Net zero transitions
Updates from the wider world of net zero
Innovate UK Connections
DESNZ NET ZERO HUBS
Hubs funding extended to support GB Energy
The government has confirmed £6.8m of funding for the five Local Net Zero Hubs in England to continue to support Local Authorities to achieve their net zero ambitions as part of a package of net zero measures. The hubs will also be given the explicit remit of supporting the new publicly owned energy company GB Energy with the development of a pipeline of clean power projects.
Net Zero Hubs podcasts and webinars
Greater South East Net Zero Hub podcasts
Are you looking for insightful content for your next coffee break?
The Greater South East Podcast discusses the tools being developed for local authorities to help these sites reduce emissions and the support available right now. Latest episodes include:
North West Net Zero Hub webinars
The North West Net Zero Hub has recently run webinars on a wide range of subjects including:
- Natural Capital, Biodiversity Net Gain and Investment
- Decarbonising Transport – the Role for Public Sector
- A 8 part series on Community Energy National Best Practice
Catch up with all those playlists on the North West Hub’s YouTube Channel
South West Net Zero Hub podcasts
Delivery of the projects under the Local Energy Advice Demonstrator programme (LEAD) closed on the 31st March 2025.
The Hub has been working with the six projects involved to collate the learning from the programme into a series of toolkits to share with key retrofit stakeholders such as local authorities, community energy groups and advice organisations. Learning covered by the toolkits includes:
- Retrofit and planning and historic homes
- Collaboration and consortiums
- Engagement and communication
Some of the resources are now available on the South West Net Zero Hub’s website with more coming soon.
APSE Big Energy Summit
The Local Net Zero Hubs partnered with APSE, the Association for Public Service Excellence, to deliver this year's Big Energy Summit.
The event was highly informative, providing valuable insights and learning from local authorities delivering net zero projects, and highlighting the vital role that the hubs play to catalyse projects.
Some highlights from the hubs:
- Justin Olosunde introducing the Green Growth West Impact Fund
- Karen Oliver-Spry on developments in Local Area Energy Planning
- John Hart on unlocking deep geothermal heat at scale in the UK
- Mark Burton on the development of a heat network in Plymouth
- Marissa Looby and Genevieve Dady on Regional Retrofit Skills Pilots
- Alastair Craig on Energy Networks and LAEP
- Jason Taylor from Southampton City Council on the authority’s increasing use of “complex sites” for energy generation, which they have developed with the Greater South East Hub.
Upcoming webinars to boost awareness of decarbonisation opportunities
Two new webinars from the Greater South East Net Zero Hub team will provide local authorities with valuable insights into decarbonisation opportunities and available tools.
30 April 2025, 10:00 – 12:00
The Hub will provide an insight into our work on industrial clusters across the region, including the latest policy updates and the tools we’ve created alongside Opergy Net Zero
9 May, 11:00 – 12:00
Join the Hub as they launch their new waste heat mapping tool designed to help the public sector identify suitable areas for heat networks
Hubs publish research into how regions can meet retrofit skills needs
A government-funded project has set out the retrofit skills of each of the five Local Net Zero Hub areas and piloted new approaches for meeting it. The Regional Skills Pilot was launched by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero in 2023 and delivered through the Hubs.
Findings from the reports - and evaluation of the projects they inspired - are now available from the Hub websites. Here’s the North East and Yorkshire Hub’s report, and the North West Hub’s report.
Webinar series from England’s Local Net Zero Hubs launched in March
A new webinar series from the five Local Net Zero Hubs launched on the 19th March with an episode focusing on heat network zoning. Making Net Zero Happen is a new bi-monthly webinar which will delve into various topics to share insights, best practices and support available to help the public sector decarbonise.
The first episode was delivered to improve understanding of the current information and support available for heat network zoning, the recording can be found here.
The second episode will look into financing net zero.
News
Heat
29 & 30 April 2025 / Olympia London
Retrofit connect – communities leading the way
Join the National Retrofit Hub for this webinar on community retrofit projects.
Energy
Schools and hospitals will benefit from Great British Energy’s first project, cutting costs to energy bills through the help of Solar PV installations.
Read here about the 27 hydrogen projects that have been shortlisted as part of the government’s Plan for Change.
Agriculture and food
Cornwall’s farmers and food producers have launched a new 10-year plan in bid to become the UK’s top region for sustainable food and drink.
Business engagement
29 & 30 April 2025 / Olympia London
Innovation Zero World Congress - Transforming systems for a low carbon economy
Join and engage with leaders and professionals from multiple sectors in the net zero community at Innovation Zero, the UK’s largest net zero congress.
The Clean Energy sector is set to create a ‘clean power army’ through thousands of apprenticeships. Read more here!
Did you know that B Lab has strengthened its standards for business impact? Check the updated standards on their website.
Funding
DESNZ have updated their guidance on central support for local authorities and communities on their decarbonisation journey.
Calling all London local authorities and organisations! The Zero Carbon Accelerator can provide guidance on funding opportunities alongside technical support and training and upskilling to help the city reach its net zero 2030 targets.
Reports
Take a look at the recently published Climate Adaption Research and Innovation Framework here, addressing the challenges in climate adaptation and how they can be improved.
Read the two new reports from Citizens Advice on improving household energy efficiency and the consumer experience of energy efficiency schemes.
On behalf of the Scottish Government, the Green Finance Institute have published the second part of their independent Green Heat Finance Taskforce report. You can also catch up on Part 1 here.