A partnership bid to help Bristol reach net zero and bring £1bn of investment into the city has been launched. The Bristol City Leap initiative between the council and renewable energy company Ameresco is aiming to transform the way Bristol generates, distributes, stores and uses energy. European energy company Vattenfall is also part of the joint venture.
The 20-year deal was approved in December, with contracts to finalise the agreement signed aboard the SS Great Britain on Wednesday (January 18).
Over the next five years, Bristol City Leap is expected to deliver at least £424m in a range of large infrastructure projects to reduce Bristol’s carbon footprint by 140,000 tonnes. Projects will include a major expansion of Bristol’s heat network; the installation of solar panels and low-carbon heating systems in local schools; and Bristol City Council’s social housing will be made more energy efficient.
