Thank you for contacting the FOI Team.

This is confirmation that we have received your email. You should receive
a further acknowledgment shortly with a reference number.

Register to vote by Tuesday 18 June for the General Election and Queens
Park by-election on 4 July 2024 at [1]www.gov.uk/register-to-vote
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Tel: 020 89371234
[1]brentlogo1 (227×84)   Email: [email address]
Web: [2]https://www.brent.gov.uk/your-council

Dear Jamie Dixon 

RE: Council solar and renewable energy, electric vehicles, sustainability
strategies, annual savings 

Thank you for contacting the council on 11/06/2024.

Your case will be assigned to an officer and you should receive their
details soon.

Please use this reference number IRC-47496-C3N6G6 when contacting us about
this case.

Please note that we may require further information in order for us to
proceed, in which case we will contact you. 

If you would like further information on how your case will be dealt with,
please visit our website: [3]https://www.brent.gov.uk/your-council 

Yours sincerely 
London Borough of Brent

Register to vote by Tuesday 18 June for the General Election and Queens
Park by-election on 4 July 2024 at [4]www.gov.uk/register-to-vote
[5][IMG]

══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

The use of Brent Council's e-mail system may be monitored and
communications read in order to secure effective operation of the system
and other lawful purposes.

References

Visible links
2. https://www.brent.gov.uk/your-council
3. https://www.brent.gov.uk/your-council
4. https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote
5. https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

 
[1]brentlogo1 (227×84)   Email: [email address]
Web: [2]https://www.brent.gov.uk/

Our Ref: IRC-47496-C3N6G6

Dear Jamie Dixon

Freedom of Information Act 2000

Thank you for your information request received on 11/06/2024. This
request is being handled under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
I can confirm that Brent Council holds the information you have
requested.
 
Your request and our responses are set out below: 

I am requesting the following information under the Freedom of Information
Act 2000. If any information is unavailable, exempt, or beyond time/cost
limits, please disregard these and provide the rest.
1. Are you on a green/renewable energy tariff for gas and electricity
supplies? Please answer individually for both.
 
Response: Not currently. As a key part of the Council’s commitment to net
zero by 2030, the key objective to procure green energy via a ‘Green
Tariff’ (REGOs), the ‘Green Basket’ energy option, and/or a Power Purchase
Agreement (PPA), are all options available via our LASER Energy supply
contract. All three options will be assessed based on the provision of
‘additionality’ i.e. additional renewal power generation and a viable
business case. Brent maintains an ongoing engagement with the “Renewable
Power 4 London Action Plan” work stream, which aims to procure public
sector energy for London Public Sector Bodies that is 100% renewable,
through collaboration, with the ultimate aim of having a Power Purchase
Agreement in place that Boroughs can procure renewable energy from, with
the expectation that this option may become available during this next
contracting period 2024-18.
2. Do you have any renewable energy installations at council-owned
properties (both residential and commercial council-owned properties)?
If yes, please list them and include their maximum capacity. Options might
include:
 

Two schools have Air Source Heat Pumps

18 Council owned schools have solar panels 

- Solar panels - 8 sites
- Solar thermal panels - No
- Wind turbines - No
- Air source heat pump - Yes 1 – at New Millennium Day Centre 64 kW
- Ground source heat pump - Yes 1 – at Northwick Park Pavilion     117.54
kW
- Biomass systems - Yes 1 – at Brent Civic Centre    250 kWh electricity &
275 kWth heat
- Hydroelectric systems - No
- Other (please specify) - None
 

3. What percentage of commercial council-owned properties have solar
panels installed as of 2024 (if this year of data is unavailable, please
provide the percentage of commercial council-owned properties that have
solar panels installed as of 2023)?
 

8 out of 60 = 13%. Of our largest 16 sites, all were assessed for
suitability for solar panels in a recent £3.7m energy efficiency project,
as a result 8 have solar panels installed. For the next stage, we will
assess the suitability of the remining 44 sites for solar panels.

18 out of 39 community school sites (46%)

4. What percentage of residential council-owned properties have solar
panels installed as of 2024 (if this year of data is unavailable, please
provide the percentage of residential council-owned properties that have
solar panels installed as of 2023)?

5. What percentage of council-owned properties (both residential and
commercial council-owned properties) are powered 100% by sustainable
energy as of 2024 (if this year of data is unavailable, please provide the
percentage of council-owned properties that are powered 100% by
sustainable energy as of 2023)? - Please refer to the answer to question 1

 

For Council owned schools – none (0%) 

6. Do you have any fully electric vehicles in your fleet for staff use
(excluding hybrids)? If yes, how many?

 

Yes - 8

7. Do you currently employ a staff member whose primary responsibility is
overseeing the implementation of sustainability strategies, such as a
“Sustainability Officer”?

 

Yes: Energy Manager (for the corporate estate)

8. What eco-friendly initiatives are implemented across your council-owned
properties for your staff members to take part in? These could include
green transport solutions (e.g. bike schemes), recycling programs, etc.
Please describe them.

 

For for residents as well as staff living in the borough:  we are rolling
out food waste to communal blocks which the team are facilitating, it is
going out in stages beginning next week in the first phase, all blocks
across the borough will receive indoor food waste caddies and liners to
use, along with communal food waste bin in the coming months, likely to
last until end of 2025.

Mixed recycling is currently offered to all blocks with communal bins
purchased by MA for residents to use. We are currently undergoing tackling
contamination in the recycling and improved signage will be provided to
blocks in the coming months.

 

Additionally: We will be launching the Brent Travel Plan which includes
measures the council propose to take to promote active travel amongst
staff for journeys to and from work plus during the working day. I have
attached the staff plan for information. As part of the launch we will
also look to recruit sustainable travel champions.

 

In addition we have an electric cargo bike parked in the basement that
staff are encouraged to use and we offer training for this too.

 

9. What were the estimated annual savings on energy bills from using
renewable energy sources for the 2023 calendar year in GBP?

 

£48k approx per annum savings from solar panels installations. The ASHP,
GSHP and biomass systems are roughly cost neutral but deliver big CO2
savings.

10. How much energy was sold back to the National Grid annually from your
renewable installations for the 2023 calendar year in kWh and GBP?

 

None. Our solar panels arrays are designed to be sized such that the
maximum daytime generation does not exceed the maximum daytime usage, so
not designed to generate excess electricity to sell to the grid.

If you are dissatisfied with the way, in which your request has been
handled or the outcome, you may request an internal review within two
calendar months of the date of this response by writing to the following
address: 

Freedom of Information
Brent Civic Centre
Engineers Way
Wembley 
HA9 0FJ

[3][email address]

If you remain dissatisfied with the handling of your request or internal
review, you have a right to appeal directly to the Information
Commissioner for a decision. The Information Commissioner can be
contacted at:

The Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane,
Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF. Phone: 0303 123 1113
Website: [4]www.ico.org.uk 

I will now close your request as of the date of this letter.  

Yours sincerely 
Dorothy Watson
FOI Lead Officer

══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

The use of Brent Council's e-mail system may be monitored and
communications read in order to secure effective operation of the system
and other lawful purposes.

References

Visible links
2. https://www.brent.gov.uk/your-council
3. mailto:[email address]
4. http://www.ico.org.uk/