'Powering on?'
 |
A Scrutiny Review of emda and partners contribution to meeting the region’s energy challenge
The scrutiny review was overseen by a Panel chaired by Cllr Robin Brown of Northamptonshire County Council. The final report was published in June 2008. The Panel comprised; Bill Purvis, Ben Dodd, Gerry Beetles, and Professor Paul Fleming.
The Panel concluded that emda have undertaken a great deal of positive work to help the region meet its energy challenge, including their piloting work, research initiatives and support of business in energy resource efficiency, which has been credited as a national exemplar. emda have also helped attract the Energy Technology Institute to locate at Loughborough University.
However, given the rapidly increasing importance of energy for businesses and homes, the Panel concluded that emda’s key role is to provide leadership in the region and increase the visibility of their work in this sector. It found that the region needs to be ambitious and inspiring, as well as realistic in its commitments.
This review contains 8 recommendations that, once implemented, will help the region to meet the energy challenges ahead and effectively deliver the energy objectives of the regional economic strategy (RES). They are;
Recommendation 1: Strategy & Leadership
emda should work with EMRA, the Regional Energy Group, GOEM and other partners to consolidate the forthcoming ‘Part 3’ of the Regional Energy Strategy into a single refreshed Regional Energy Strategy 2008. The Strategy should set a clear vision with agreed stretching targets to place the East Midlands at the forefront of addressing climate change and developing a low-carbon economy.
Recommendation 2: Research and Monitoring
emda should work with EMRA, the Regional Energy Group, GOEM and other partners to:
a) agree and implement an annual research and dissemination plan, and;
b) produce an annual regional energy report that demonstrates progress against the objectives and targets of the Regional Energy Strategy and details the activities undertaken to deliver the strategy.
Recommendation 3: Regional Energy Partnership Working
emda should work with EMRA, the Regional Energy Group,GOEM and other partners to lead the evolution of the Regional Energy Group into a Regional Energy Partnership. This Partnership would oversee the development and delivery of the Regional Energy Strategy and inform the development of the Energy component of the Single Regional Strategy. It should include:
a) local authorities;
b) large and small businesses, including utilities;
c) public agencies, and;
d) the voluntary sector.
Recommendation 4: Coordinating Delivery of the Regional Energy Strategy
Prior to the single refreshed Regional Energy Strategy being launched, emda should work with EMRA, the Regional Energy Group, GOEM and other partners to develop a plan to manage the delivery of Strategy. The Plan should be based on a consideration of whether the establishment of a clearly branded Regional Energy Agency would effectively promote:
a) simplification of business support;
b) better communication and joint-working with businesses, local authorities and the voluntary sector, and;
c) household energy efficiency change.
Recommendation 5: Reviewing emda’s Contribution to delivering the Strategy
emda should review its own contribution to delivering the regional energy strategy and allocate increased resources to ensure that it can:
a) provide strategic leadership;
b) deliver those aspects of the Strategy for which it is responsible, and;
c) communicate emda’s contribution clearly to partners.
Recommendation 6: emda’s role in Strengthening Business Performance
emda should look to further assist businesses to become energy efficient and exploit the economic potential of low carbon technologies through:
a) supporting enhanced business networks to share knowledge, opportunities and research findings between businesses and Higher Educational Institutions and maximise the economic potential of the Energy Technology Institute to the region;
b) assisting potential growing business to become ‘investment ready’ and access appropriate development finance;
c) agreeing with the regional employment skills and productivity partnership a plan to improve career awareness and the development
d) of skills to support greater productivity and innovation in the energy sector and greater resource efficiency in businesses.
Recommendation 7: emda’s role in Supporting Enhanced Infrastructure
To support the development of low carbon generation and promote security of supply, emda should work with partners to consider how they can most effectively support enhanced energy infrastructure, including:
a) ensuring that Local Authorities and the community sector have access to appropriate guidance, advice and technical skills to contribute to the delivery of the REnS;
b) identifying opportunities for the development of distributed energy networks and improvements to infrastructure capacity including the development of small and medium scale renewable capacity;
c) working closely with the Regional Assembly through to 2010 to continue the development of an integrated regional spatial planning approach to supporting appropriate energy infrastructure.
Recommendation 8: Leading by Example
emda are encouraged to adopt, through its Corporate and Business Plans, stretching targets for reducing emissions from its own activities. emda should also require that the organisations and projects it supports and the suppliers it contracts with achieve stretching carbon reduction and energy efficiency targets.
emda have responded positively to the Review and put together an Action Plan to implement its recommendations.
Last updated: 7th July 2008