A new roadmap and action plan outlining how Oxford can reach net zero carbon emissions by 2040 has been published.
Commissioned by Oxford City Council on behalf of the Zero Carbon Oxford Partnership and developed with the Carbon Trust, the roadmap models a pathway to Net Zero 10 years ahead of the UK’s Government’s targets.
It outlines key milestones for each sector which contributes to climate breakdown and maps a timeline of ‘what needs to happen, and by when’ for Oxford to stay on-track to achieve net-zero by 2040.
The roadmap divides almost all the city’s emissions into the five sectors with the greatest climate impact – domestic, commercial, industry, institutional, and transport.
- Domestic emissions must be reduced by 87%
- Commercial emissions must be reduced by 86%
- Industry related emissions must be reduced by 86%
- Institutional related emissions must be reduced by 91%
- Transport related emissions must be reduced by 88%
For each of the five sectors contributing to climate breakdown, there are specific targets to reach net zero by 2040 as a city:
Domestic emissions:
- Rooftop solar on existing homes: 20% of existing homes by 2025 (11,458 homes); 30% by 2030 (17,693 homes); 40% by 2035 (24,267 homes); and 55% by 2040 (34,297 homes)
- Rooftop solar on new homes: 40% of new homes by 2025 (608 homes), 75% by 2030 (1,639 homes), 75% by 2035 (2,907 homes); and 75%% by 2040
- Existing homes receiving 1 energy efficiency measure (starting after 2025): 16,600 by 2030; 37,643 by 2035; 48,291 by 2040
Commercial emissions:
- Rooftop solar on commercial buildings to generate 0.9MW of renewable energy by 2025; 3.31MW by 2030; 5.6MW by 2035; and 6.6MW by 2040 – equivalent to roughly 1500 homes
- A reduction in electricity demand from energy efficiency measures: 10% by 2025; 20% by 2030; 30% by 2035; and 40% by 2040.
- A reduction in gas demand from energy efficiency measures: 10% by 2025, 20% by 2030; 25% by 2035; 30% by 2040.
Institutional emissions:
- Rooftop solar on institutional buildings to generate 2.8MW by 2025; 8.4MW by 2030; 13MW by 2035; and 13.1MW by 2040
- Reduction in electricity demand from energy efficiency measures: 10% by 2025; 30% by 2030; 32% by 2035; 35% by 2040
- Reduction in gas demand from energy efficiency measures: 10% by 2025; 15% by 2030; 20% by 2035; and 25% by 2040
Industrial emissions:
- Fossil fuel processes electrified: 10% by 2025; 12% by 2030; 18% by 2035; and 24% by 2040
- Reduction in industrial energy demand: 11% by 2025; 33% by 2030; 38% by 2035 (38%); and 45% by 2040
Transport emissions:
- Electrification of car use: 25% of cars in Oxford to be electric by 2025; 80% by 2030;and 100% by 2035.
- Introduction of EV chargers in workplaces to facilitate electrification of car use: 165 by 2025; 319 by 2030; 501 by 2035; and 576 by 2040.
- Introduction of domestic on-street EV chargers: 334 by 2025; 709 by 2030; 1,089 by 2035; 1,233 by 2040.
- Introduction of off-street EV chargers: 3,502 by 2025; 8,341 by 2030; 12,799 by 2035; and 13,057 by 2040.
- Facilitation of hydrogen public transport: 10% of buses and coaches to be hydrogen by 2025 (57 vehicles); 20% by 2030 (99); 30% by 2035 (147); and 50% by 2040 (213).
- Reduction in the use of vehicular transport through increases in cycling, walking, home-working, and car sharing and car clubbing: 15% decrease by 2025; 25% by 2030; 25% by 2035; and 30% by 2040.
