Norfolk and Suffolk Clean Growth Taskforce
Meeting Note
Teams
10am, Wednesday 7th December 2022
In attendance:
Simon Burckitt Aviva
Ali Clabburn Liftshare
Ellen Goodwin New Anglia LEP
Ged Greaves Borough Council of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk
Peter Gudde Greater South East Net Zero Hub
Andrew Lovett UEA
Pete Joyner Shorthose Russell & LEP Board Member
Johnathan Reynolds Opergy and LEP Board Member
Candy Richards FSB
Rob Wadsworth S4W
Emma McKenna Innovate UK KTN
Phoebe Machin Innovate UK KTN
Kate Dixon Muntons
Neil Madgwick UKPN
Apologies:
Lorraine Gore Norfolk Climate Change Partnership
Ned Harrison Suffolk Climate Change, Energy & Environment
Board
Andrew Wheeler West Suffolk College
1. Welcome and introductions
2. Declarations of interest
No declarations were declared.
3. Minutes and matters arising
The meeting note from 5 October was agreed.
All matters arising dealt with or covered by the meeting.
4. Clean Growth for Business Events – reflections
The events were generally well received although attendance was less than
expected/hope for despite heavy promotion. It was thought that businesses
are dealing with more immediate concerns and that people are suffering from
meeting fatigue. It was also noted that many places were doing similar
events and that more could be done to collaborate and collectively lead in
order to offer more regional cohesion.
ACTION – reach out to other organisers
It was also noted that perhaps we ought to focus our efforts on giving practical
stuff to do – workshops etc. if we were to do similar in the future. Opergy are
working with BEIS and DLUHC through LGA – note that Growth Hubs are not
currently geared up in this way and that the Shared Prosperity Fund was
unlikely to offer an avenue for delivery at this stage.
It was agreed that we need to enable businesses by offering information and
supporting them to make change in a practical way – may include funding.
5. Net Zero – the UKPN perspective
Neil Madgwick, UKPN attended and updated with respect to future planning
for investment through RIIO-ED2 (2028) including the electrification of the
economy for which OFGEM have agreed. New network capacity will double
during this period, but customer bills will go down. Many more connection
requests for solar, EVs, batteries etc. being seen and a less risk adverse
approach with most being approved without additional data. Heat pumps will
help smart systems with the impact on grid potentially less than traditional
boilers!
Renewable energy opportunities are increasing but wind offers flexibility
challenges – 5.5GW generation currently in our region with a further 9GW
planned. Peak demand for region 6.6GW so a ‘self-sustaining region’.
Transmission networks seeing increases in generation capacity too.
6. Innovation diffusion in net zero and working together
Emma McKenna and Phoebe Machin attended from Innovate UK KTN to
describe their cross-sector approach to net zero focussed on place – looking
at diffusion across the wider economy. Emma described their focus on clean
power, heating/cooling, mobility, manufacturing/re-use and agri-food and their
programme approach of awareness, opportunity, transformation and
implementation.
Innovate UK are working on their net zero living programme currently which
has opportunities for mobility, while Ellen noted a recent bid to the Norfolk
Investment Framework focussed on agri-food industrial decarbonisation.
7. Road to Net Zero Business Support Programme – Evaluation
Rob from S4W outlined his thoughts on the evaluation of the Road to Net
Zero Business Support Programme starting by saying that
businesses can see productivity gains while also reducing their environmental
footprint. He also noted that the programme had been highly valued but that
the high intervention rate was critical to this. Rob stated that the energy crisis
had dominated the Programme but the timelines for delivery had been
challenging – the Taskforce sometimes this is a good thing. He ended by
saying the Programme had added value as a quality product.
ACTION – group to consider what next with respect to CRF
8. Thoughts for next year…
Pete noted that 2022 had been the first meaningful year for the Taskforce and
the need to reflect and consider our goal – Ali suggested a fossil fuel use
target although Candy noted that most businesses are focussed on their
estate in the first instance. The Taskforce suggested innovation
celebration/diffusion/commercialisation, supporting SMEs to do ‘something’
and transport influence ought to be included. It has also previously agreed to
include skills in its remit.
Pete also mentioned that membership ought to be reviewed in light of the
terms of reference.
ACTION – 2023 objectives (linked to data) and membership review
ACTION – arrange a meeting for January
ACTION – Chase up Transport East link
ACTION – arrange a visit to the Broadland Food Innovation Centre for 2023
9. Any other business
Johnathan noted a recent news article regarding retrofit skills and supply
chain capacity. He said the delivery profile was incompatible with broader net
zero ambition and had concerns regarding future opportunities given this.
ACTION – circulate Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough paper
ACTION – FSB energy policy officer at a future meetings
It was noted that this was Kate’s last meeting before she went on maternity
leave. She was thanked for her recent contributions to the Taskforce.
