Liverpool picks WSP to develop sustainable energy strategy
Consultant WSP has been chosen to develop an energy strategy for the Liverpool City Region with a focus on sustainability, increasing efficiency, and preparing the region’s infrastructure for electric vehicles and energy storage.
WSP’s remit from the City Region’s Local Enterprise Partnership will include modelling future energy use up to 2040 to help reduce carbon emissions over time.
It will also include proposals to improve greater energy efficiency in the region’s homes, and improving infrastructure to ready the region for renewable energy, energy storage, and electric vehicles.
The strategy forms part of Steve Roterham’s ambition to make the City Region carbon-neutral by 2040, with the Mayor’s focus pushing towards renewable energy sources.
Rotheram has already said there was “no need or justification for shale gas extraction” in the region and has instead pumped resources towards a “multi-billion pound” tidal energy project in the River Mersey.
Last year, he appointed former Dong Energy UK chairman Brent Cheshire to head up the region’s special purpose vehicle for the project, and Cheshire and his team is due to work up a business case for the project by the end of 2018.
The energy strategy will be put together by WSP’s sustainable places team, supported by its transport and power networks teams in the North West. Previous strategies the consultant’s Liverpool office has delivered have included a low carbon heating strategy for Liverpool John Lennon Airport.
Joe Chambers, principal energy consultant at WSP in Liverpool, said: “The UK energy landscape is changing faster than ever before with new technologies and business models having a profound impact on the whole energy system.
“Liverpool City Region is well placed to benefit from this and has great natural assets including offshore wind in Liverpool bay and the energy potential of the tidal resource.
“It also has a fantastic local-skills base and more than 1,400 companies that already are part of the low carbon sector employing 22,000 people, contributing £2bn to the regional economy.”