West Yorkshire Combined Authority – Energy Accelerator, UK

Facilitating carbon reduction and climate change mitigation

Leeds City Region aims to create a zero-carbon energy economy by 2036, and its Energy Accelerator programme is focused on removing the barriers to projects which might help meet this goal.

Key information

Location:
Leeds, UK
Date started:
2018
Completion date:
2021
Client type:
Advisory
Main services:
Expert commercial, technical, financial and procurement advise

Breaking down barriers

The Energy Accelerator is one of the first programmes in the UK designed to help low carbon and energy-efficient projects become a reality, where without initial funding may otherwise have prevented their completion. The innovative programme offers specialist technical, commercial and project expertise to local low carbon projects across the Leeds, particularly to public sector sponsors, enabling them to move from concept to contract award.

It also acts as a commercial project development support unit, providing a range of functions including assisting sponsors in shaping project structures and requirements to develop low carbon schemes.

Seeing results

The pipeline has included support to develop an energy efficiency project in schools worth £1.1m, a £37m project to improve street lighting in Bradford and improving the heat network in part of Leeds city centre, investing almost £20m.

In total, the programme is on track to deliver £65m of planned investment, over 250 temporary and permanent jobs and reduce carbon dioxide by 220,000 tonnes

Providing support

We provided an integrated programme team to work with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and project sponsors to support the development of these carbon reduction projects.

Our commercial, technical and technology advice helps to support the individual project sponsors in developing schemes through a range of technologies across three main areas: district heat, commercial and domestic retro-fit projects, and street lighting.

WYCA and FREU logos

For further information contact:

Jess Thompson