Public Funding for Community Broadband Network Limited

CBN is a co-operative which has successfully transformed digital infrastructure over the last 15 years in towns and cities across the UK by unlocking value through sharing council assets with big operators like VirginMedia and City Fibre. Digital infrastructure has been a powerful tool for transformation for local economies and public services and CBN has been a thought leader with its Thin Layer Model, Digital Exchanges and Dig Once Trusts. CBN works with local authorities (LAs), businesses and NGOs, both in the UK and internationally and has worked closely with Blackpool Council over the last 8 years, initially on shared fibre networks and more recently on data centres. CBN founded the Independent Networks Co-operative Association (INCA) in 2010 which now counts many of the large broadband networks as members and who are now investing billions in digital infrastructure. Since the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, CBN has developed new models for Net Zero technologies based on the knowledge accrued for implementing new commercial models for Digital Infrastructure. It founded and spun out an EV Charging Co-op (Charge my Street) which now has the biggest public fast charging network in Cumbria. Emissions related to heating are approximately a third of total emissions in the UK and CBN sees that proven methodologies associated with growing and developing digital networks can also deliver for heat networks. There is a real opportunity for free excess heat from data centres to be used to warm homes, public and commercial buildings and a range of barriers to developing this market. The innovative co-operative approaches used for Digital Infrastructure can shape the nascent markets for heat and its supporting infrastructure. E.g. standardising products and pricing opens up heat to more actors and investors. CBN is uniquely positioned at the nexus of innovation in data networks, data centres, heat networks, energy networks and renewable energy generation to come up with the product sets and commercial models which will generate new value for Local Authorties and stakeholders. The project will develop CBN's capabilities to develop: 1. pilots with data centre operators and Local Authorities 2. a new brand - networks.coop which reflects work with energy networks 3. marketing and sales strategies to promote solutions to customers and stakeholders 4. internal quality systems and standards (ISOs) to ensure compliant bids for contracts The project will bring in specialist support and backfill staff time to develop these activities.

Drawing on earlier funding BC have developed a transformative vision for the region. Within a decade, Blackpool's economy will be rejuvenated and its carbon footprint minimised. A series of renewable-powered, efficient, 'edge' data centres will underpin a new innovation economy. These data centres will be liquid cooled and their excess heat will feed into a new heat network serving homes and businesses across the town. Heat networks are a validated and efficient way of reducing emissions across a wide area, and by adding new sources of heat (data centres), the solution improves over time. The challenge for BC stems from the fact that there are multiple parties and programmes which need to be aligned to support the heat network construction and operation. For example, a major development in the centre of town - Blackpool Central - is being built by a private developer. This will need to be embedded into the design and operation of the network. The recently announced Multiversity development is nearby and also needs to be integrated into the heat network - it has to be delivered within two years. BC will appoint a Net Zero Innovation Delivery Officer (NZIDO) to address these challenges. The Co-operative Heat Network (CHN) project will develop an innovative co-operative 'layer' to manage relationships around the heat network, minimising the need for complex and time consuming traditional commercial contracts. This model will be developed in close partnership with regional stakeholders - the NHS Trust, Coastal Housing, datacentres, finance specialists, co-operative specialists, Heat Service Providers (HSPs), community organisations and other public sector bodies. The primary objectives of the CHN project are: ●Facilitate creation of a heat network through a model which shares risk between public sector bodies, communities and private operators. ●Unlock investment to connect heat generators and users across Blackpool by 2030\. ●Support regional authorities through shared learning. The project is innovative because: ●The cooperative governance structure is new. ●The inclusion of small modular edge data centres as sources of heat is novel. The project will deliver significant impact because: ●The stakeholders involved have a strong track record of building successful cooperatives as they delivered the BC fibre network co-operative - this means the chance of success is high. ●It takes a systems-level approach to emissions reduction in the region. ●As well as reducing emissions, the project will also drive job-creation and growth through supporting regional economic regeneration.

Community Electric Vehicle Energy Network (CEVEN) responds to the need to develop electric vehicle charging infrastructure for 8 million homes without off street parking. The project will: a) develop a network of community owned charging infrastructure around the UK; b) give people the tools to locally finance a community chargepoint; c) encourage the take up of electric vehicles, allowing people to save money on fuel costs; d) reduce air pollution and CO2 emissions. We are looking for feasibility support to develop methodologies for communities to finance their own electric vehicle (EV) charging points. The requirement for EV charging will expand markedly over the next 10 years as prices of vehicles drop and range improves. However 30% of homes do not have a driveway where they can plug in a vehicle, slowing takeup with this group. The project will support the further development of off street parking infrastructure and fill gaps in the charging network. It will leverage the partners existing experience in delivering community owned broadband infrastructure in a new fast growing area. Keywords: Chargepoint, Community, Electric Vehicle