Challenge
Liverpool City Council has committed to reaching net zero across its own operations by 2030 and city-wide by 2040. However, like many cities pursuing similar targets, Liverpool faces significant challenges in translating high-level targets into coordinated and scaled projects across the city. Fragmented governance structures, siloed data, and a limited ability to translate technical opportunities into clear, investable propositions make it difficult to move from strategy to implementation.
While individual carbon reduction projects can be successfully scoped through traditional feasibility studies, scaling these into a regional portfolio of net-zero initiatives requires a far more integrated approach. This includes aligning multiple energy systems, updating existing sustainability guidance, and attracting investment on a much higher level. Liverpool therefore needed a clear pathway to move from ambition to delivery readiness. The complexity of this transition also demands strong cross-organisational collaboration and creates additional challenges in programme coordination and project management.
Services provided
Working alongside Liverpool City Council, NRP led the Realising Net Zero Liverpool (RNZL) programme’s investment and business modelling.
NRP directed the integration of several complex strands of work — including technical energy modelling across multiple sectors, investment structuring, stakeholder engagement, and governance reform — into a coherent pathway for scaling decarbonisation projects.
From the outset, NRP established the programme management framework that enabled RNZL to operate effectively across multiple partners, subcontractors, and work packages. This included defining key deliverables and milestones, implementing a structured risk management framework with mitigation strategies, and coordinating activities across the programme.
NRP led Work Package 4 on Integration, Scale & Replication and conducted energy assessments across a portfolio of commercial buildings in Liverpool using historical energy data. Using the results from this analysis, NRP subcontracted ENQUIP Software Ltd and collaborated on the development of a web-based application that enables users to explore commercial energy investment opportunities across selected property portfolios. The platform is designed to help Liverpool City Council move from high-level strategy to actionable engagement with private capital using transparent, data-driven insights. Other critical tools NRP created for Liverpool City Council include the Clean Energy Investment Model, which was designed in partnership with institutional investors and directly addresses key non-technical barriers identified across the RNZL project, as well as an Investor Prospectus that outlines clean energy infrastructure, retrofit investment opportunities, and applicable investment models across real estate assets.
Outcome
