Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Area Energy Plan

You can help shape ambitious new plans to decarbonise energy systems in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly in order to help the region reach Net Zero and work towards energy security.

The project will look at how energy is used, supplied and managed. It will identify and recommend required changes to local energy systems for heating, electricity, gas and transport and play a major role in helping the region become carbon neutral.

The Local Area Energy Plan or LAEP will build on the region’s track record in renewable energy innovation and ambitions to build new green industries, such as floating offshore wind and deep geothermal energy. As well as examining the type of technologies and fuels needed, the LAEP will propose changes and additions to existing energy infrastructure and make recommendations to help secure affordable energy supplies for the future.

Our communities, residents and businesses will be vital in ensuring this vision becomes a reality. We want to hear your views and ideas – this plan will only succeed if it works for us all.

What has happened to date?

During 2023 and early 2024 we have been preparing, undertaking early engagement with residents and businesses to let everyone know the plan is being developed and hear views and ideas. We have also been mapping and modelling all our energy data.

• Over 3,700 people submitted their views and opinions about green energy in our opinion survey.
• We held 7 community roadshow drop-in sessions in September.
• We engaged with businesses at the Chamber of Commerce Planet Cornwall Conference (September) and a business drop-in session in Bodmin.
• You can read our report on the initial engagement for more details.
• We opened a Call for Evidence to enable Individuals, groups, and organisations to tell us about their green energy projects.
• A representative sample of 42 residents participated in a Residents Energy Panel that met in February and March 2024 to debate potential solutions for decarbonising the region’s energy systems and securing residents’ future energy needs. The selection of panel members was undertaken by the Sortition Foundation, which specialises in recruiting diverse groups of people to take part in similar panels. Engagement specialists Copper Consultancy and the council’s technical contractor for the Local Area Energy Plan, City Science, supported the process. For more details, read the Residents Energy Panel report.

What are we doing now?

The next stages of the Local Area Energy Plan process will involve local partners, sectors representatives, organisations and businesses (large energy users) that play a role in supporting the energy system in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly or are involved in delivering energy.

We now need to start making some choices about what the future energy landscape might look like in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

Working with these partners and organisations we will look at the mapping and modelling data we collected and the insight we gained through our engagement with residents and businesses to suggest a future scenario (this is called Pathways Prioritisation and Selection) and then to work together in small topic-based groups to discuss what is needed to deliver on the changes needed – to develop a long list of potential actions and work some up in more detail.

These small groups will cover four themes: Power & Heat, Homes, Transport and Industrial, Commercial and Public Sector. In addition, there will be four non-technical factor work groups. They will look at the policy, legislation, finance and skills and supply chain issues that need to be considered to deliver the priorities activities within the Plan.

How can I get involved?

• Once Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly have developed a proposed Local Area Energy Plan, we will ask everyone, through a public consultation, for their views and input to help shape the final Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Area Energy Plan.
• Subscribe for project updates on this page to stay informed and to hear about opportunities to get involved in developing the LAEP as a resident or stakeholder.

Watch this space for more information about ways to get involved.

For more information about the Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly Local Area Energy Plan, please see the More information and FAQs