Issue link: https://fhpublishing.uberflip.com/i/748539
NETWORK / 28 / NOVEMBER 2016 Citizens of Copenhagen will be able to ski and hike on the roof of a new waste-to-energy plant I t isn't easy to convince someone to take a leap into the unknown. District energy will play a critical role in cutting carbon dioxide emissions from heat supply across commercial, industrial and residential sectors in the UK. But the success of these projects will depend upon securing the commitment of a variety of stakeholders to switch from the status quo to something new. Developers of district energy schemes must implement a considered engagement strategy to help understand the needs of these stakeholders, get their buy-in and ultimately The human element develop a successful project. To support this, at the Carbon Trust we have developed a unique stakeholder engagement tool for district energy: a five- step approach to help project teams develop an engagement strategy, then capture and report on engagement outcomes. Here are some key lessons that we have learnt about the process through our experience supporting local authorities to develop more than 40 district energy projects, in the UK and internationally. Step 1 Identify your audience Who are the stakeholders for your project? The tendency is to focus only on potential heat customers and suppliers – but you need to think more widely. Infrastructure providers, investors, advocacy groups, individual council departments, adjacent communities and landowners all play a part in the success or failure of district energy. You should mindmap a long list of stakeholders who could have a direct or indirect role to play. Make sure to include colleagues with good corporate memory and local knowledge of who's who. Engage with stakeholders as early as possible – the consequences of missing someone can be catastrophic. For example, one project successfully secured commitment from a developer but neglected to engage with the engineering firm advising them, resulting in a conflict that took weeks to resolve, delaying the project significantly. Step 2 Map and categorise Build a profile for each stakeholder group that could affect your project. Think about likely motivators and barriers that will influence their behaviour. For example, a hospital could be driven by increased security of supply, whereas a property The Carbon Trust sets out five steps for engaging with stakeholders in district energy projects. Stakeholder engagement 5 steps Identify your audience Map and categorise Prioritise your actions Plan your engagement y Engage effectively Photo: Amager Bakke / Copenhill