Newcastle upon Tyne: Environmental planning and energy saving policies

Country:	United Kingdom
Type:	Projects, Policies, Concepts
Area:	Entire City
Actors:	Local Gov.
Funding:	Local Gov., EU
Topics:	Air-quality and climate protection
	Energy
	Urban management tools
Objectives:	Improve access to information
	Improve intersectoral cooperation
	Increase cogeneration
	Increase district heating
	Increase use of public transport
	Reduce energy consumption
Instruments:	Integrated planning approach

Abstract:

• the collection of data from different environmental sectors has led to compatible energy information on supply and use;
• the aspects of energy use have been integrated into different planning processes;
• the setting up of two alternative scenarios on the environmental future stimulated support for new measures in the field of energy policy;
• in the most important area of combined heat and power the City Council favoured small and medium scale solutions;
• the study of comprehensive planning established the basis for valuable know-how on sustainability.

Concept and aims

At a time when industrial activities in the traditional centres of heavy industry and manufacturing are declining, the primary challenge is to create new types of opportunities in a framework that is suitable for a sustainable development. The City of Newcastle took the chance in 1989 when the European Commission DG 17 sent the City Council an invitation to submit proposals for an Urban Energy Strategy. Due to political backing it had been agreed that a team should be assembled which, beside the CityDevelopment Department, included the major energy suppliers, the Citytwo universities and the public transport operators. The strategy of comprehensive environmental planning was prepared in parallel with the formulation of a major land use, and traffic plan which will shape Newcastle over the next 15 years until the year 2006. The simultaneous planning had the advantage that the energy dimension had been introduced into the Cityplanning functions.

The urban environmental strategy in Newcastle upon Tyne set itself the target to reduce carbon dioxide emissions associated with energy use by 30% by the year 2006. By the year 2010 it is estimated that the maximal potentials of reducing the environmental impact of energy use could be 45% in carbon dioxide emissions, 82% in carbon monoxide, 89% in sulphur dioxide, and 76% in oxides of nitrogen. Such a far-reaching policy has to address projects in the energy generation sector, the control of traffic and substantial improvements in domestic, commercial and industrial energy efficiency. The energy saving policy should be based on three themes:

1. Energy conservation;
2. Fuel switching;
3. Small and medium scale co-generation (CHP).

The Newcastle strategy for and the Urban Environment was prepared in three stages:

1. Establishing base year information (the year 1990 as reference point);
2. Preparation of alternative scenarios;
3. Preparation of an action plan.

The establishing of base year information constitutes an essential part of the complete strategy as the planners have to obtain information from a number of sources (the electricity and gas supply utilities, British Coal, oil supply companies, and the regional transport companies). The Newcastle Development Department used the TEMIS model which has been developed by the German ÖKO Institut in Darmstadt. The main purpose of this model is to provide an analytical tool to enhance comparative information on environmental aspects of energy use. It describes, for example, information on efficiency, emission control characteristics, fuel type etc. However, the system had to be adjusted for the specific UK situation. The following information was collected on energy supply and use within Newcastle upon Tyne:

• Electricity consumption: The annual electricity consumption during the period 1988 to 1990 was broken down between domestic, industrial and commercial use. The data was supplied in respect of post code sub areas within the City. This level of detail made it possible to examine overall trends in consumption and to cross reference with other areas, especially the housing sector.
• Source of electricity supply: The breakdown between different forms of generation used to supply electricity typically consumed was obtained from National Grid Companyseven year plan.
• Gas consumption: Annual gas consumption was supplied by British Gas Northern on the same basis as electricity consumption information.
• Coal use: Estimates of coal-derived solid fuel used in the City were made on the basis of data supplied by British Coal.
• Transport fuels: Data on transport energy was the most complex to assemble and required the use of an existing model for the assessment of alternative highway proposals in the area. The model provided an aggregate of the total vehicle kilometre per day for all traffic in Newcastle for the given year.
• Energy use in the housing sector: A survey of the Cityhousing stock was completed, identifying the number of dwellings with each main dwelling type. A small sample of dwellings were then assessed to determine the local energy characteristic using the National Home Energy Rating System.
• Renewable energy potentials: Data was taken from an energy study on the North East of England and the work of the University of NorthumbriaPhotovoltaic Applications Centre, and the University of Sunderland Renewable Energy Centre.

