Powering West Suffolk Council to net zero by 2030

16 Feb 2022

A new battery energy storage system has been installed at West Suffolk House as part of the Council’s work toward achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2030.

As well as cutting carbon emissions, the Battery Energy Storage System will serve as a back-up electricity supply enabling the Council to ensure public access to services is maintained in the event of an external power cut.

And it will deliver financial benefits as well – taking the electricity generated from the solar panels on West Suffolk House during periods of low demand, alongside electricity from the Council’s green electricity supplier and then releasing that power for use during peak demand to save supply costs.

The Council can also sell renewable electricity it doesn’t need back to the National Grid which means that it is playing a part in helping the country as a whole use cleaner energy. While the Council has no say or control over the national energy tariffs and the increases announced recently, by selling the surplus renewable electricity generated to the National Grid, it will bring in income to help toward paying for public services the Council provides.

The new battery, which is housed within a white container in the visitors’ car park at West Suffolk House in Bury St Edmunds, also offers further capacity should the Council decide to invest in additional renewable energy generation at the site.

It is part of a wider £1.8m property decarbonisation programme by the Council, supported with £1.43m from the Government’s Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme and a £370,000 investment from the Council. The programme is set to save almost 125 tonnes or carbon per year and deliver around £80,000 in annual savings.

The Council already uses a renewable energy supplier for its electricity.

The storage battery will deliver UK carbon savings of around nine tonnes a year through taking in renewable electricity during off peak periods and releasing some of that clean renewable energy to the National Grid when demand is at its highest.

Cllr Andy Drummond, Cabinet Member for Regulatory and Environment at West Suffolk Council, said: “This is part of our ongoing action on climate change and the strides we are taking toward achieving net zero for 2030. The battery will not only allow us to store renewable energy from the solar panels we have at West Suffolk House, but it also opens up the potential for us to consider further renewable energy investment to deliver even more benefits for our environment.”

Cllr Sarah Broughton, Cabinet Member for Resources and Property said: “This gives us the power to maintain public access to services in the event of any external power cut, which we know has been an issue in the past.

As well as delivering carbon savings, it will provide electricity at peak demand, saving on our energy costs and generating income which will help towards the cost of public services at a time which we recognise is challenging for residents, businesses as well as the Council.”

For more information on West Suffolk Council’s action on climate change, see Tackling climate change

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