The innovation

Energy Systems Catapult has been at the forefront of developing and implementing Local Area Energy Plans (LAEPs) in Wales, a journey that began with the early pilot phase.

Bridgend County Borough Council was one of the first three local authorities in the UK to pilot a LAEP in 2015. The success of this pilot highlighted the practicality and necessity of LAEPs as the cornerstone of place-based energy planning. By providing actionable frameworks, LAEPs have proven essential for driving low-carbon projects and integrating decarbonisation into local decision-making processes.

Building on this solid foundation, the Catapult played a crucial role in enabling the Welsh Government’s ambitious programme to implement LAEPs across all 22 local authorities, ensuring every region is equipped with a practical tool to achieve Net Zero objectives. The Catapult was appointed as technical advisor to the programme, working with other companies helping authorities to develop plans, to make sure they could be brought together to provide information at the Welsh national level. Beyond providing technical oversight for plans developed by third parties, the Catapult directly delivered LAEPs for Powys and Ceredigion, two highly rural areas with unique energy challenges, such as off grid properties and connections in rural areas. These experiences informed best practices and provided key insights into addressing the specific needs of rural communities.

By combining lessons learned from urban and rural contexts, Energy Systems Catapult established a robust framework for local energy planning, ensuring these methodologies were accessible and applicable across diverse regions.

The challenge

The Welsh Government has set ambitious goals to lead the way in achieving a Net Zero Wales. This includes plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050, supported by interim emissions targets and carbon budgets. The approach emphasises a just transition, ensuring fairness, minimising societal inequalities, and fostering green job creation. Policies include encouraging significant investment in renewable energy, such as onshore and offshore wind and solar, as well as improving energy infrastructure to support decarbonisation across industries and communities

For rural areas like Powys and Ceredigion, additional challenges included:

• Limited energy infrastructure and dispersed populations.
• High reliance on off-
•  grid heating and transport solutions.
• Ensuring equitable access to decarbonisation opportunities for rural communities.

These complexities demanded innovative, tailored solutions to ensure no region was left behind in the energy transition.

The solution

Energy Systems Catapult provided oversight as Technical Adviser, ensuring the delivery of LAEPs by multiple third-party suppliers adhered to established guidelines. This role included:

• Chairing the Welsh LAEP Forum, which brought together all 22 local authorities and key stakeholders to share knowledge and address challenges.
• Managing the National Advisory Panel, which included representatives from Welsh Government, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, Ofgem, National Grid, SP Energy Networks, and Wales & West Utilities.
• Supporting local authorities with tailored guidance and resources to address knowledge gaps and ensure equitable progress across regions.

By fostering collaboration and aligning stakeholders, the Catapult ensured the successful rollout of LAEPs and established a unified vision for Wales’s energy transition.

Energy Systems Catapult delivered in partnership with the local authorities and the wider region two rural LAEPs for Powys and Ceredigion, addressing the distinct energy needs of these rural communities. These plans explored solutions such as decentralised energy systems, renewable energy integration, and improving energy efficiency in off-grid homes.

Impact

The completion of LAEPs for all 22 Welsh councils represents a landmark achievement in local energy planning. Welsh Government’s leadership in embedding LAEPs into planning policy has positioned Wales as a pioneer in decarbonisation.

These plans provide councils with strategic tools to attract investment, secure partnerships, and implement tailored energy solutions that meet local needs. The Catapult’s role has been pivotal in:

• Creating a consistent, scalable approach to local energy planning.
• Building skills and capabilities across Welsh local authorities.
• Supporting Welsh Government in aggregating local plans into a cohesive national energy data set.

The nationwide rollout is a testament to Welsh Government’s commitment to net-zero ambitions. Key impacts include:

• Building a foundation for action: LAEPs provide councils with actionable frameworks to decarbonise their energy systems and secure investment for local projects.
• Addressing rural challenges: The plans for Powys and Ceredigion have set an example for rural decarbonisation, offering innovative solutions that can be replicated in other similar areas.
• National coherence: By ensuring all plans adhered to consistent methodologies, the Catapult enabled Welsh Government to aggregate these into a national energy data set, balancing local insights with top-down policy objectives.

Informing the UK energy landscape: Welsh Government’s success with LAEPs is now informing the work of the National Energy System Operator (NESO) and the Regional Energy Systems Planner, providing a model for national energy planning.

Next steps

With the delivery of all LAEPs complete, Welsh councils and regions are transitioning from planning to implementation. Key next steps include:

• Delivering projects: Councils are now exploring partnerships, funding mechanisms, and technical solutions to turn their plans into tangible actions.
• Scaling investment: The consistency and quality of LAEPs enable the aggregation and scaling of projects in ways that can make them attractive to investors.
• National integration: Welsh Government will use the aggregated insights from all 22 LAEPs to inform their approach at national level, aligning support for local initiatives with broader strategic goals.

Welsh Government’s leadership in this area continues to set a benchmark for local energy planning across the UK. By addressing the unique needs of rural and urban areas alike, this initiative is paving the way for a just and equitable energy transition.

ED Sheriff, Deputy Director Energy: “Wales has set a benchmark in the UK by providing support to all 22 local authorities to complete Local Area Energy Plans (LAEPs), showcasing a transformative and optimistic step towards a net-zero future. By working with the Energy Systems Catapult as our Technical Advisor, we have benefited from their whole energy system expertise to successfully develop credible energy scenarios tailored for our communities. This achievement, as the first nation with full LAEP coverage, puts Wales in a great place to pioneer the approach of integrating coordinated, cost-effective strategies for decarbonising the energy system. This milestone reflects our unwavering commitment to ensuring local benefits from the energy transition while tackling the climate emergency at scale and pace.”