The collected data pinpointed the direction of the preparation of alternative scenarios and the areas for activities. The analysis concluded:

• The extent to which natural gas is already used is beneficial for the environment as it supplied 41% of Newcastleenergy requirements in 1990. Within the domestic sector the great majority of households use gas for space heating. About 64% of homes have gas fired central heating, and a further 19% rely on gas fires. In contrast only 7% of houses have electrical central heating systems. The focus for future actions must be the efficient use of fuel. In particular, within the domestic market better levels of insulation and progressively more efficient boiler plants are the key areas for action. Local authority investment in the housing stock and encouraging occupiers to invest in improvements are vitally important.
• Electricity is used predominantly for industrial processes, appliances and lighting. On the supply side of the equation, CHP at a range of different scales offers great potentials for environmental gains. Changes in fuel mix are also relevant as in 1990 electricity accounted for just 20% of energy used in Newcastle, but is responsible for 81% of SO₂ emissions, 50% of CO₂ emissions and 37% of NO_x emissions.
• Transport fuels already make a significant contribution to atmospheric emissions as the use of oil-derived fuels for transport accounts for 22% of all energy used in the City. The introduction of catalytic converters on new cars will help ease some of the street level problems, but increasing traffic levels will add to the overall problem. The Cityinfluence is only limited as the control of fiscal and regulatory policies, which affect transport, is with the central government.
• Energy from renewable sources is relatively limited. In the long term new sources of renewable energy must be introduced. Wind energy generated in the region could technically supply 17% of the electricity usage of the region (equals 2% of the total energy requirements), but landscape conservation will be a major limiting factor. Hydro-energy offers only a modest perspective as it is estimated at about 0.5% of the regionelectricity requirements. At the time of the conception of the environmental planning and energy saving policy solar, and photovoltaics only started to gain ground, whereas the City already had some experience with energy from refuse. Since 1979 the Byker Waste Reclamation Plant provided heat to the houses of the adjacent Byker District Heating Scheme and a further promotion will result in a total 75 GWh per annum of heat.

The first stage of environmental planning, that of data collection and assessment, contributed directly to the preparation of two alternative scenarios for the Cityenergy future:

1. the business as usual scenario and
2. the new policy initiatives approach.

The scenarios outline the foreseeable development in the absence of any significant new, politically driven changes as well as the effects of a turn-around policy that would apply to a wide scale introduction of technologies in the fields of CHP, energy efficiency, renewables, and restraint of car use in favour of public transport. The special characteristic of the latter one is that in each case the technology is not in doubt, but the restriction is the lack of political will and institutional barriers. Furthermore, the first scenario is incorporated within the second, as it describes what is almost certain to happen.

The differences in the reduction levels reveal significant environmental gains, if the environmentally compatible scenario could be implemented successfully. Without a progressive implementation the expected reduction in the year 2010 would -6% in CO_2, -51% in CO, -14% in SO_2, -30% in NO_x, and - 15% in CH_4, whereas the optimal goals could be -45% in CO_2, -82% in CO, -89% in SO_2, -76% in NO_x, and -75% in CH_4. In consequence, the New Policy Initiatives for sustainable development describe what can be achieved, if the right framework and the political support are present. A co-operative approach is required from a wide range of agencies from the government to businesses and households, as well as the City Council, if the initiatives to save energy and reduce pollution identified are to be implemented. The Newcastle Action Plan is designed to promote the implementation of measures in all energy-related areas.

Implementation

The Action Plan of the progressive scenario draws proposals under four broad headings:

1. Combined Heat and Power;
2. Energy Efficiency;
3. Renewable Energy;
4. Traffic and Transport.

In regard to CHP, the CityFourth Energy Project proposes the development of a combined cycle gas fired CHP station with an electrical rating of 150 MW and a typical annual output in the order of 1,000 GWh, at an efficiency of 45%. Compared to the 1990 level of energy consumption in Newcastle this represents 83% of the electricity used. The proposed station would also supply hot water for space heating, largely displacing existing gas and oil fired boilers. The overall efficiency of the station would be about 80%. In addition, small scale CHP projects would also contribute to the local energy savings. The Byker District heating, which serves 2,200 dwellings, a swimming pool, school, library and other community buildings, has been expanded with a further 3.4 MW electricity generator producing 26.8 GWh of electricity per annum. Another important CHP project has been the Freeman Hospital which produces 39.4 GWh of electricity per annum plus 90 GW hours of heat. The power from this CHP project is also distributed to other facilities like government offices, Polytechnic and University premises, and schools.

In energy efficiency the focus is on the financial support and consultancy for domestic customers and public and small firms. Since the publication of the Energy and Urban Environment Strategy Report the Local Information and Advice Centre has been opened for the public and small firms located in a shopping area. Extensive use is made of funds available under the national Governmentprogrammes to insulate and draftproof homes of those eligible for grants. This Home Energy Efficiency Service is targeted at low income home occupiers. Currently, the City Council is preparing to implement the requirements of the Home Energy Conservation Act which will bring a new boost to the field of domestic energy savings. At the moment the main problem is the gap between knowledge and financial resources.

The activities in the area of renewable energy sources are still in progress. At present about 4% of Newcastleenergy comes from this type of energy. However, the City Council estimates that an increase to at least 10% is possible within the next 10 - 20 years. The Cityenergy planners have close ties with energy initiatives in the field of environmentally compatible energy policy. In co-operation with Professor Bob Hill of the University of Northumbria, the U.K.largest solar powered building was built in the heart of the city. At the pilot demonstration project a solar photovoltaic wall cladding added to a five-storey administration building was tested which generated 50% of the buildings electrical requirements at peak production (approximately 32 MWh per annum). However, at the moment the city-wide promotion of this technology is uneconomic, but new guidelines for the design of houses and commercial buildings should make more use of renewable energy like passive solar energy, for example for house heating or the avoidance of air conditioning in offices.

