A determined approach to sustainability

Since announcing its carbon neutral commitment in 2019, the County Council has delivered a comprehensive Climate Change Strategy supported by the five‑year Council Plan (2021–2026), a Climate Action Adaptation Plan (CAAP), and a focused Energy Strategy. Together, these frameworks guide work across buildings, transport, procurement, and community engagement, identifying 20 priority actions designed to deliver the most significant emissions reductions from 2024 to 2027.

New approaches to navigate financial constraints

“Funding is always a challenge in the public sector, but we’ve secured grants like the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS) and even developed our own internal funding models to support our local schools with decarbonisation,” said Steven Fall, Energy Manager at West Sussex County Council. “This has enabled us to continue energy efficiency upgrades, without upfront costs.”

The Council has also addressed grid‑connection delays and the complexities of updating historic buildings, all while ensuring essential public services remain unaffected.

Technology driving meaningful change

Innovation sits at the core of the Council’s building decarbonisation programme. Key initiatives include large‑scale solar PV installations, two major solar farms, more than 80 school rooftop systems, extensive LED lighting upgrades, air‑source heat pumps, and advanced battery‑storage solutions.

The solar farms,  constructed on former landfill sites,  produce around 13 GWh of renewable electricity each year, delivering both substantial carbon reductions and valuable income to reinvest in Council services.

The Council’s solar PV scheme for schools offers discounted renewable power, generating significant cost savings. “For some schools, this has meant saving tens of thousands of pounds compared to grid electricity,” Fall noted.

Partnerships and data powering progress

Collaboration with trusted energy partners has been essential to the Council’s success, supporting procurement, project delivery, and grid connection challenges.

The Energy Services team uses TEAM’s Sigma Energy Management Software as the “beating heart” of its operations, underpinning carbon reporting, energy consumption analysis, and financial assessments. This enables the Council to make data‑driven decisions and respond quickly to new regulatory needs or funding opportunities.

“Sigma is an essential tool for our carbon reporting, energy consumption tracking, and financial appraisals. It supports us with vital grant applications and has become indispensable to our team,” said Steven Fall.

Looking forward

With plans to roll out solar and battery solutions to a further 50–100 schools, deliver a new 16MW battery‑storage facility, electrify its fleet, and expand EV charge‑point infrastructure, West Sussex County Council remains firmly focused on its 2030 carbon‑neutral target.

“Despite challenges, we continue to innovate and collaborate to make it happen,” said Fall. “With local government reform underway, strong relationships with local partners are vital to ensure a smooth transition and continued progress.”