Stockport wants residents’ help to go carbon neutral

Stockport has launched zerocarbon.vote an online survey for residents to have their say on what low carbon heating they want in their homes.

Greater Manchester is going carbon neutral by 2038. As part of its contribution to become carbon neutral, major changes will need to be made to the way people in Stockport heat their homes.

Between 6th December 2021 – 17th January 2022 Stockport is pioneering zerocarbon.vote, an online survey where residents can find out about low carbon heating methods and choose how they’d prefer to heat their home in the future. The results will be used to shape Stockport Council’s plans to deliver carbon neutrality.

The engagement forms part of the Greater Manchester Local Energy Market project which sets out ambitious plans to revolutionise the use and distribution of energy across the Greater Manchester region, supporting a low carbon future with the goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2038. It’s the first local energy market project of this scale.

Councillor Sheila Bailey, Cabinet Member for Sustainable Stockport at Stockport Council, said: “The next two decades are going to see big changes in the way we live as we embrace the move to carbon neutrality, for example, the way we heat our homes will change, fossil fuel based gas will go to be replaced by heat pumps and further down the line hydrogen. To be successful in any transition we all need to work together, and it is therefore vital to understand how our residents want to see this change implemented. So, we need to hear from them.

“It is easy and quick to take part, taking less than five minutes, so I urge everyone to get involved. Change is coming, and by having your say now, residents can help inform where we will put our effort and funding in making Stockport carbon neutral by 2038.”

zerocarbon.vote is a national survey run by the Energy Systems Catapult, an independent organisation who have been established to accelerate the transformation of the UK’s energy system and capture the opportunities of clean growth.

Richard Halsey, Capabilities Director at the Energy Systems Catapult added:
“Forward-thinking councils like Stockport recognise there’s a need to plan for their future local energy system to get to net zero. To do this well it’s important to engage with the local community, to inform local area energy plan making and to help people know what to prepare for.

"People need to be aware and informed to prepare their homes in the right way at the right time to deliver on our net zero commitments. zerocarbon.vote is a quick and easy way to help people engage in the steps needed decarbonise their homes and local area”.

Stockport residents can visit www.zerocarbon.vote to have their say. The survey will be open until 7th January 2022.