The Energy group focusses on how we generate and use energy in Shropshire.

The group’s key successes to date include:

• The completion of a very successful energy mapping project for Shropshire, which is generating interest from landowners and potential users
• Building relationships with Distribution Network Operators (DNOs) (Western Power Distribution, Scottish Power Energy Networks)
• Starting to engage with developers and renewable energy projects

Moving forwards, many of the challenges centre on the limited capacity of the existing grid:

• We’re already seeing attempts to connect solar schemes rejected by the DNOs as the network capacity isn’t adequate

• DNOs are constrained in how they invest in infrastructure by Ofgem and national policy – new thinking is needed
• Communities want renewables, but there are delays providing connectivity
• We need to create pressure in the community, and find ways of moving the DNOs forward

Some solar farm proposals are encountering negative, often ill-informed responses, such as New Works in Telford and we need to consider how this can be managed. Also, the price of electricity is not dependent on how it is generated at the moment. There ought to be incentives to shift to renewables, and this needs to be addressed.

Over the next couple of years, we need to make a rapid transition from natural gas, oil and other fossil fuels to renewable energy sources, including electricity (from wind, solar or hydro-sources), methane from anaerobic digestion, ‘green’ hydrogen, carbon-neutral synthetic fuels or biomass.

As part of this transition, our Energy Working Group has been studying the possible wind and solar power resources available to Shropshire.

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