WMCA Local Net Zero Accelerator

The WMCA has committed the region to achieving Net Zero by 2041. This requires investment into a wide range of infrastructure from homes and businesses to transport systems and energy networks. Included within the action plan to deliver the 2041 goal is an ambitious plan to retrofit the region's 1.2m homes while furthering the principles of inclusive economic growth - to achieve both Net Zero goals, but also transform residents' life opportunities by tackling the cost-of-living crisis, alleviating fuel poverty, improving health and creating quality jobs.

We believe a place-based approach to achieving Net Zero is the best way to meet this target. We estimate that £30-70bn investment is needed just to decarbonise the region's homes, let alone businesses and wider infrastructure. Public funding will not be sufficient for these changes, so significant private finance will also be required.

WMCA has been awarded funding through the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero's (DESNZ) Local Net Zero Accelerator Programme (LNZA) to establish a West Midlands net zero fund and develop a pipeline of Net Zero Neighbourhood projects across the region. This will also put the region in a strong position to make the most of government funding devolved to the WMCA through the Trailblazer Devolution Deal and build a sustainable market for net zero investment.

WMCA's LNZA programme, which is scheduled for completion by March 2026, has been built off the back of significant research and evidence, including the Zero Carbon Rugeley and Net Zero Neighbourhoods initiatives, and will cover four main areas of activity:

1. Development of a pipeline of up to six place-based net zero projects across the region through the Net Zero Neighbourhoods programme, which will include: undertaking community engagement activity; retrofit surveys and assessment; installation of monitoring equipment; installation of energy improvement measures (subject to funding availability); and technical feasibility work looking at potential for energy infrastructure improvements within each area such as heat networks, embedded generation and storage and smart grids.

2. Design and development of a data infrastructure and specification to collect, store, analyse and report on data from place-based net zero projects, including Net Zero Neighbourhoods.

3. Design, development and establishment of a regional net zero fund and governance structures needed to channel investment into net zero projects across the region.

4. Engagement with investors, which will include the development of detailed investment cases for Net Zero Neighbourhoods, development of suitable resources for marketing and engagement and securing commitment of investors to fund projects via the regional net zero fund.

Additional information:

The WMCA will be hosting two webinars to provide potential delivery partners with more information about the opportunities arising through WMCA's LNZA programme. The date for each webinar is shown below and each webinar will cover a different element of the programme:

1. Tuesday 9th April 2024 (11am-12pm): Net Zero Neighborhoods development and delivery (item 1 in the activities listed in section II.2.4 above).

2. Tuesday 16th April 2024 (11am-12pm): Data infrastructure, regional fund governance and development, funder engagement (items 2-4 in the activities listed in section II.2.4 above).

As well as giving an overview of the programme, an additional purpose of this webinar is for us to be able to identify interest in different elements of our requirements through our post webinar questionnaire. This feedback will help to form our proposed approach to the market. You are welcome to sign up for one or both webinars, depending on your area of interest.

After each webinar, we will circulate a questionnaire through Bravo (our e-tendering portal), allowing you to provide more information about your interest and comment on the proposed approach. If you are unable to attend the webinar(s), you should still register on Bravo as we will be sharing a recording of the webinars shortly after the dates above, and we will then send a follow-up e-mail via Bravo with information about the programme.

Further details around expressing an interest in this exercise and registering for the webinars are detailed below:

Portal Website: https://wmca.bravosolution.co.uk

PIN Title: WMCA Local Net Zero Accelerator Bravo Solution Project Reference: Project_827, PQQ_209

Please note you have until 17:00pm on Monday 15th April 2024 to register. Once registered on Bravo, please access Project_827 on our e-tendering portal and add (self-invite) your organisation onto PQQ_209 'WMCA Local Net Zero Accelerator (Supplier Engagement- not evaluated)'. In this PQQ you will find the Eventbrite links for the two webinars above.

This notice, and the subsequent event, is an information gathering exercise rather than a call for competition and therefore publication or response does not commit WMCA or respondents to a future procurement, nor provide any process exemptions or preferential treatment to any parties expressing an interest.

Please also note that this is not a formal PQQ or expression of interest in a tender exercise. This PQQ is to be used purely by the WMCA to provide potential delivery partners with more information about the WMCA's Local Net Zero Accelerator (LNZA) programme and for suppliers to submit responses to our questionnaire following the webinars. Your responses to this questionnaire will NOT be scored or evaluated in any way and will be used purely for information purposes by the WMCA. The WMCA are looking to establish what capability there might be in providing such a service from suitably qualified, capable, and competent organisations.