Winchester City Council is creating a Local Area Energy Plan (LAEP) which will be the first of its kind in the country to be developed within the LENZA (Local Energy Net Zero Accelerator) tool. The pioneering, digital LAEP will help the council achieve its carbon neutrality ambitions by identifying the most cost-effective route to decarbonise the district’s energy system.
A LAEP is recognised as the leading method for translating net zero targets into local energy system action and is created with input from a range of local stakeholders. It results in a fully costed plan that identifies the changes needed to the local energy system and built environment, detailing what, where, when and by whom the changes will be made.
The LAEP will identify how to secure cleaner, more affordable energy for the district. It will assess how building improvement measures such as insulation and low carbon heating can reduce reliance on fossil fuels. It will also identify suitable locations for other technologies such as electric vehicle charging points.
Winchester’s LAEP will be delivered in collaboration with LENZA’s developers Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) Distribution alongside spatial analytics and software company, Advanced Infrastructure Technology Limited.
The value of LENZA is that it provides local authorities with free access to invaluable data and tools to support the development of a LAEP, resulting in cost savings of up to £50,000 or 54% compared to traditional consultancy methods. It also supports more interactive planning as the council will be able to easily update the digital plan as circumstances change over time.
Councillor Kelsie Learney, Cabinet Member for Climate Emergency at Winchester City Council, said: “Having experienced the capabilities of LENZA as a data tool during the pilot project, we are delighted to continue the partnership with SSEN and Advanced Infrastructure to use LENZA to develop our digital LAEP more cost-effectively and in less time.
“The LAEP will provide a detailed picture of future energy needs in Winchester district and allow the team to support the development of green energy schemes to power and heat our homes, vehicles and workplaces and also supply renewable energy back into the grid.”
Andrew Wainwright, Whole Systems Manager at SSEN Distribution commented: “it’s been a privilege for me and my team to follow Winchester City Council’s LENZA journey since they became one of the first local authorities we introduced to the platform.
“They’ve embraced LENZA with enthusiasm, and the benefit of this approach will be borne out in the forthcoming Local Area Energy Plan. And crucially, it’s the communities in Winchester who’ll see the benefits of this hard work and ambition.
“In the years to come, they’ll feel the economic and societal benefits of decarbonisation, because of the forward-thinking work the team at Winchester City Council is doing, with our support.”
Christopher Jackson, CEO at Advanced Infrastructure said: “We’re proud to support Winchester City Council in developing the UK’s first digital Local Area Energy Plan within LENZA. Built on Advanced Infrastructure’s LAEP+ platform, LENZA has already demonstrated its value to many local authorities within SSEN’s licence area. This marks a significant step forward in local energy planning, enabling councils to access the granular data and powerful digital tools required to plan their net zero strategies efficiently.”
The LAEP for the Winchester district will be completed by early 2026.
