Sector
SOLUTION
Reducing Energy Costs
Energy Efficiency
Net Zero
TECHNOLOGY
Transformers
Voltage Optimisation
As a unitary authority responsible for the administration of all areas of local government within a single tier for a given area, Newport City Council was eager to dramatically reform their energy consumption. Like many local authorities, they were keen to demonstrate progression towards net zero, as well as addressing rising energy costs.
Newport City Council’s responsibility within Wales has significantly increased over the years. First being formed as a county borough in 1996, the council went on to obtain city status in 2002 and is now the eighth-largest council in Wales.
Challenge
With the council’s increased responsibility within Wales, and the increase in environmental impact, the council saw it as mandatory that they focus their efforts on energy sustainability. Every three years the council set out their corporate plan which dictates what they plan to achieve. Energy consumption, however, is an area where the council constantly aims to improve.
Newport City Council partakes in a resource reduction led scheme called ‘Planet Newport’ whereby they strive to continuously lower the carbon footprint of the city. Aiming to lead by example, the council sought an effective energy reducing strategy that would kick start their own energy sustainability efforts. Powerstar was commissioned to make significant changes in the council’s energy use, without using up a large proportion of money that could be invested in other city revamping projects.
Solution
Result
The solution from Powerstar is providing Newport City Council with a total carbon footprint reduction of around 5.4%. Alongside this, it also secured an energy reduction of 165,016kWh annually, reducing total consumption by 8.8%.
The savings this offers on energy bills means that the voltage regulation technologies installed paid for themselves in less than two and a half years. The carbon reduction secured by this significant reduction in energy consumption is also an important step towards securing eventual net zero status for the city.
