A New Philosophy for the Development of Regional Energy Planning Schemes

Shweta Kamat, Duncan Botting, Chris M. Bingham () and Ibrahim M. Albayati
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Shweta Kamat: School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, The University of Lincoln, Brayford Pool, Lincoln LN6 7TS, UK
Duncan Botting: Global Smart Transformation Ltd., Inverurie AB51 0BT, UK
Chris M. Bingham: School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, The University of Lincoln, Brayford Pool, Lincoln LN6 7TS, UK
Ibrahim M. Albayati: School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, The University of Lincoln, Brayford Pool, Lincoln LN6 7TS, UK

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 8, 1-44

Abstract: A pragmatic approach for Local Area Energy Planning to capture Whole System interactions and meet the dual goals of informing regulated infrastructure requirements while informing businesses and local authorities on building their business plans, is presented. Unlike existing approaches, the method presented in this paper aids market change by considering policy requirements and prioritisation, commercial relationships, place-based resources, processes and interfaces, people (skills and vulnerabilities), and energy vector interdependencies, and focuses on spatially distributed economic segments (e.g., agriculture, food logistics, etc.). The methodology promotes co-location opportunities for symbiotic clusters to avoid growth in resource-constrained regions (e.g., grid capacity), and presents a temporal visualisation method that connects policy, regulation, infrastructure, technology, place, and people. To provide a case study to design, evolve, and test the methodology, the Greater Lincolnshire Region’s Economic Zone in the UK is selected; specifically, the logistics segment. Adopting this type of Whole System approach provides business planning clarity and stakeholder confidence to drive the adoption of new technologies. It also identifies where inward investment for strategic locations is needed and develops an evidence base for policy lobbying and influencing.

Keywords: local area energy planning; whole system; energy policy; market segments (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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