Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon Borough Council to join electricity cost-saving scheme
Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon (ABC) Borough Council is to pool resources with other local organisations using and/or generating electricity, as part of a green initiative which could see electricity production costs reduced by 20 to 50 per cent in Central Craigavon.
The matter was mentioned at the April 2 ABC Environmental Services committee meeting, with the agenda item stating: “Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council has been allocated £18.5m through the Mid South West (MSW) Growth Deal to develop a Green Energy District within Central Craigavon.
“The Green Energy District is one of the major projects being taken forward under the Mid South West Growth Deal to develop a new low-carbon energy cluster in Central Craigavon.
“Over the past year, the council and its appointed professional team have been exploring how best to address three linked challenges faced by businesses in the area: rising energy costs, which continue to place pressure on business competitiveness; grid constraints, which limit the ability of companies to expand their operations or install renewable technologies; the need to reduce carbon emissions in line with local, regional, and national commitments.
“Following analysis of a range of options, the preferred approach is to create a coordinated local energy system using a software platform known as a Distributed Energy Resources Management System.
“This system would allow businesses to better manage their own energy consumption, while also sharing renewable generation and battery storage across the district.
“The aim is to smooth out peaks in demand, reduce pressure on the electricity network, and help participating businesses access lower-cost, more reliable and cleaner energy.
“Technical assessments carried out so far indicate that the district has the potential to reduce the average cost of producing electricity by 20–50 per cent, depending on usage patterns and the level of participation by local companies.
“The approach also supports future technologies such as solar PV, battery storage and other renewable installations, enabling companies to generate and use more of their own green energy.
“As part of the Outline Business Case (OBC), the council must demonstrate that there is strong and credible interest from local businesses. Engagement to date has been positive, with many companies indicating that they face similar challenges around energy constraints, and that a shared approach would support their growth plans.”
A number of energy assessments were commissioned through the Green Energy District programme, monitoring electricity consumption at South Lake Leisure Centre, Carn Depot, and Craigavon Civic Centre. Collectively, these three facilities consume over 14 million kwh annually.
The findings highlight significant potential for on‑site renewable generation, particularly solar PV, alongside targeted operational and plant‑efficiency improvements across all three facilities. To strengthen the Outline Business Case, Letters of Support are being gathered.
Director of Environmental Services & Sustainability, Jonathan Hayes was given approval by committee members at the April 2 meeting for the council to send its own Letter of Support.
The letter notes: “The opportunity to significantly reduce our energy costs through the Green Energy District directly supports the council’s core business objectives of improving financial sustainability, enhancing energy resilience, and accelerating progress towards our Net Zero commitments.”
The recommendation to approve the Letter of Support was proposed by Cllr Scott Alexander (DUP, Armagh DEA) and seconded by Ald Paul Greenfield (DUP, Banbridge DEA).
François Vincent, Local Democracy Reporter