The traffic and transport sector is a difficult area within the urban environmental strategy as environmental gains contribute little to the overall balance due to the steady growth of traffic. In addition, the planning practice has become more fragmented when the Tyne and Wear County Council was abolished in the mid-1980s. As there is no planning authority for the Tyneside conurbation, the policy of traffic restraint is limited to the Cityarea. The CityDevelopment Plan proposes a re-ordering of traffic priorities in favour of public transport, cycling and pedestrians. A further study of energy and transport is currently underway with assistance from the European Union.

Results and Impacts

In the mid-1990s investment in energy efficiency since 1981 is saving the City Council over 1 million every year. Energy consumption in municipal buildings has been reduced by 50%. The energy savings result in an annual reduction of 50,000 tonnes of CO_2.

In 1996 the City Council intends to review the Energy Strategy in order to identify what changes occurred between 1990 and 1995 in terms of energy use and pollution. This review will be undertaken by a newly established Energy Group of private and public organisations formed within the context of the CityLocal Agenda 21 initiative.

As mentioned above, the Newcastle City Council will evaluate the environmental planning strategy in 1996 and, henceforth, review the situation every five years.

Evaluation and Statements

In the UK context the Byker Waste Reclamation project and the utilisation of district heating have to be regarded as an unusual examples of local activity towards sustainability. However, the City Councilapproach to encourage the development of CHP was limited to small and medium scale projects as large scale CHP projects are mainly pursued by the private sector. Initially this was seen as a public sector area, but as a private consortium stepped in, it is intended to commission a gas fired CHP with an output of 10 MW electricity and 13 MW of heat. In 1995 this project is still at the feasibility stage as the risks of the 7 million project have to be judged carefully.

In general the promotion of CHP is insufficiently supported by the national policy framework as the chief assistant planner at the Newcastle Development Department stresses:

"...has proved to be difficult to take CHP development significantly beyond buildings in local authority ownership. The current City CHP is close to financial viability, but it is clear that more positive Government policy towards this technology, comparable with that for renewable energy for example, could accelerate progress in this field. CHP is probably the single most important initiative if cities are to reduce global atmospheric emissions associated with energy use." (Adrian Smith, 1995: Local Energy Planning in Newcastle upon Tyne, NSCA Conference, October, (ms.), p.7)

As in the case of CHP, the lessons learnt in the transport sector also underline the importance of stronger national efforts to influence the trend of traffic growth:

"..policy in particular requires a clear lead from Central Government, probably using fiscal measures to shift the balance away from car use. If Local Authorities act to reduce traffic in a national vacuum, then activity is likely to relocate, and journey lengths increase. Local Authorities need to do what they can in traffic calming and encouraging public transport and cycling, and to press for other wider measures." (Adrian Smith, 1995: p.9)

However, the local government level is quite suitably equipped to act as an environmental auditor which is a basic precondition of the stimulation of further development:

"..important lesson learnt in Newcastle is that the city should itself review all aspects of energy use within its area, set targets for environmental improvements and then seek to influence the many and varied suppliers and users of energy. Within the city there are many players who affect the use of energy and its environmental consequences, but there is generally no overview of what is happening. The local authority is uniquely placed to undertake a leading role in auditing, identifying appropriate solutions and implementing these solutions in partnership with the many interested parties." (OECD (ed.) 1995: p.74)

Source of Information

City of Newcastle upon Tyne 1992: Energy and the Urban Environment. Strategy for a major Urban Centre Newcastle upon Tyne, U.K., Report in the framework of the European Commisionaction on Energy and Urban Environment, Newcastle upon Tyne

Nijkamp, Peter / Perrels, Adrian 1994: Sustainable Cities in Europe. A Comparative Analysis of Urban Energy - Environmental Policies, London

OECD (ed.) 1995: Urban Energy Handbook. Good Local Practice, Paris

Smith, Adrian 1995: Local Energy Planning in Newcastle upon Tyne, NSCA Conference, October, (ms.)

Contact:

Cities:

Newcastle upon Tyne :

Newcastle has a population of 277,000 and it covers an area of 103 square kilometres. It was one of the industrial centres in the North of England. The northern region contains just over 3 million people and Tyne & Wear County 1.13 million. The City and the wider region has experienced a steady industrial decline over a lengthy period. Currently, only a third of the workforce has jobs in the industry and building sector. Manufacturing accounts for about 9% of jobs in the City. Northern Engineering Industries (NEI), the largest manufacturing employer in the City, makes steam turbines and a range of engineering equipment. Other companies manufacture armaments, pharmaceutical products, confectionery, printed material, bricks etc. Today 90% of the employment is in the service sector (retailing, distribution, transport etc.). The City Centre contains the largest single concentration of jobs, about 60,000. The next two most significant centres are the Department of Social Services National Government and the Regent Centre office complex to the north of the City Centre.

Population:

Project was added at 21.06.96
Project was changed at 27.06.96