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Local Area Energy Planning

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A roadmap for a cleaner, more affordable and secure energy future

Cambridgeshire now has a Local Area Energy Plan (LAEP) – a county-wide roadmap showing options for how we can transition to a cleaner, more affordable and resilient energy system by 2045.

Led by the council, and delivered in partnership with our District Councils and Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA), the plans brings together detailed local evidence to identify how Cambridgeshire could reduce carbon emissions while supporting thriving communities, economic growth and energy security.

Cambridgeshire local area energy plan logo

Developed with input from residents, businesses, community groups and energy providers, the LAEP helps ensure future investment is focused where it can deliver the greatest benefit for local people and places.

Local Area Energy Plan infrastructure network

What does the LAEP mean for where you live?

The transition to a cleaner energy system will look different across Cambridgeshire. Each district has its own strengths, challenges and opportunities, but the goal is the same: warmer homes, lower energy bills, cleaner transport and a more resilient local energy system.

Whether it is improving homes in Wisbech, expanding rooftop renewable energy in East Cambridgeshire, developing heat networks in Cambridge, supporting growth in South Cambridgeshire or upgrading infrastructure in Huntingdonshire, the LAEP provides the evidence needed to attract investment and ensure the right energy infrastructure is in the right place at the right time.

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Cambridge faces different challenges, with many older homes, historic buildings and higher numbers of residents without off-street parking. The LAEP identifies opportunities for district heat networks, building retrofit programmes and innovative electric vehicle charging solutions that work in a dense urban environment.

Existing low-carbon heating networks and plans for future heat network expansion demonstrate how the city can reduce emissions while supporting growth and protecting its unique character.

East Cambridgeshire is already showing how communities can lead the way in the transition to cleaner energy. The award-winning Swaffham Prior Heat Network is providing an innovative approach to low-carbon heating, helping residents benefit from a more sustainable and resilient energy future.

Looking ahead, the LAEP identifies opportunities to improve the energy efficiency of homes in Ely, Soham, Littleport and surrounding rural communities, helping households save money, stay warmer and reduce carbon emissions. Investment in the local electricity network will also help ensure residents can take advantage of technologies such as heat pumps and electric vehicles while supporting future growth across the district.

For many residents in Fenland, the priority is making homes warmer and more affordable to run. The LAEP identifies Wisbech, March, Chatteris and Whittlesey as areas where improving insulation and upgrading heating systems could have a particularly large impact on fuel poverty and energy costs.

Fenland is already a renewable energy success story, generating over half of Cambridgeshire's wind power. Building on this strength, the plan highlights opportunities to upgrade local electricity networks, support cleaner industry and expand low-carbon heating in towns such as Wisbech.

As Huntingdonshire grows, the focus is on ensuring energy infrastructure keeps pace with new homes, jobs and businesses. The LAEP identifies opportunities to improve older housing stock in areas such as Ramsey and Elton, helping residents reduce bills and improve comfort.

The plan also highlights potential opportunities for heat networks in Huntingdon, St Neots, Alconbury and Wyton, alongside investment in renewable energy generation and electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

South Cambridgeshire is already a national leader in solar energy and has one of the highest levels of rooftop solar deployment in the country. The district also has strong opportunities for community energy projects, particularly linked to schools, public buildings and growing communities.

The LAEP highlights opportunities to support major growth areas such as Cambourne, Northstowe and Waterbeach, while ensuring existing villages benefit from improved energy efficiency, renewable energy and upgraded electricity networks.

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Image showing different types of challenges and opportunities for our county. Each icon shows considerations across districts, for example, heating, fuel poverty, grid network upgrades and industrial decarbonisation.

Read the Local Area Energy Plan

A more detailed Technical Report has also been created, which includes the methods used in producing the LAEP. To request a copy, please email climate@cambridgeshire.gov.uk.

Turning plans into action

The completion of the LAEP marks the start of the next phase: turning evidence into action.

We are already working with partners across Cambridgeshire to deliver the recommendations set out in the plan. This includes local authorities, energy network operators, developers, businesses and community organisations.

Key areas of focus include:

  • Supporting households and businesses to improve energy efficiency and install low-carbon heating systems
  • Expanding electric vehicle charging through programmes such as Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) funding
  • Supporting community energy and renewable energy projects that deliver local benefits
  • Targeting support towards fuel-poor and vulnerable households to help reduce bills and improve living conditions

Support available now

Residents, businesses and communities can already access funding, advice and support to reduce energy use, lower bills and cut carbon emissions.

This includes national schemes such as the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, and the Zero Emissions Vehicle Grant, alongside local support available through Action on Energy Cambridgeshire.

Across the county, successful initiatives such as home solar panel schemes, community energy projects and the expansion of electric vehicle charging infrastructure are already helping people save money, reduce emissions and take greater control of their energy use. The LAEP builds on this momentum by helping to attract investment and unlock future projects that deliver lasting benefits for communities across Cambridgeshire.

Funding the transition

Turning the ideas in the Local Area Energy Plan into real projects on the ground will require funding, investment and new ways of working together.

To help make this happen, we worked with partners on the Innovate UK-funded Peterborough Accelerated Net Zero (PANZ). The project explored practical ways to move from long-term plans to projects that can attract investment and be delivered more quickly.

The programme looked at how Cambridgeshire can:

  • Bring projects together to attract investment, making it easier to secure funding for larger programmes that deliver benefits across multiple communities.
  • Understand what investors are looking for, helping design projects that are practical, deliverable and attractive to potential funders.
  • Create projects that deliver multiple benefits, such as combining renewable energy, nature recovery, flood management and community benefits in the same location.
  • Deliver new infrastructure more efficiently, exploring ways to reduce costs, disruption and roadworks when installing or upgrading utilities and energy infrastructure.

