In July LEMA held the third in our series of Common Interest Group workshops, thereby completing the initial sequence. This workshop focused on place-based market barriers, building on the previous two, which considered system issues and consumer-first challenges.

The outcomes of all three workshops will form part of the discussion at the LEMA Summit, to be held at Leeds Castle in Kent on 1st and 2nd of October (see below for details). The Summit is open to non-members so provides an excellent opportunity to get a better understanding of LEMA and its work.

The Place workshop was co-chaired by LEMA founding member, West Midlands Energy Capital, and we were delighted to be joined by, amongst others, Bromford Housing Association, the Greater London Authority, and West Sussex County Council.

The importance of ‘place’ became obvious as delegates discussed a range of challenges. Indeed, it became clear that addressing these local issues is fundamental to being able to translate Local Area Energy Plans (LAEPs) into on the ground implementation.

During the discussion three key areas stood out and it was agreed that they should form a focus of our problem-solving Integrated Project Teams (IPTs).

• An operating company should be established to run local smart energy systems (SLES) over the long-term - but the relationship with other on-site management groups such as RMCs (Resident Management Companies) is not always straightforward.
  
  A draft ‘matrix of responsibilities’ was discussed and will be the starting point for an IPT formed to look at the management of SLES operating companies.
  

• Local skills development and growing professional ISS (Installation, Service and Support) businesses that can win the confidence of consumers were also identified as significant commercial barriers. Some LEMA members are addressing these issues, but it was agreed that a coordinated approach would be beneficial.
  

• The third primary issue, proposed by WM Energy Capital, is being able to quantify the true value of localised smart energy systems to support more holistic investment cases. An IPT will progress this work.

Finally, LEMA is delighted to welcome both the Greater London Authority and West Sussex County Council as new members, and we look forward to working with them to find practical ways to address local energy market barriers.

LEMA Summit 2024

Join us at the Local Energy Markets Alliance Summit at Leeds Castle in Kent on 1st and 2nd October to find out more. With limited spaces available be sure to secure your ticket now by clicking the link below.