Economic Impact of Low Carbon Energy
We help our clients to understand the local and regional socio-economic impact of the construction, operation, and decommissioning of low carbon and renewable energy infrastructure, including nuclear power stations, onshore and offshore wind farms, solar farms, tidal power infrastructure, district heating, energy from waste, and carbon capture and storage.
How We Can Help
Using UK Government and HM Treasury guidance and principles, and wider best practice advice, we calculate the local and regional socio-economic impact of low carbon and renewable energy infrastructure projects, from their inception, through delivery, operation, and decommissioning. This informs the assessment of planning applications for projects, including those classified as nationally significant infrastructure projects. We have done this for:
- Four nuclear power stations
- Four offshore wind schemes
- Multiple solar farm schemes
- Tidal range power
- Energy from waste
- Carbon capture and storage
- A heat pipeline linking a waste to energy plant to a district heating system
The Importance of Understanding the Impact of Low Carbon Energy Infrastructure
Low carbon and renewable energy infrastructure projects can be very large (i.e., nationally significant infrastructure projects) and can sometimes be contentious. Many factors are considered when assessing their planning applications, including their impact on the local and regional economies. Given their complexity, these projects have both positive and negative impacts, and calculating and responding to these is discussed in more detail in our Maximising Benefits and Mitigating Negative Impacts page. Full consideration of the overall impact of these projects requires a thorough understanding of their economic impact.
Our Approach
Our approach is based on guidance and principles set out by the UK Government, HM Treasury and others. A typical project will involve:
- Creating a socio-economic baseline of the local area, against which impact can be measured
- Understanding the employment involved in the construction, operation, and decommissioning of the project, and the supply chain opportunities and challenges for local businesses
- Calculating the local and regional impact of the project both directly and indirectly in terms of employment, supply chain spend, and other local spend
- Considering both positive and negative impacts, which are discussed in more detail in our Maximising Benefits and Mitigating Negative Impacts page
- Assessing the impacts against the baseline, to determine their significance
Hardisty Jones prepared an economic impact assessment of the proposed carbon capture and storage plant at Parc Adfer to support enfinium’s bid for government funding, helping evidence the economic benefits of low‑carbon development.
Hardisty Jones were commissioned by Enviromena to deliver an economic benefit statement in support of a planning application for the proposed development of St Mary’s Solar Farm in Folkestone & Hythe.
Hardisty Jones delivered the socio-economic inputs on behalf of the Mona Offshore Wind Farm, which will generate around 1.5 GW of renewable electricity. Our inputs included a socio-economic EIA chapter, technical impact modelling and an outline skills and employment plan.
Hardisty Jones prepared an economic impact assessment of the proposed carbon capture and storage plant at Parc Adfer to support enfinium’s bid for government funding, helping evidence the economic benefits of low‑carbon development.
Hardisty Jones were commissioned by Enviromena to deliver an economic benefit statement in support of a planning application for the proposed development of St Mary’s Solar Farm in Folkestone & Hythe.
