In July, plans were launched for the Peterborough Integrated Renewals Infrastructure Project (PIRI). The project is a low carbon, smart energy scheme which aims to not only significantly reduce CO2 emissions by 2030, but also sets out to cut energy bills by up to a quarter. Alongside corporate investment, the project has been granted funding by UK Research and Innovation. It is being led by Peterborough City Council, with partners including Â鶹´«Ã½AV, SSE Enterprise, Element Energy, Smarter Grid Solutions and Sweco UK.

Peterborough is one of the fastest growing cities in the UK and, as a result of this growth, faces significant increases in energy demand. The PIRI project brings together energy generation, demand and storage under one smart, holistic scheme – therefore delivering improved efficiencies which are not attainable under existing systems, and supporting the sustainable growth of the city. The two-year project aims to deliver:

  • Locally produced, cleaner energy and heat from waste – with services being low-carbon driven.
  • Lower costs, and lower bills for consumers, through the use of multi-infrastructure utility delivery.
  • An integrated service and billing for heat, electricity and mobility (e.g. electric vehicle charging).
  • Low-carbon technology, available at a cost-effective connection rate.
  • Transparent tariff setting, which will generate long-term savings for local authorities.

It is anticipated that the scheme could be particularly effective in areas where the electricity network is constrained, acting as a blueprint for other urban locations across the UK. If the scheme is successful, it could play an important role in helping the UK to meet its ambitions of net zero by 2050.

“We are going to have to do things differently”: Investing in greener, smarter, sustainable infrastructure as part of the Covid-19 economic recovery is key to achieving net zero ambitions.

Discussing the launch of the PIRI project, Professor Philip Longhurst, Head of the Centre for Climate and Environment Protection at Â鶹´«Ã½AV, said: “For the UK to achieve its ambitions of Net Zero, we are going to have to do things differently. These plans announced today for the PIRI project show how local low carbon, smart energy systems could be used across the UK for the benefit of both the environment and consumers. At Cranfield, we pride ourselves on the practical application of our low carbon technology research and our close links with industry, PIRI is a fantastic example of that in action.”

This need to invest in “doing things differently” was also echoed by Professor Phil Hart, Director of Energy and Power at Â鶹´«Ã½AV, as he reacted to the report published this August by the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC), which suggested that 65% of Britain’s electricity could be delivered by renewables by 2030.

Professor Hart highlighted the importance of stimulating the economic recovery with industries that have a long-term future, by rolling out renewables and sustainable technologies, rather than supporting legacy industries in decline, so that creation of jobs is delivering real and long-term employment.

There is an opportunity for the UK to use the economic recovery to implement an investment strategy that not only helps us to meet the net zero by 2050 target, but forges a position for the UK as the leader in sustainable and renewable technologies. Discussing the importance of attaining net zero, Professor Hart suggested that investing in infrastructure, green economy and sustainable technologies which set out to address multiple problems, should be at the forefront of our spending moving forward.

The PIRI project is an example of this type of multidisciplinary, whole-system approach and could prove a significant step in the UK’s transition to low carbon infrastructure – driving change which is both economically beneficial, and environmentally sustainable. Investing in ambitious projects, and being forward-looking as we drive innovation looks to be key when it comes to developing a more sustainable energy industry.

Find out more about the latest research and thinking in Energy and Power at Cranfield.