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Want to know more?
Find out more about how Energy Systems Catapult can help you and your teams
Greater Manchester Combined Authority declared a climate emergency in 2019 and launched its 5-year Environment Plan, which sets out a long-term environmental vision to be carbon neutral by 2038 and the urgent actions that need to be taken in the next 5 years to help achieve this.
The Unlocking Clean Energy in Greater Manchester (UCEGM) Project was conceived of as part of this vision. UCEGM is a pioneering project that has delivered a number of renewable schemes across the Greater Manchester city region and has created a blueprint that can be replicated in other regions across the UK aiming for Net Zero carbon emissions.
Energy Systems Catapult, in partnership with five Greater Manchester local authorities – Manchester, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport and Wigan – secured £8.6m from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) to deliver the project.
The three-year, £17.2m UCEGM project delivered and implemented actions and priorities from the Local Industrial Strategy and the Manchester Combined Authority Five-Year Environment Plan, and contributed towards the 2024 goals set out within the Whole System Smart Energy Plan for Greater Manchester.
UCEGM aims to contribute 22% of the renewable energy generation target set out in the 5-year plan as a step towards the region’s aspiration to be carbon neutral by 2038.
UCEGM was split into two workstreams:
Workstream 1 capitalised on under-utilised council-owned sites and buildings, to develop:
The aim of Workstream 2 was to create a stronger business case for investment to help bring forward more projects in the future with less reliance on grant funding.
To do this, the Catapult worked with partners in Greater Manchester to
The commercial model has been developed using funding and information provided by Workstream 2. This tool can be used by renewable energy project developers as well as large energy consumers willing to procure renewable energy, to assess the economic sustainability of solar photovoltaics installations. Users without any technical or financial background can perform a financial assessment of a solar project and quickly generate results, in a pdf or CSV (Excel) format, to be shared with other colleagues and partners.
This tool can be used by renewable energy project developers as well as large energy consumers willing to procure renewable energy, to assess the economic sustainability of solar photovoltaics installations.
To download this file, we would be grateful if you could tell us a little about yourself.
We use this information for internal research purposes to help us better understand which energy sector stakeholders are interested in which areas of our work. We do not share your details with any third parties.
If you do not wish to complete the form, please email communications@es.catapult.org.uk to request a digital copy.
The following guideline provides a practical explanation of how to use the Financial modelling tool built for the project Unlocking Clean Energy for Greater Manchester (UCEGM).
To download this file, we would be grateful if you could tell us a little about yourself.
We use this information for internal research purposes to help us better understand which energy sector stakeholders are interested in which areas of our work. We do not share your details with any third parties.
If you do not wish to complete the form, please email communications@es.catapult.org.uk to request a digital copy.
As an example of the work that is ongoing in the region, Manchester City Council recently completed a £2.9m project to install solar car ports at the National Cycling Centre. These car ports provide shelter for vehicles, whilst generating power from solar panels installed on top.
Improving the business case for local renewable energy projects in the current market and under future market scenarios
To download this file, we would be grateful if you could tell us a little about yourself.
We use this information for internal research purposes to help us better understand which energy sector stakeholders are interested in which areas of our work. We do not share your details with any third parties.
If you do not wish to complete the form, please email communications@es.catapult.org.uk to request a digital copy.
How can Local Councils fund renewable energy (eg. solar at National Cycling Centre in Manchester)?
Click here to access our report page with additional downloadable reports including 'Detailed Design of Short Term Renewable Generation Business Models', 'Energy market modelling', and more.
Find out moreThe project is receiving up to £8,616,721 of funding from the England European Regional Development Fund as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020. The Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities is the Managing Authority for European Regional Development Fund.
Established by the European Union, the European Regional Development Fund helps local areas stimulate their economic development by investing in projects which will support innovation, businesses, create jobs and local community regenerations. For more information visit: European Growth Funding.
We empower and advise Local Authorities, Network Operators, and Central & Devolved Governments to take Net Zero action
Find out moreFind out more about how Energy Systems Catapult can help you and your teams
Find out more about how Energy Systems Catapult can help you and your teams