Shorter showers, fewer flights - we all know we need to embrace a greener lifestyle. But what if an entire UK city went all in on sustainable living? At E.ON Next we’re on a mission to make new energy work for everyone, and that’s exactly what we’re doing with the people of Coventry. The strategic energy partnership (SEP) between E.ON and Coventry City Council aims to transform the city into a model of sustainability as a net zero city.
View the full statement from E.ON here.
Our strategic energy partnership.
E.ON has joined forces with Coventry City Council to launch an ambitious 15 year partnership. The first of its kind, the partnership focuses on revolutionising energy use in the city for the benefit of local communities and the wider economy. Together we’re taking on a range of projects, like solar farms, electric car charging points, and home energy efficiency improvements.
Four goals for our partnership.
It’s been a year since the partnership launched with Coventry City Council.
So, what are the main aims?
Powering Coventry with clean, local energy.
This part of the project has three goals.
To run as much of Coventry as we can with locally generated renewable energy.
To reduce the city’s exposure to the global energy market.
To position Coventry as sustainable and investable.
Coventry City Council is committed to increasing its use of renewable energy by focusing on solar photovoltaic installations. This includes a flagship 30 MW solar farm that’s just like the solar panels you can install at home, but on a larger scale. This will help power the city sustainably and decrease dependence on the National Grid.
Learn how to start your solar journey with E.ON Next.
But the sustainable action doesn’t end there. Heating and hot water is responsible for 20% of carbon emissions that come from homes1 - so we’ve made it a priority to decarbonise heat in the city. In the years to come we’ll be building custom solutions to connect Coventry to new sources of heating and cooling infrastructure. Rather than installing individual heat pumps in homes, we’ll be working with the council to design solutions on a bigger scale. This will increase heating efficiency in the city.
Developing skills and a thriving job market.
Whilst sustainability is at the heart of our strategic energy partnership, there are more great benefits we're aiming to achieve. Throughout the partnership, we're hoping to boost Coventry's local economy by creating new jobs and investing in the next generation of energy careers. By developing the energy-related skills of the future and establishing a strong local supply chain of project partners, we’re putting the people of Coventry at the heart of the city’s transition to net zero.
We promised to recruit and train at least 25 apprentices in the first five years of the partnership. In year one, five local residents from underrepresented communities have already started their apprenticeships. We’ll also be offering work placements to young people from across the community to help them develop employable skills and experience.
Interested in training with us? Check out our latest apprenticeships available near you.
Training and educating Coventry students in sustainable energy skills is key to a brighter future. We’ve introduced a schools programme offering E.ON energise everything workshops in 16 classes across six schools. Throughout our partnership, we’ll continue adding renewable energy and sustainability topics into the curriculum in even more schools and colleges across the city. Students will also be able to get hands-on experience with us through workshops and site visits focusing on renewable energy, environmental science, and green technologies. Plus, we’re helping students plan their careers and prepare for jobs in the energy industry.
For those students that choose to bring their ongoing passion for sustainability into higher education, we’re extending our commitment to universities. We’ll be championing research programmes that will build green skills and renewables expertise within Coventry.
To support the city’s energy industry, we’re setting up the systems we need to partner with local businesses for our upcoming projects. We’ll also be developing an annual Community Benefit Fund prioritising organisations that focus on energy, education, environment, jobs, health, and socio-economic development. Finally, we’ll be launching a volunteering programme, encouraging people from across the city to get involved in community service and ecological projects. With this pipeline of education, training and business support, we’re equipping Coventry with the skills and infrastructure it needs to thrive in the energy transition.
Driving and scaling energy innovation all over the city.
Coventry has a history of innovation and a reputation as being at the forefront of the green industrial revolution - and both E.ON Next and Coventry want to keep it that way. We're running energy innovation pilots to test new technologies. The successful ones will be used to decarbonise the city’s energy, improve resilience, and reduce energy bills.
Coventry is already on the road to sustainability (literally). The city has the largest number of electric vehicle (EV) chargers outside London2, and it plans to grow its EV charger network further. By increasing the numbers of off and on-street public charging points available in the city, it will be even easier for residents to charge on the go. Currently, there’s a whopping 39 rapid chargers across Coventry that aim to charge your EV’s battery within 30 minutes using 100% renewable electricity3. As part of the EV charger network expansion, we’ve already installed 10 new EV chargers, with hundreds more to come over the coming years.
We’ll also be working with homeowners to install home EV chargers, so they can really feel the benefits of using an EV - like being set up on our time-of-use EV tariffs. If you’re looking to make the switch to an EV then be sure to check out our EV chargers and EV tariff.
Bringing benefits to the people and communities of Coventry.
As exciting as all this progress is, the strategic energy partnership won’t be a success if it doesn’t make a meaningful impact on the great majority of Coventry residents. That’s why we’ve put our pledges to support communities and improve people’s homes at the heart of the partnership. We’re doing this by making the city’s homes more energy efficient and reducing fuel poverty with grants and incentives.
With the Home Upgrade Grant and Energy Company Obligation (ECO) schemes we’ll be installing energy efficiency measures for those that need them most. This will mean warmer, more comfortable homes for many. With 20% of Coventry households living in low-income, low energy efficiency households, compared to 13% nationally, this is a top priority4. The Keeping Coventry Warm5 scheme, a Council-run initiative, also provides free energy saving advice, tips, and tricks to eligible homeowners and renters.
For those not in Coventry, you can still check your eligibility and keep up to date with the grants and schemes we have at E.ON Next. From insulation to renewable home energy tech - if there’s a way to help, we will. We also offer a range of financial support and advice if you’re struggling to pay your bills.
If you’re a small or medium enterprise (SME), you can also get support for your business. Whether you need a helping hand to hit your net zero goals or you need some guidance on improving your energy efficiency, we’re here to help.
A great start, with lots more to do.
Our partnership with Coventry is off to a flying start and together we’ve achieved a lot already! We’re making great progress and overcoming challenges with the people of Coventry. There’s a long and exciting road ahead and we’re looking forward to seeing how much our partnership can achieve over the next 14 years. As the collaboration continues, we hope Coventry’s success can be a nationwide blueprint for how to meet the UK’s net zero commitments by bringing together the best of the public and private sector.
Want to find out more? Head to Coventry Council's Strategic Energy Partnership site to learn more about the scheme. Or read EON's official Strategic Energy Partnership document here.