Peterborough plans largest smart city-wide energy system

Plans for the design of the largest smart city-wide energy system in the UK have been unveiled by Peterborough City Council.

The two-year Peterborough Integrated Renewables Infrastructure project has been granted funding to begin the design of a local, smart energy system, and will combine a next generation heat network, electricity network and EV infrastructure under one holistic scheme.

The £2 million scheme will cut energy bills and provide green heat, electricity and transport for residents, and is envisaged to be especially effective in areas where the electricity network is constrained; as well serving as a blueprint for other urban locations across the UK.

The PIRI project is one of five to win funding to create a pipeline of innovative and investable local energy system designs that will be ready to roll out across the UK in the 2020s. It aims to deliver a significant drop in CO2 emissions by 2030, whilst cutting energy bills by up to a quarter.

Marco Cereste, cabinet member for the environment at Peterborough City Council, said: “This exciting announcement will give Peterborough the opportunity to use its own green, locally produced electricity and heat to benefit residents. It's a landmark step in our aim to be carbon-neutral by 2030 and will be the most exciting and innovative clean, green energy project the city and indeed the country has ever seen.”