Introducing the Electricity Devolution Programme

Electricity is fundamental to our modern lives, and most of us could save on how much we are using during our work and study. We know that using electricity production creates carbon emissions (73% of the University’s direct emissions in 2016/2017) but how do we decrease consumption in our departments and reduce the University’s annual electricity bill of £12.8 million.

There are a number of ways that we are tackling this issue as a University; we design energy efficient buildings, we fund energy saving interventions through the Energy and Carbon Reduction Project and now the Environment and Energy Section are working with a handful of departments to trial the proposed Electricity Devolution Programme (EDP).

At present, departments have no sight of the University’s electricity bill, as this is administered centrally by the Environment and Energy section. Gradually, over the next few years, that will change as departments are brought into the EDP in a phased approach. Throughout 2018/19, E&E are testing the proposed mechanics and principles of the EDP, which in summary are as follows:

• Each department participating in the EDP will be allocated a budget for the year, based on a measured baseline of their annual electricity consumption.
• If no significant changes are made to the building(s) occupied by the department, then their consumption baseline will not change from year to year. Budgets will, however, be updated each year, to take account of changes to the unit price that the University pays for its electricity.
• If a department takes steps to reduce their electricity use and use less than their allocated budget, they get to keep the difference.
• If a department needs to increase their electricity use over time, they will need to request and justify an increased budget as part of the annual planning round process.
• Departments will be encouraged and supported in reducing their electricity use by the Environment and Energy section.

Departments working with E&E to trial the EDP during 2018/19 include UIS, the Department of Plant Sciences, the Language Centre, the School of Clinical Medicine and the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL). No financial transactions will take place whilst the mechanics of the scheme are being trialled.

A metering project is currently taking place across the University’s operational estate to ensure that the EDP is based on robust energy data. From 2019/20, departments will be brought in to the EDP in a phased approach, according to the quality of the data on their electricity use.

If you would like to access electricity data for your site to identify opportunities for energy saving, you can register to use Systemslink, the University’s energy management software.

Further information on EDP is available here.

If you would like to learn more about this scheme please contact the Environment and Energy section.