SE1 Task 2: LZC energy options assessment for development categories

Overview of task

The feasibility and viability of LZC energy provision for a category of site will determine the appropriate size of target that is feasible and viable for that category. The output from this task should provide the following information for the categories of development of interest:

• An estimate of the likely additional build cost to achieve a range of potential % energy generation or carbon reduction targets
• An indication of the number and type of technology options that would be available to meet these targets for sites in each category

This will then give you the basis for deciding on the level of target to set, and a development size threshold for which the target would apply.

The companion guide to the Climate Change PPS, in figure 12, gives a list of the technologies that the analysis should consider. These are as follows:

• Wind power, at a range of scales
• Photovoltaics (PV)
• Gas CHP, both micro and at larger scale
• Solar water heating
• Biomass/wood fuel heating
• Biomass CHP
• Heat pumps (air, and ground) for heating and cooling
• Fuel cells
• Where relevant, use of waste heat, or connection to existing low carbon heating or cooling networks, or Energy from Waste

In order to provide this information, the analysis of LZC energy options should cover at least the following:

• An assessment of the baseline energy use for development in any category, providing a breakdown into: space heating, hot water, cooling, other regulated energy use, estimated unregulated energy use (such as cooking, appliances, process energy)
• An estimate of the annual carbon emissions produced by each of these uses
• An estimate of the base build cost (without any LZC energy options) for the development
• An assessment of which technology options may be ruled out for that development category due to technical or regulatory constraints.
• For those options which are not ruled out, an estimate of the size and cost of systems required to meet different targets. These targets could cover 10%, 15% or 20% of energy, or carbon reduction, either in terms of regulated emissions or total carbon emissions
• The potential additional build cost that would arise from meeting these targets