Birmingham Energy Institute Welcomes Minister to Tyseley Energy Park

The group discussed the decarbonisation of heat and how the Birmingham region is leading on local innovative energy solutions.

Lord Callanan’s visit comes in the wake of the Government announcing measures through the Energy Price Guarantee and Energy Bill Relief Scheme, that are supporting households and businesses to meet the cost of energy bills this winter and announcing £1.5 billion of funding to deliver decarbonisation measures in low-income households in England. At the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham earlier this week, the Birmingham Energy Institute also convened a roundtable discussion with leading local industry representatives, local government leaders and senior parliamentarians to discuss the next steps in the local delivery of heat decarbonisation.

Professor Martin Freer, Director of the Birmingham Energy Institute said: “We welcome Lord Callanan to Tyseley at what is a vital time for the decarbonisation agenda and for people who are facing soaring costs to heat their homes. Decarbonising the way we heat and insulate our homes remains the key challenge on the road to net zero and by getting to grips with the types of energy we use, the efficiency of our buildings and the installation of innovative technologies offers a unique opportunity to tackle the climate and cost of living crises, whilst supporting national efforts to drive energy security.”

Professor Freer led the Minister on a tour of the world-leading facilities at Tyseley including the proposed site for the National Centre for the Decarbonisation of Heat, the UK’s first low and zero carbon refuelling station, and the Birmingham Energy Innovation Centre.

Situated on the site of one of the oldest companies in Birmingham, Webster and Horsfall whose innovations sat at the heart of the industrial revolution, Tyseley Energy Park is becoming the sustainable energy, waste and transport nexus for the City of Birmingham, showing how novel energy technologies can form an innovative industrial ecology.

The visit follows the launch of the University of Birmingham’s Policy Commission report ‘Pathways for Local Heat Delivery’ which argues that net zero energy goals for heating need to be owned and delivered by regional and local governments with the support of long-term policies from central government.

Lord Callanan, Minister for Business, Energy and Corporate Responsibility, said: “Innovative solutions, like those being developed at Tyseley, not only drive economic growth and opportunities but can also help reduce energy bills in the long run and ensure we can reach net zero by 2050.

“Cutting emissions from buildings is a key part of the UK’s carbon reduction plans, one of the most ambitious in the world, and that’s why the Government has committed £6.6 billion of funding for improving energy efficiency through our Help to Heat schemes.”