Council says it is working towards becoming Net Zero

Powys County Council claims to have reduced its annual carbon emissions by nearly 114 tonnes through LED lighting and solar panel installations, whilst saving approximately £130,000 on energy bills.

The figures are revealed in the council's first Net Zero Annual Report 2024, which will be presented to Cabinet on July 15.

More than 3,600 LED light fittings have been installed across council buildings, saving 40,874kg of CO2 equivalent emissions. Solar photovoltaic panels with 528 kW capacity have been fitted, cutting a further 73,083kg of CO2 equivalent.

The council has also secured £635,000 for additional electric vehicle charging infrastructure and improved energy efficiency in more than 1,800 properties through insulation and glazing upgrades across schools and community buildings.

Major funding achievements include £7.17 million from the Shared Prosperity Fund allocated to over 25 decarbonisation projects, alongside support from the Warm Wales Scheme and Energy Redress Scheme for community-owned renewables.

However, the council's overall carbon emissions for 2023-24 increased by 5.2% to 90,272.77 tonnes. This rise was attributed to the inclusion of school transport data for the first time, higher supply chain emissions, and growth in fleet and business travel.

The report noted decreases in commuting and homeworking emissions, as well as waste emissions due to moving away from landfill disposal.

Councillor Jackie Charlton, Cabinet Member for a Greener Powys, said: "We are committed to becoming a net-zero council by 2030 and supporting the county to reach net-zero by 2050. This first annual report outlines our progress, challenges, and plans for addressing the climate and ecological emergencies."

The council has identified significant challenges to reaching net-zero by 2030, including budget constraints, limited staffing with fixed-term roles, lack of organisation-wide climate literacy, and uncosted action plans.

"We have made meaningful progress but acknowledge the need for greater pace, scale, and investment," Cllr Charlton added. "We remain committed to our Greener Powys vision and will continue to collaborate with communities and partners to meet our climate and nature goals."

Plans for 2025-26 include developing a Net Zero Route Map and Carbon Management Plan, finalising a Fleet Transition Plan and Low Carbon Heating Strategy, and expanding the county's electric vehicle charging infrastructure and renewable installations.

The council also aims to improve data systems for emissions tracking and strengthen supply chain sustainability and social value procurement.

Other initiatives launched in 2024 include the Nature Recovery Action Plan to enhance biodiversity and green spaces, and the Severn Valley Water Management Scheme to address flood risk and water resilience.