The city of Bristol, England has introduced the Bristol Leap project as part of its goal to achieve carbon neutrality by the year 2030. The project – a private-public partnership including the cleantech integrator Ameresco and subcontractor Vattenfall Heat UK – will provide a range of services including: wind and solar and energy efficiency upgrades; project financing; long-term operation and maintenance; and more.
The project will operate over 20 years and will address all sectors of the built environment, including public sector facilities such as hospitals, universities, and schools – as well as industrial, commercial and residential buildings.
“City Leap means large investment in Bristol’s energy systems and our ambitious carbon targets,” said councillor Craig Cheney, deputy mayor with responsibility for finance, governance and performance. “We are creating a long-term partnership on a scale that will bring investment into the much-needed decarbonisation of our energy system.”
The City Leap program is intended to enable Bristol to realize lower energy costs, cleaner air, improved energy infrastructure, a district heating network, and an increase in the local economy through a city-wide decarbonisation effort. Over the first five years of the partnership, the project is expected to deliver approximately 140,000 tonnes of carbon savings, and approximately 182MW of zero-carbon energy generation.
“City Leap will have a real impact for Bristol residents including the way people move around the city and the ways that we power and heat our homes. It will help us to move much more quickly towards carbon neutrality, creating a cleaner, greener and healthier city that is truly fit for the future,” Cheney said. “With City Leap, Bristol will become a focal point for new low carbon technologies and smart energy systems whilst creating thousands of jobs and ensuring a just transition. I’m pleased to see a potential partner that shares our vision for a better, zero-carbon Bristol.”