Strategic Energy Partnership for Net Zero

About the Strategic Energy Partnership

We're exploring the creation of a Strategic Energy Partnership (SEP) to deliver city‑wide energy decarbonisation at scale and pace. 

In 2024 we commissioned a Decarbonisation Pathways Report. The report identified a coherent and achievable pipeline of priority projects across heat, power, buildings and transport. It outlined that a capital investment of nearly £2.6 billion would be needed to decarbonise the city’s energy system. This figure includes investment from property owners, but excludes grid reinforcement costs.

As a council we have a strong track record of climate leadership, and we've developed a clear, data‑driven roadmap to Net Zero. Yet the scale of city-wide change needed goes far beyond what the public sector alone can provide. We're now exploring whether a Strategic Energy Partnership can provide the right long-term vehicle to:

• unlock investment
• accelerate delivery
• generate community benefit
• share risk appropriately between the public and private sector

Preliminary Market Engagement

We've now completed our Preliminary Market Engagement (PME). We'll be using the feedback we received to inform the next stage of the project. 

We're currently preparing an Outline Business Case to proceed with the development of a Strategic Energy Partnership.

Current position and indicative programme

These timescales are indicative and subject to the necessary approvals and governance processes.

We will publish official procurement notices on the SE Shared Services eSourcing Portal and update this webpage as the project progresses.

Key documents