Together, the LAEP and the PANZ programme provide a stronger foundation for attracting investment and turning ideas into action.

Supporting reports

Further reports were produced as part of the PANZ project. These provide additional detail and information on areas explored under the project and were referenced within the Financing Net Zero document, including Multi-Utility Trench concepts. These can be requested by emailing climate@cambridgeshire.gov.uk.

Frequently asked questions

Read through our frequently asked questions to find out more about the LAEP.

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A Local Area Energy Plan (LAEP) is a long-term strategy that examines how energy is supplied and used across an area and identifies the most practical and cost-effective pathway to achieving net zero emissions.

The Cambridgeshire Local Area Energy Plan was developed through a partnership between Cambridgeshire County Council, Cambridge City Council, East Cambridgeshire District Council, Huntingdonshire District Council, South Cambridgeshire District Council and the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA). The project was jointly funded by the partners, with the CPCA providing the main contribution.

The partnership worked closely with UK Power Networks (UKPN), which manages the local electricity network, to ensure the plan reflects future energy needs and infrastructure requirements.

Specialist consultants Mott MacDonald and CAG Consultants provided technical expertise, including data analysis, modelling, stakeholder engagement and the development of the final plan.

The LAEP was also shaped by the people and organisations who know Cambridgeshire best. Through workshops, surveys and engagement activities, we heard from:

  • Residents and community groups
  • Town and parish councils
  • Community energy organisations
  • Local businesses, from small enterprises to major employers
  • Farmers, landowners and agri-tech businesses
  • Developers and housing providers
  • Universities, public sector organisations and transport providers
  • Other large energy users across the county

Their knowledge, experience and local insight helped ensure the LAEP reflects the needs, opportunities and ambitions of communities across Cambridgeshire and provides a practical roadmap for a cleaner, more affordable and resilient energy future.

Energy infrastructure means the network of cables, pipes and sub-stations used to move energy from one place to another.

The electricity infrastructure at the low voltage level, which is what brings the power to our homes and businesses, is owned and managed by the Distribution Network Operator (DNO). In Cambridgeshire this is UK Power Networks (UKPN). UKPN are regulated by Ofgem and put forward investment plans setting out where and when this will expand and improve the energy infrastructure they are responsible for. It is these plans we aim to influence via the LAEP.

The LAEP explores the impact a wide range of technologies and ambitions will have, including renewable electricity generation, electric vehicle charging, heat networks, energy efficiency measures, grid flexibility initiatives and - in the longer term - potential hydrogen use (e.g. for high-temperature industrial purposes).

The LAEP helps identify how homes across Cambridgeshire can become warmer, healthier and cheaper to run.

Many homes currently lose energy through poor insulation and inefficient heating systems. Over time, improvements such as better insulation, upgraded windows and low-carbon heating technologies can help reduce bills, improve comfort and lower carbon emissions.

The plan also helps ensure the electricity network is upgraded in the right places so households can adopt technologies such as heat pumps, solar panels and electric vehicle chargers without unnecessary delays.

The LAEP gives businesses greater certainty about how Cambridgeshire's energy system is likely to develop and where future opportunities exist.

Businesses could benefit from:

  • Lower operating costs through improved energy efficiency
  • Greater use of onsite renewable energy, such as rooftop solar
  • Opportunities to adopt low-carbon heating and battery storage technologies
  • Better access to electric vehicle charging infrastructure
  • Improved electricity network capacity to support growth and investment

By providing clear evidence of future energy needs, the LAEP helps network operators and decision-makers plan ahead, reducing uncertainty for growing businesses.

The Local Area Energy Plan provides the evidence needed to ensure Cambridgeshire has the energy infrastructure required to support thriving communities, economic growth and the transition to net zero.

The LAEP will help to:

  • Improve energy security by helping communities, businesses and public organisations make better use of local energy resources and benefit from emerging opportunities within the energy system.
  • Attract investment by providing robust evidence of where energy infrastructure upgrades are needed, helping secure funding from government, network operators and other investors.
  • Support community energy projects that keep more of the benefits of energy generation within local communities, while helping schools, community buildings, public services and businesses reduce their energy costs.
  • Reduce fuel poverty by identifying where support is most needed, helping residents access warmer homes, lower energy bills and improved living conditions.
  • Support future growth and innovation by ensuring energy infrastructure keeps pace with new homes, businesses and major investment opportunities, including Cambridgeshire's world-leading science, technology and research sectors.
  • Unlock infrastructure constraints that could otherwise limit housing delivery, economic growth and investment across Cambridgeshire and the wider Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor.
  • Coordinate action across organisations so that councils, communities, businesses, developers and energy providers can work together towards a cleaner, more affordable and resilient energy future.

Ultimately, the LAEP helps ensure that the right energy infrastructure is in the right place at the right time - supporting both existing communities and future generations across Cambridgeshire.

The LAEP will be one of the evidence sources that informs Local Plans (and the Spatial Development Strategy in the future). It will not determine planning policy or decisions but will provide one element of evidence to inform decisions about proposals for specific sites, in combination with wider planning-related evidence.

Yes, Peterborough City Council had their own LAEP produced in 2022. Their LAEP was developed by the Energy Systems Catapult on behalf of the Council and explores a range of scenarios to identify the most cost-effective routes to meeting energy needs and achieving net zero by 2030, 2040 and 2045.

To read or download, please visit Peterborough Local Area Energy Plan (78 pages, opens as PDF). This is hosted on the Peterborough City Council website.

Cambridgeshire County Council, the Combined Authority and district councils are developing an action plan to identify priority projects, funding opportunities and delivery partnerships that can help turn the LAEP's recommendations into practical action.