As our trailblazing decarbonisation partnership marks its second year of operation, the Bristol City Leap partnership has unveiled the latest iteration of our annually updated Business Plan. The refreshed plan covers the period of planned activity between 2025 and 2030 while detailing significant achievements in Bristol City Leap’s mission to decarbonise the city and support local communities. This initiative, a collaboration between Bristol City Council, Ameresco, and Vattenfall Heat UK, stands at the forefront of the council’s commitment to a sustainable and equitable future over the course of the 20-year partnership.
By the end of the first five years, the partnership is expected to exceed the £424 million of low carbon delivery set out in the Bristol City Leap bid, significantly increasing the level of decarbonisation for Bristol through our projects. The refreshed Business Plan emphasises a robust pipeline of decarbonisation projects aimed at transforming the council’s corporate estate, social housing, and vehicle fleet while expanding the Bristol heat network and building renewable generation capacity. Through strategic partnerships with local organisations, commercial organisations, and vibrant communities, the partnership is delivering on significant initiatives that not only tackle decarbonisation but also generate meaningful social value, aligning perfectly with Bristol’s sustainability objectives.
Throughout the past year, Bristol has seen monumental progress, with £51 million of projects already contracted as part of Bristol City Leap. We have delivered £31 million in energy efficiency measures for social housing as part of efforts to enhance the comfort and safety of over 28,000 properties across the city. We have also welcomed 10 new buildings to the Bristol heat network, connecting new developments to resilient heating systems that can support the city’s transition to low-carbon heat sources.
Mark Apsey MBE, Senior Vice President at Ameresco, said: “The collaborative efforts demonstrated in this partnership reflect our collective commitment to lead Bristol in climate action. We are addressing the urgent need to decarbonise and prioritising the creation of jobs and support for local communities, with an impressive £15 million in social value generated through our projects to date.”
“As we continue to navigate challenges posed by rising energy costs and the impact on households, our work continues to support the most vulnerable. Our initiatives, including a £10 million investment in energy efficiency measures for homeowners at risk of fuel poverty, directly address helps improve lives. Additionally, our social housing retrofitting program is significantly improving energy efficiency across Bristol’s housing stock.”
The annual update highlights Bristol City Leap’s growing role in becoming a blueprint for other cities and regions striving for similar decarbonisation goals. The innovative approaches undertaken by Bristol City Leap continue to gain national attention, paving the way for a future where public and private sectors unite to revolutionise energy systems in urban areas.
Councillor Martin Fodor, Chair of the Environment and Sustainability Committee, said: “It’s exciting to see the growing pipeline of essential projects to switch to clean, low carbon energy and help reduce energy waste and pollution in the city. We are also seeing the flow of private capital into new initiatives, which is so vital to scale up climate action.
“Another important initiative under the partnership’s banner is the Bristol City Leap Community Energy Fund, established to provide important grant and loan funding to community organisations to enable a new wave of community-led energy projects across the city.”
Bristol City Leap works with partners in business and community sectors across the city and continues to urge individuals and organisations to come together for the collective goal of making Bristol a shining example of how to energise a sustainable world.
