Our positive impact on the planet 23-24
Low Carbon Hub is proud to be at the forefront of a collaborative effort to accelerate a low carbon economy in Oxfordshire and we recognise the significance of transforming our energy system to achieve our net-zero goals.
We measure our progress towards this goal through four primary social impact metrics: Planet, People, Prosperity, and Perception. In this article, we look at our impact on the Planet over the past financial year.
Why we do it
Climate change poses a significant and undeniable threat. Human activity’s greenhouse gas emissions are the primary driver behind the alarming rise in global temperatures. Low Carbon Hub is dedicated to mitigating climate change and preventing its catastrophic effects. Our focus is on developing an improved energy system to safeguard our planet from further warming.
How we do it
Our energy transition can be broken down into two main areas: ‘powering up’ projects that generate and supply clean, renewable energy, such as our solar panels on local businesses and schools, Sandford Hydro, and our groundmount solar park.
We also work on ‘powering down’ projects that reduce energy demand. These energy efficiency programmes include Energy Solutions Oxfordshire (ESOx) for businesses, Cosy Homes Oxfordshire for homes, and Action on Climate and Energy in Schools (ACES) for schools. We also run an energy advice service, supporting people with free resources on simple, no-cost ways they could cut their energy use.
Collectively, these services are helping educate on energy efficiency while saving money on bills and cutting carbon emissions.
Highlights from our 23/24 year
Below, we’ve showcased some of the topline impact statistics for the 23/24 financial year and a few examples of pioneering projects that support people, communities and organisations to move towards a greener, better future for all.
In 2023/24 Low Carbon Hub:
- Managed 55 renewable energy installations
- Generated 18.16 GWh of renewable electricity
- Which is enough to power 14,936 typical homes
- Saving 4,087 tonnes of CO₂
- Published the UK’s first Community Action Plan for Zero-Carbon Energy (CAPZero)
- Delivered 106 Whole House Plans, advising homeowners on how to reduce energy demand in their homes
CAPZero
We published the UK’s first Community Action Plan for Zero Carbon Energy (CAPZero). This was developed as part of Project LEO and is centred around the Eynsham Primary Substation Area and a cluster of communities in west Oxfordshire. The Plan outlines a series of actions that need to be implemented at a community level to achieve a zero-carbon energy system.
CAPZero is now in the delivery phase, implementing measures to reduce energy consumption and promote the use of renewable energy. It showcases the potential of local energy planning to empower more communities to transition to a zero-carbon society by taking control of their energy generation and consumption and managing it at a local level.
Find out more and sign up to the newsletter to get involved.
Ray Valley Solar
We’ve been encouraged by the success of our Ray Valley Solar groundmount solar park during the last financial year. It is the UK’s largest community-owned solar park and is pioneering bifacial solar panels. These panels capture sunlight from both the front and rear sides, allowing them to utilise sunlight reflected from the ground and surrounding surfaces.
This innovative approach significantly increases the energy yield of the solar park, indeed, we’ve seen an extra 10% in energy production across the year at Ray Valley thanks to the bifacial panels, contributing to our overall increase in clean energy generation.
Find out more about the panels.
A blueprint for a low carbon future
These examples are just snapshots of projects we work on across Oxfordshire to help transition to a clean energy future. From the small solar arrays to our large groundmount solar park, each has a part to play in decarbonising our energy system.
Through CAPZero and other energy innovation work, we’re also providing a low-carbon blueprint for smart, flexible energy systems that are managed locally and can be rolled out across the UK to help us move closer to our net zero goals.