Solar and wind power could be ramped up under decarbonisation plans

Cllr Ben Miskell visiting renewable energy generation projects at Heeley City Farm.

The installation of solar panels on thousands of buildings across Sheffield and creating new larger scale wind and solar opportunities are being considered as part of a decarbonisation route map.  

The recommendations form part of a plan aimed at starting the transition to smart, decentralised and decarbonised energy system that will have the capacity to meet future demands. 

The Energy Generation and Storage Routemap is the third to be developed outlining Sheffield City Council’s plans to lead by example and become net zero by 2030. 

Members of the Transport, Regeneration and Climate Committee are to discuss this latest part of the plan when they meet on Wednesday 13 March. 

Currently, there are no large-scale wind or ground mounted solar projects in Sheffield, with the report calling for that to change to help the city reach its goal of being net zero by 2030. 

The development of a Local Area Energy Plan will help identify a pathway to the energy transition required to achieve the net zero targets. After securing funding from the South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard’s Project Feasibility Fund, the plan will provide a detailed, evidence-based delivery plan for decarbonising Sheffield’s energy, including future infrastructure needs and the move to smart local energy systems. 

Throughout the process, the council will engage with stakeholders including utilities and infrastructure providers, businesses, citizens and community groups. 

Cllr Ben Miskell, Chair of the Transport, Regeneration and Climate Committee, said: “We are already starting to see the impact of our changing climate with more extreme weather events, hotter and often drier summers, and a negative impact on the plants and wildlife we know and love, so it is vital that we act today to combat the climate emergency. 

“Delivering renewable energy schemes, such as solar farms will help us achieve our aim for the city to be net zero by 2030. It is right that we are ambitious in our aim, but we cannot do it on our own, we need urgent action from Government to provide more resources to help Sheffield achieve a more prosperous, net zero future for our city. 

“While we still have a long way to go to achieve our aims, we’re working with partners and communities to create a Local Area Energy Plan that will help to support our city make the transition to clean renewable energy that provides energy security for Sheffield”