This Local Area Energy Plan (LAEP) builds a strategic case for local energy system decarbonisation in Belfast. The evidence base is guided by existing ambitions, plans, and strategies for Belfast stakeholders and the wider Northern Ireland context. Analysis uses Belfast’s existing emissions and reduction targets applied to the Local Government area boundary.

What is a LAEP?

A LAEP is a whole energy system approach, led by local government, in collaboration with key stakeholders.
It identifies the most cost-effective integrated plan for the local area to contribute to timebound national and local Net Zero targets whilst maximising co-benefits to society.

What is the purpose of this LAEP?

The purpose of this LAEP is to support the city of Belfast in meeting its carbon targets, enabling transition to an affordable and decarbonised energy system as well as supporting wider socio-economic goals. This LAEP provides a vision of how the local energy system could look in a Net Zero Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions future, and the pathways and steps which can be taken to get there, starting from the present day.

Belfast City Council (BCC) aims to use this LAEP to support the strategic case for investment and prioritisation of projects. With the support of local stakeholders, the city aims to become a place-based decarbonisation leader.

Key numbers: 

• To reach Net Zero by 2050, Belfast requires capital investment of £16.6 – 17.9 billion (dependent on the scenario)
  • This includes ~ £500 million of domestic and non-domestic rooftop solar PV
  • And, £2.5 – 2.6 billion in domestic properties (including fabric upgrades and heating systems)
• Investment could bring local co-benefits of > 500 jobs and up to £130 million of monetisable health benefits (dependent on the scenario)
• By 2050, Belfast’s energy system would have been transformed, with:
  • 66,000 – 86,000 heat pumps installed in homes
  • Up to 1.1 TWh/year total demand for District Heat Networks
  • ~ 108,000 domestic properties retrofitted to improve building fabric and energy efficiency
  • 4,400 public electric vehicle charge points installed
  • And 1.1 GW of renewable energy generation from domestic and non-domestic rooftop solar PV

Debbie Caldwell, Climate Commissioner at Belfast City Council, said:

“The Belfast Local Area Energy Plan provides us with a strong evidence base that will underpin a series of net zero investments across the city. It demonstrates the collective intent of partners to decarbonise the city whilst also generating jobs and prosperity for people who live and work in Belfast. As the first LAEP to be developed in Northern Ireland, it incorporates the region’s unique characteristics including its geothermal resource as well as its biomethane and hydrogen potential which will enable us to move towards a more circular economy that utilises our local assets and resources instead of relying on imported fossil fuels for our energy needs.”

Acknowledgements

This plan was prepared by Ben Walters, Eilidh Lockhart, Georgios Gkogkidis, and Peter Graham of Energy Systems Catapult, on behalf of Belfast City Council. This plan is funded by Belfast City Council.

Contributors

The development of this LAEP has been supported by a Steering Group consisting of BCC, as the lead Government Organisation, plus utility operators in the region, trade associations, and Government Owned Companies (GoCo) under the Department for Infrastructure (DfI), Department for Communities (DfC), and Department for the Economy (DfE).

The Steering Group have been instrumental in shaping the LAEP by being accountable for decision making, supporting data gathering, providing local context and characteristics, defining the modelling Scenarios, examining model assumptions, and reviewing and commissioning the LAEP.

Further support was provided by local stakeholders who also contributed to the decision-making process, the data gathering, and the understanding of local context and characteristics.