Find out why we're exploring the creation of a Strategic Energy Partnership, and how we're engaging partners and offering opportunities to invest in city‑wide energy decarbonisation.
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:
We're seeking early input from the market to help shape a future Strategic Energy Partnership and inform further procurement moving forward.
This Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) is an opportunity for organisations with relevant expertise to provide insight on how a long‑term public‑private partnership could be structured to deliver high‑impact energy infrastructure and services across the city, whilst creating long-term value for both the city and its partners.
We'll use the information and feedback we gather from the PME to inform our decision-making and the design of any future procurement.
The prospectus sets out the strategic context, opportunity, and benefits of partnering with us.
Get further detail on the purpose and scope of the Preliminary Market Engagement.
Read our PME notice on the GOV.UK website.
On 23 February we held a webinar to introduce the Strategic Energy Partnership opportunity.
Watch a recording of the webinar below
Interested parties are encouraged to provide their views on a potential Strategic Energy Partnership. After you've viewed the webinar and read through the key documents, you can give us feedback by completing our preliminary market engagement survey. Your responses will be confidential, and help shape future procurement.
If you complete the feedback form by Wednesday 11 March, we'll give you the opportunity to provide your contact details and we may invite you to a follow-on discussion.