Projects
The Broads Authority is carrying out a number of projects to reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions, and to adapt the Broads to the current and future impacts of climate change.
The current Climate Action Plan covers the period to the end of 2027, when the new Action Plan will be created alongside the new Broads Plan, covering 2028 to 2032.
As a relatively small organisation, the Broads Authority recognises that much of the work needs to be delivered in partnership, and this is reflected in the action plan.
Read the current Broads Climate Action Plan (PDF) and the Sustainable Tourism Strategy (PDF).
Our ongoing climate mitigation projects are set out below.
Reducing our own footprint
The Authority is in the process of replacing its petrol and diesel vehicles with electric vehicles. This will substantially reduce the 100 tonnes of annual CO2 emissions from our road vehicles. With the fall in the price of electric vehicles, this is a win/win for the authority, as the lifetime cost of these vehicles will soon be lower than that of a diesel or petrol vehicle.
As a stop gap measure as we wait for zero-emission construction equipment to become available, we have begun to use HVO biofuel with our dredging and construction equipment. This biofuel is certified as 100% produced from waste cooking oil.
All electricity used in BA offices and buildings, as well as supplied through our Electric Hook up points at moorings, is purchased on a green tariff.
We have three electric-powered trip boats, the Electric Eel at How Hill, the Liana at Ranworth, and Ra, the UK's first solar powered vessel.
Where appropriate, we will be adding solar panels to our buildings to generate our own sustainable electricity.
Through these measures, between 2017 and 2022 we have reduced our direct emissions by just over 51%.
Starting in 2019 we set an objective of being Carbon Neutral by 2030, with residual emissions offset locally within the Broads. We then aim to eliminate any residual emissions by 2040.
Electrifying the Broads
As the Navigation Authority for the Broads, the Authority is exploring how to facilitate the transition to zero-carbon boating as quickly as possible, working with both private boat owners and the hire sector. The Broads Authority already operates a number of electric points at mooring locations around the Broads, we are looking at how to build on this to create a network that fully electric battery-powered boats can operate on comfortably, whilst also investigating other options for the longer term such as Hydrogen power and Synthetic Fuels.
In 2021 a partnership called “Electrifying the Broads”, consisting of the Broads Authority, Ren Energy, Norfolk Broads Direct, Net-Zero East and Hethel Innovation received funding through the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition to carry out a feasibility study on the use of electric hire boats in the Broads.
Read the full Electrifying the Broads report (PDF).
We have received funding from Local Authority Partners and through the LEVI scheme, which will continue to roll out more electric pillars around the Broads.
PowerPOD solar charging points
The Broads Authority is developing a network of solar powered charging points to support people using e-bikes (electric pedal assist cycles) get around the Broads, by giving them space to securely recharge their bikes. The initial roll out of three sites has been supported by the Department for Transport's Connected Places Catapult Rural Transport Accelerator.
The current locations are:
- Carlton Marshes - to the right of the car park near the visitor centre.
- Reedham Ferry - in the car park of the pub, adjacent to the flood wall.
- Salhouse Broad - near the Dark Sky Platform, next to the campsite.
Each Pod is provided with a 3 pin plug, and users will need to bring their own charger.
The 3-pin plugs provide 240V up to 6 Amps, so will work with most ebike chargers and provide the same charging speed you would expect when plugged in at home. For a typical ebike with a 500Wh battery and a 4 Amp charger, this would mean about 3.5 hours for a full charge.
Booking is made in advance via the JNPR website, or through scanning the QR code on the front of the Pods.
CANAPE
Between 2017 and 2023 the Broads Authority led the Creating A New Approach to Peatland Ecosystems (CANAPE) project, an international collaboration funded by the Interreg North Sea Region Programme. This project brought together 14 partners in 5 countries with similar challenges around the management of peatlands.
This project developed restoration techniques and wetland farming techniques, which allow for significant reductions in Greenhouse Gas Emissions from peatlands. These wetland farming techniques have been showcased to farmers, and we are working with farmers to encourage low carbon farming on wetlands, supporting the NFU objective of making agriculture carbon neutral by 2040.