City Science was commissioned by Innovate UK to provide Portsmouth City Council with a Net Zero Living report, helping them better understand their emissions and identify opportunities for reduction.
Overview
Portsmouth is a unique island city, connected to the mainland by three bridges, and is the most densely populated local authority district in the UK outside of Greater London. This limited space poses significant challenges for decarbonisation, particularly in terms of renewable energy development. Additional challenges include the city’s reliance on cars and the presence of large energy consumers, such as Portsmouth International Port and the Naval Base.
Scope
This project aimed to unlock key barriers to decarbonisation, addressing the following ideas:
- Plan-making: Improving data sharing, coordination and scenario-planning.
- ‘City Island’ Strategy: Optimising energy generation and use within the city’s constraints.
- Influence: Expanding influence with residents, businesses, visitors and partners.
- Case-Making: Overcoming the “build-first” dynamic of multiple energy-system investments.
- Equality: Ensuring that equality is embedded into the city’s transition to net zero.
With Portsmouth City Council aiming for net zero council operations by 2030 and to help the city be on the same journey, time is running out to drive substantial emissions reductions. The city’s high population density, concentrated energy demands, reliance on external mobility solutions, growing future energy needs, and limited space for renewables all pose major challenges to achieving this target.
To tackle these issues, we used a co-design approach, engaging all key stakeholders in collaborative problem-solving to ensure effective decision-making and active participation throughout the project.
Outcomes
Key actions for decarbonising Portsmouth were identified through extensive stakeholder engagement, grouped under three main themes:
Power
- Developing a Collaborative Micro-Grid to boost capacity for low-carbon technologies and enhance data sharing.
- Implementing a Green Skills Training Scheme through colleges and apprenticeships to future-proof Portsmouth’s economy in response to evolving technologies (e.g. heat pumps and retrofitting).
Transport
- Improving Bus Services to reduce car dependency, supported by a marketing campaign to promote bus use.
- Redesigning the road network, including a Whole City One-Way System, to improve traffic efficiency and connectivity. This could also involve reallocating road space for cycle lanes.
Domestic
- Creating an Area-Wide Retrofit Plan to build confidence in retrofitting and secure long-term investment in supply chain and skills.
- Launching a targeted Resident Engagement Strategy to ensure high uptake in retrofitting and the adoption of heat pumps.
Next steps
City Science will continue to support Portsmouth City Council in understanding its options for their Net Zero Programme. Our ongoing work will focus on identifying the gaps to reaching their net zero goals, assessing the options, and providing actionable recommendations to help the council move forward with their decarbonisation efforts.