Agenda and draft minutes

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 22 October 2015 be approved as a correct record.  There were no matters arising.

Please outline the role and responsibilities of your post.

(1).         (CM) I lead a team which has three parts to it:

·         Working with the County Council’s estate, for which the annual energy budget is £26 million;

·         Working with District Councils, Medway Council and voluntary organisations; and

·         Working with and supporting Kent businesses.

(2).         The recommendations made by Select Committees which previously looked at similar issues have mostly now been put into practice and are embedded. The Climate Change Select Committee in 2006 led to a change in the organisation of the Directorate, and the Renewable Energy Select Committee in 2010 led to the County Council taking up the opportunities which exist for renewable energy.

PRESENTATION – ‘A STRATEGIC VIEW’

(3).         Setting the context and the scale of the challenge, we can use the Growth and Infrastructure Framework to identify future needs. By 2031, Kent will need 158,000 new homes, housing 300,000 new residents, with the resulting increase in demand for jobs, and all this growth will require energy.  We know that much investment will be needed but the scale and nature of the investment needs to be identified.

(4).         The Kent Environment Strategy set out the strategic context of, and framework for, the way in which the County Council works with its partners. This Strategy belongs to the whole of the county of Kent, not to the County Council. The Strategy was last reviewed in 2010 so is being reviewed again now, with the aim of minimising the negative impact of the County’s energy use and managing demand in the public and business sectors, while securing the maximum benefit for jobs and growth. The Strategy is cross-cutting, covering the environment, health and the economy.  Since the Strategy was last reviewed in 2010, there has been a reduction in resources and a change in focus towards more evidence-based services geared to outcomes, involving evaluation and monitoring.

(5).         In terms of energy security and total consumption of energy in the County (industry & commercial, domestic and transport), Kent uses the equivalent of 35GWh per annum,and is a net importer of energy.  Only 12% of the energy it generates itself comes from renewable sources.

Why is there such a big difference between onshore and offshore wind- generated energy?

(6).             (NH) There is currently only one onshore wind farm, on Romney Marsh comprising 26 turbines, and two turbines on the Isle of Sheppey, whereas there are three major offshore projects; the London Array (175 turbines), Thanet Offshore (100 turbines) and at Kentish Flats, recently extended (45 turbines).  Offshore wind is a stronger resource and therefore more potent in terms of its energy generation potential.

(7).          (CM) We also use photovoltaic panels to seek to reduce the difference between the amount of energy imported and that which Kent generates itself.  Kent’s new approach has three themes: i) identifying gaps in energy production, using evidence, and building resources and funding to address these, the challenge being to decide how we can do this; ii) interacting with  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.