Backed by an investment of £6.1m, the project is being delivered through a partnership between Cambridge City Council, South Cambridgeshire District Council, and the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, with joint funding having been provided for the scheme.

However, costs of project are ‘expected to be paid back through free, clean energy’ across the next 15 years.

Electric fleet solutions provider, VEV, will be completing the construction work for the Waterbeach Renewable Energy Network project, which will involve a one-megawatt solar system being installed to supply power to 36 electric vehicle chargepoints.

Vehicles at the councils’ Waterbeach Depot, including electric bin lorries, will have access to the chargepoints, helping to reduce emissions from the local authorities’ waste fleets.

The contributing partners have said that the scheme is designed to ‘future-proof waste and recycling collections locally’ and will see that 18 electric bin lorries are operational and powered by renewable energy from the site by 2027, with aims to complete the project by later this year.

The scheme is forecasted to deliver more than 40% biodiversity net gain, as well as supplying a predicted 59% of the depot’s energy needs from renewable sources.

It has also been confirmed that the initiative could generate an equivalent amount of energy to that required to power 250 family homes in the UK for 30 years.

Cllr Rosy Moore, Executive Cllr for Environment, Climate Change and Biodiversity at Cambridge City Council, said: ‘This is a landmark moment for cleaner, greener waste and recycling collections in Greater Cambridge.

This project demonstrates how local councils can lead the way in tackling climate change by investing in clean energy and sustainable infrastructure.

‘Electrifying our waste fleet is a vital step towards meeting our net zero target by 2030 and helping to clean up the air all residents breathe.’

Cllr Natalie Warren-Green, Lead Cabinet Member for Environment at South Cambridgeshire District Council, added: ‘We’re proud to be part of this innovative project. It’s not just about reducing emissions – it’s about creating a resilient, future-proof system that benefits residents and the environment. It shows what can be achieved through collaboration and ambition.’

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