Neath Port Talbot Council is putting its draft Decarbonisation and Renewable Energy Strategy out to public consultation.

Coming after the Welsh Government’s declaration of a climate emergency in April this year, the document outlines the Council’s overarching vision and objectives when it comes to tackling climate change.

It also sets out what the Council has already achieved and identifies some of the many future opportunities that exist – including looking at the possibility of producing low carbon jet fuel using waste gases from the Port Talbot steel works!

The consultation period for the strategy will run for 6 weeks, starting at midday on Tuesday 24th September and ending at midday on Tuesday 5th November 2019.

For further information, please contact the Council at greener@npt.gov.uk or 01639 686845. See the form here https://neath-porttalbot-consult.objective.co.uk/portal/

Tackling climate change requires collective action and in its role as a community leader, landowner, employer, regulatory body and service provider, it’s important the Council leads by example and continues to commit to doing its fair share to reduce carbon emissions to help achieve national targets.

The draft strategy – endorsed by the Council’s Cabinet in July – sets out the Council’s commitment to a low or zero carbon future with a range of alternative energy projects including:

  • Working with renewable energy experts Lanzatech on a pilot project at the Port Talbot Steel Works which could generate 30 million gallons of low carbon biofuel for the aviation industry each year from waste gases.
  • Using water from old mines to heat thousands of homes – with the Cefn Coed Colliery Museum possibly becoming a demonstrator site.
  • As part of the Swansea Bay City Deal, the Council has programmed the construction of a 2,500 square metre “energy positive” Swansea Bay Technology Building which will transfer excess energy to the Baglan Energy Park’s Hydrogen Centre nearby – provide zero carbon fuel for hydrogen powered council vehicles.
  • Taking the lead on promoting and delivering the Homes as Power Stations project as part of the wider Swansea Bay City Deal with a pathfinder scheme which is being developed at a site in Neath, where 16 houses and flats have been built which will generate, store and release energy – and therefore don’t need boilers.

Neath Port Talbot Council