Blogs and Articles

Stephen Cirell has been a prolific author on local government issues for over 30 years. As well as writing 17 books, the latter two on renewable energy, he has also written over a thousand articles and blogs over the years. His various books are outlined in the writing CV below.

• Published Works

The following are the latest pieces on renewable energy:

• 5 April 2019 — Declaring Climate Emergencies – Will This Spur On Local Authority Renewable Energy Projects? - Current±

  The Campaign Against Climate Change website reported that on 8th October 2018, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a vital report on the state of climate science. They warned…

• 11 March 2019 — Civic Power Supply and the Need to Avoid the Big Six Becoming the Big Twelve - Current±

  The news in relation to energy supply companies in the UK generally is on something of a downturn. Over the past few years, profit margins have been considerably squeezed, causing grief all around. For the big six energy companies, who are now losing customers at an alarming rate (over past…

• 7 March 2019 — APSE Energy Briefing 5/19 – The 'Nearly Zero' Requirements for New Public Buildings And the Government's Real Position on this Issue - APSE Briefing

  In APSE Energy Briefing 5/19 Charlotte Banks, the APSE Energy Research and Project Officer, explained the implications of the EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, which came into force in January of this year. She explained that the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government…

• 20 October 2018 — Local authorities and their role in Solar PV development - Blog

  There is no doubt that Solar Media provides a great service for those seeking to keep in touch with the wider renewable energy agenda. Nowhere is that better illustrated than by its market analysis of projects and the development pipeline. However, I was dismayed by comments made by Finlay…

• 29 August 2018 — The lessons, or lack thereof, from Portsmouth's failed ESCO launch - Current±

  News circulated recently around local government that Portsmouth City Council has decided to pull the plug on its proposal to establish a fully licensed Energy Company. It had been anticipated that this would be the third local authority to enter this market, after Nottingham and Bristol City Councils.…

• 3 August 2018 — BEIS Guidance on the Future for Small Scale Low Carbon Generation - Blog

  I read with interest in Current the Government’s proposals for the future of small scale low carbon generation. As well as being a consultant to the public sector on climate change and energy, I also have a personal interest in this area. Having advised for some years on low carbon solutions…

• 23 April 2018 — No time like the present for public sector EV fleets - Clean Energy News

  The Green Alliance has just published a new report – 'How the UK can lead the electric vehicle revolution.' In another excellent publication it is interestingly the public sector fleet that gains the focus. Hopefully this will reinforce the messages from recent blogs that this is the way for local…

• 4 September 2017 — A new paradigm for Local Authority Vehicle Fleets - Public Sector Focus

  As the move towards Electric Vehicles starts to accelerate, Stephen Cirell looks at whether there are hidden economic advantages for local authority finances in investing in an EV fleet. The issue of air quality has shot up the national political agenda now that it has emerged that up to…

• 10 July 2017 — The Merton Rule and the need for local authorities to push the envelope - Clean Energy News

  by Stephen Cirell and Phil Brennan APSE is a local authority owned association that provides services across local government enabling the delivery of effective services whilst promoting the sector. APSE Energy is the part of the organisation that focuses on clean energy and low carbon…

• 22 May 2017 — Government 'taking one for the team' over air quality - Clean Energy News

  The Government's new proposals on air quality have been roundly condemned by virtually everyone. They are almost certain to land the Government back in Court, but it is clear that the Government is desperate to keep the more controversial proposals out of the current election process. In…

• 12 April 2017 — Could the public sector provide the EV boom the industry is waiting for? - Clean Energy News

  Green Car Reports recently ran a story suggesting that a group of 30 cities in the United States had grouped together to procure electric vehicles for their municipal fleets. The deal is said to involve 114,000 cars, with a value of up to 10 billion dollars, which would be split amongst them.…

• 20 March 2017 — EVs, V2G and the local authority potential - Clean Energy News

  Clean Energy News of 2 March reported on the Solar Media Energy Storage Summit 2017, held in London at the end of February. At that event I led a session on local authorities and the energy agenda, which covered a wide range of issues. The news piece reported that Sam Goss of Octopus Energy had…