Sheffield needs a renewable energy strategy to tackle climate crisis and cost of living, say councillors

Green Party councillors Christine Gilligan Kubo and Douglas Johnson put forward a full council motion urging the authority to develop a renewable energy strategy.

In the motion, which will be discussed in a Town Hall meeting this week, they said: “If Sheffield is to play its part in achieving the Paris Climate targets, meet its net zero target by 2030 and address the cost of living crisis, we need to reduce energy demand through energy efficiency measures such as retrofitting homes and other buildings, and to significantly raise the amount of energy we produce from renewable sources.

“Having more of our energy produced from renewable sources helps us control costs by having secure forms of energy generated locally. Energy security means that the UK is less at the mercy of dubious and undemocratic regimes with poor human rights records that are often the suppliers of fossil fuels.”

They urged the transport, regeneration and climate change committee to consider a range of measures.

This includes undertaking an audit of the potential for renewable energy measures on all council land and property and drawing up a priority list for installations based on the greatest potential for saving energy within six months.

Other ideas include: installing solar photovoltaics on all new council owned buildings, creating a local area energy plan for the city, encouraging partnerships with local community renewable organisations for low or no cost installations, maximising external funding to finance installations, encouraging wider community investment, developing a compelling offer for private householders and landlords to install solar, encouraging best practice in planning to support renewable energy, encouraging renewable and energy efficiency skills and requiring new energy generation projects of 5MW or above to have at least five per cent local ownership.

Full council will take place at Sheffield Town Hall on Wednesday, November 2 from 2 pm.

The full agenda and link to watch the live webcast of the meeting can be found on the council’s website here: https://democracy.sheffield.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=154&MId=8358