must bedeveloped to provide a clear indication ofwhether or not the plan or policy complieswith these climate change and energyrequirements. Monitoring indicators arethen used to ensure that the SAobjectives are not compromised by theplan or policy.3.18 As local energy policy is furtherdeveloped, it may be necessary toreconsider SA issues to ensure theyremain in accordance with the mostup-to-date good practice.POLICY CONTEXT: SUMMARY/SUGGESTIONS● AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, PROMOTION OF RENEWABLE ENERGY SHOULD BEINTEGRATED INTO COMMUNITY STRATEGIES, LOCAL DEVELOPMENTDOCUMENTS, AND SUSTAINABILITY APPRAISALS;● REVISED TARGETS FOR RENEWABLES CAPACITY WILL BE DETERMINEDTHROUGH PHASE 3 OF THE RSS PARTIAL REVISION. LOCAL DEVELOPMENTFRAMEWORKS CAN SHAPE HOW DISTRICTS RESPOND TO THE NEED TOINCREASE RENEWABLES PROVISION.8Technical Research Paper
- Page 2 and 3: TECHNICAL RESEARCH PAPERPlanning fo
- Page 4 and 5: Executive SummaryGenerating energy
- Page 6 and 7: SOCIAL BENEFITS OF RENEWABLEENERGY
- Page 8 and 9: 1. Purpose1.1 This working paper is
- Page 10 and 11: significant positive impact. Conser
- Page 12 and 13: 3.1 An Energy White Paper, 'Meeting
- Page 16 and 17: 4. Community Strategies, Climate Ch
- Page 18 and 19: As mentioned elsewhere in this pape
- Page 20 and 21: 5. Worcestershire’s Vulnerability
- Page 22 and 23: 6. Renewable Energy and the Environ
- Page 24 and 25: 6.10 Green belt designation covers
- Page 26 and 27: 7. Social benefits of Renewable Ene
- Page 28 and 29: 8.10 The economicbenefits of renewa
- Page 30 and 31: Fig.1 - Responses to Questions 13(d
- Page 32 and 33: 10. Baseline Data and Forecasts10.1
- Page 34 and 35: 11. Technological Issues for Renewa
- Page 36 and 37: 12. Infrastructure Requirements12.1
- Page 38 and 39: 13.7 This research paper provides a
- Page 40 and 41: Appendix A. Characteristics and App
- Page 42 and 43: Domestic Micro Wind TurbinesDomesti
- Page 44 and 45: Forests and WoodlandThe potential o
- Page 46 and 47: acknowledged that increasing the su
- Page 48 and 49: Ground/Water/Air Source HeatPumpsGr
- Page 50 and 51: Biogas (Anaerobic Digestion)Biogas
- Page 52 and 53: OpportunitiesFew planning obstacles
- Page 54 and 55: OpportunitiesSignificant potential
- Page 56 and 57: GROUND/AIR/WATER SOURCE HEAT PUMPSO
- Page 58 and 59: Appendix C. Example calculations of
- Page 60 and 61: Appendix D. Maps of Predicted Incre
- Page 62 and 63: Appendix E. Energy Saving Trust tab
Regional3.10 The West Midlands RegionalSpatial Strategy (RSS), published <strong>in</strong> 2004,provides the overarch<strong>in</strong>g plann<strong>in</strong>g policyframework <strong>for</strong> the region. The RSS isundergo<strong>in</strong>g a partial revision, which willallow certa<strong>in</strong> topic areas, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g energyissues, to be revisited. It is likely that theRSS will provide regional and subregionaltargets <strong>for</strong> renewable energygeneration. One of the purposes of thisresearch paper is to contribute to thisprocess and to help <strong>in</strong><strong>for</strong>m what anysub-regional renewable energy targetsmight be.3.11 Phase 2 of the partial revision ofthe West Midlands RSS seeks toestablish potential hous<strong>in</strong>g figures up to2026. The preferred option underconsideration <strong>in</strong>cludes the potential <strong>for</strong>36,600 new dwell<strong>in</strong>gs <strong>in</strong> <strong>Worcestershire</strong>between 2006-2026, which equates to1,830 new dwell<strong>in</strong>gs with<strong>in</strong> the Countyper year. It is clear that this level of newhouse-build<strong>in</strong>g will have a significanteffect on carbon emissions, and anopportunity exists to ensure that energy isused more susta<strong>in</strong>ably than <strong>in</strong> the past.<strong>Energy</strong> Sav<strong>in</strong>g Trust data 8 from 2006provides the average annual emissions ofCO2 from typical dwell<strong>in</strong>gs of varioussizes, assum<strong>in</strong>g they are centrally heatedby gas. This data is reflective ofper<strong>for</strong>mance as dictated by the 2006Build<strong>in</strong>g Regulations. If we compare theseresults with what is possible at the higherreaches of the Code <strong>for</strong> Susta<strong>in</strong>ableHomes 9 , then it is evident that there ispotential <strong>for</strong> substantial carbon sav<strong>in</strong>gsfrom new hous<strong>in</strong>g over the next 19 years.3.12 Alongside the future hous<strong>in</strong>gnumbers <strong>for</strong> the County, the RSS will alsoguide the amount of new commercial and<strong>in</strong>dustrial floorspace. This sector has agreat deal to offer <strong>in</strong> terms of m<strong>in</strong>imis<strong>in</strong>genergy usage and maximis<strong>in</strong>g use ofrenewables. Any policy <strong>in</strong> district CoreStrategies requir<strong>in</strong>g provision of on-siterenewables should there<strong>for</strong>e apply to bothdomestic and commercial/<strong>in</strong>dustrialbuild<strong>in</strong>gs.3.13 Headl<strong>in</strong>e targets <strong>in</strong> the WestMidlands Regional <strong>Energy</strong> Strategy 10(RES) are: -●●●89<strong>Renewable</strong> generation equivalent to5% of electricity consumption by 2010and 10% by 2020.Heat from renewable sources provid<strong>in</strong>g250 GWh (0.3% of consumption) by2010 and 650 GWh (1% ofconsumption) by 2020.Production of 460 GWh of liquidbiofuels per year (approximately 44million litres - 2% of current dieselsales) by 2010.Paragraph 4.3, West Midlands Regional <strong>Energy</strong>Strategy (November 2004)Data reproduced at Appendix EThe Code <strong>for</strong> Susta<strong>in</strong>able Homes, DCLG (December2006) is a "standard <strong>for</strong> key elements of design andconstruction which affect the susta<strong>in</strong>ability of a newhome. It will become the s<strong>in</strong>gle national standard <strong>for</strong>susta<strong>in</strong>able homes, used by home designers andbuilders as a guide to development, and byhome-buyers to assist <strong>in</strong> their choice of home".10West Midlands Regional <strong>Energy</strong> Strategy, WestMidlands Partnership Steer<strong>in</strong>g Group and Work<strong>in</strong>gGroups (November 2004)3. POLICY CONTEXT ● <strong>Plann<strong>in</strong>g</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>Renewable</strong> <strong>Energy</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Worcestershire</strong>Technical <strong>Research</strong> <strong>Paper</strong> 7
Change language