Earlier this year, the Local Government Association commissioned the Association for the Conservation of Energy, working wtih CAG Consultants, to produce a new energy category strategy.
Energy is one of the largest controllable overheads in many council buildings. To insulate councils from wider energy price trends, and to benefit from the huge opportunities presented by new energy technologies and business models, councils must look to gain greater control over this spend.
The strategy explains how councils can maximise savings by not being solely concerned with the unit price of energy. Investing in energy efficiency, improving energy procurement practices, and participating more actively in the energy market can all reap financial rewards.
The strategy provides an overview of these opportunities, with ideas for how councils can minimise their costs and maximise the benefits for their local communities through their energy procurement actions. It also presents a number of case studies on councils that have taken a proactive and innovative approach to controlling energy costs. The strategy can be accessed here: https://www.local.gov.uk/energising-procurement-national-energy-procurement-category-strategy