Agenda item

For the Committee’s review into Reducing the Council’s Carbon Footprint the following information was received to help Members with their review:-

Decentralised Energy – Heat and Power – This was an area which the Committee had expressed interest in and reference was made to the possible use of the Former EMI / Old Vinyl Factory site for a Heat and Power Network.

Officers reported that the site was a privately owned development site and the onus would be on the applicant to consider the suitability of a network. The Council could not force the developer to provide a large scale decentralised network.

Discussions would have to take place with the developers for the site. Reference was made to the GLA who were the lead authority in London on new networks and had access to 'start up funds' for such initiatives 

Reference was made to the availability of funding from the Department of Energy and Climate Change for investigating the feasibility for Decentralised Energy and the Energy Manager would take this forward.

Absorption Chilling- This was a process which was used in the summer to convert hot water to cool water. Members were informed that Absorption Chilling was cost effective and more economical than electrical chillers and therefore would reduce energy costs. The Energy Manager would provide an outline of the feasibility for absorption chilling to be introduced at the Civic Centre.

Anaerobic Digestion (AD)- At the last meeting of the Committee, Members asked about the feasibility of having an AD plant on land at New Years Green Lane. Officers reported that the land at New Years Green Lane was designated contaminated land and under the control of the Environment Agency as a Special Site.

The Council would need Environment Agency consent and approval and in addition the land was within the Metropolitan Green Belt and therefore, along with the normal planning application the Council would have to apply to the Secretary of State for permission to change the use of the land.

Reference was made to food waste which was already transported into the Civic Amenity site at New Years Green Lane and if an AD plant was developed on the site there would be less traffic exiting the site which would benefit local residents.

In relation to the volumes of organic waste, Members were informed that the weekly collection service for a mix of both garden and kitchen waste would receive approximately 13,000 tonnes of material annually. This was sent to an in-vessel composting plant. An additional 4,000 tonnes of garden waste was received at the two Household Waste & Recycling Centres, which was sent to windrow and in-vessel composting systems.

There would be cost benefits to the Council as the current food waste was not recycled at the site but was a cost to the Council, as food waste was currently taken away to be recycled. An AD plant would recycle food waste and reduce this cost. Potential contracts could be made with local schools, hospitals for their food waste which would provide material for the AD and a waste revenue stream for the Council.    

Discussion also took place on AD which could supply hot water and electricity to the area which would benefit local residents and the Energy Manager undertook to provide further information on this.

The Committee was informed that many questions still needed to be answered around the sizing of a possible AD unit, and further investigation and analysis was required on the various waste streams. The Energy Manager would provide further information on the viability of these proposals after further discussions with the Waste Manager Service and with the Planning Specialists.

Further discussions would also take place on the likely impact of HS2 on the site and on the implications of any AD proposals.

Slurry and dirty water volumes for Park Lodge farm were provided for Members and the Committee was informed that slurry was already transported into New Years Green Lane and stored on site. An AD plant could utilise the slurry as part of the anaerobic process. It was noted that this would also reduce the traffic coming out of New Years Green Lane and again benefit local residents.

Reference was made to the possibility of developing a pipeline from the nearby farm which could bring the slurry into the AD plant. The feasibility of this would also be further investigated by officers.

Corporate Sustainable Energy Policy for Corporate Buildings, Housing, Open spaces and Energy used in Fleet and Transport -  Members were informed that the review so far had indicated that the Council needed to approach its energy policies more corporately and it was suggested that the review gave the Council the opportunity to implement a Corporate Sustainable Energy Policy.

This would take account of existing policy and legislation in building design and energy use and the suitable waste streams arising from operations in the Borough. It would drive the reduction of costs and carbon falling within the Council’s remits by promoting cross-Council working amongst colleagues, motivating the organisation to achieve the best and most holistic result internally.

This policy would link to the Sustainable Community Strategy and also, planning, waste and procurement strategies. This would enable the Council to identify longer term strategic planning objectives which would create the environment for opportunities such as AD and decentralised energy.

The Committee asked for the next meeting that officers produce a draft corporate policy showing how it would link with key sections to the Council’s Sustainability Strategy.

RESOLVED –

1.   That the information provided be noted and form part of the evidence for the review.

2.   That officers be asked to carry out the requests detailed above and report back to the next meeting of the Committee.

3.That officers produce suggested recommendations of  the review to enable Members to discuss.