Client Brief
Exeter City Futures required an evidence base to support their vision of an Energy Independent city by 2025. With an ambition to convert analysis into clear action and stakeholder alignment, they required an authoritative analysis, technically rigorous in its approach, but with clear, prioritised, easy-to-understand recommendations and next steps.
City Science Response
City Science developed a framework based on trusted industry methodologies. Using this framework, City Science combined analysis across technologies, assessing opportunities for energy reduction alongside new generation.
The maximum potential of energy efficiency and generation opportunities was fully quantified and barriers to deployment were explored across each. These barriers were also quantified and ranked developing a clear list of priority actions to achieve energy independence.
Demand reductions were evaluated across domestic building stock and commercial and industrial activities with an in-depth focus on the types of businesses located within the region. A regional building and business assessment model was created within which, individual energy efficiency opportunities were calculated and aggregated.
Energy generation potential was then investigated covering a diverse range of technologies including photovoltaics, onshore and offshore wind, hydroelectric, bioenergy, wave energy, tidal range, tidal stream, geothermal and emerging technologies such as small modular reactors. The potential role of supplementary technologies including smart grids, hydrogen networks and heat networks was also investigated.
The results of the analysis were then published and the client supported to ensure maximum buy-in through a series of conferences, seminars and events.
