Two giant batteries to store energy generated by solar panels have been craned into the City Council?s Eastcroft Depot this week as part of a pioneering vehicle to grid (V2G) pilot.

This project aims to maximise the use of renewable energy that is generated locally by using the giant batteries and specialised V2G vehicles for short-term storage of the electricity generated by the solar panels. Now the batteries have been delivered, the installation will be completed in a few weeks.

Once the system is up and running, the team will monitor reductions in energy usage and carbon emissions. The vehicle to grid pilot is another example of Nottingham leading the way on the green agenda as we make progress towards our ambition to become the first carbon neutral city in the UK by 2028.

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We know there are lots of benefits in having two world-class universities in our city, as well as some challenges. The City Council, the University of Nottingham and Nottingham
Trent University have formally committed to work to tackle any issues and work towards shared priorities.

A new plan has been created to increase the choice and quality of student housing, maximise the benefits of a large student population and better tackle any challenges for communities.

The partners want Nottingham to be a safe, exciting and welcoming place to live for all
residents. A city that is clean and environmentally sustainable, where we are ambitious,
and where local people are proud to live.

To do this, the partners have set out three main priorities to ensure there is sufficient
quality student accommodation available, that the impact on communities can be
minimised and that students become valued members of the wider community in which
they choose to live.

The Student Living Strategy sets out the ambitious actions that will be taken to deliver positive change for students and Nottingham?s communities.

A public consultation runs from Wednesday 22 February to Friday 24 March 2023. Find out more and have your say on the Student Living Strategy Consultation webpage.

The UK?s leading sustainable transport campaign group, Campaign for Better Transport, has visited Nottingham as part of celebrations for fifty years of campaigning and to see for itself how the country?s only Workplace Parking Levy (WPL) has revolutionised how people travel around the city.

As Director for External Affairs, Norman Baker finally got a chance to experience Nottingham's tram network ? which as Transport Secretary 2010-2013, he gave final approval to for an extension doubling its size.

And in the same week that Sheffield joined Bristol, Birmingham and Bath in charging drivers to enter the city centre, they heard about how the Workplace Parking Levy has played a part in constraining congestion growth by 47%, helping us to improve our air quality, lowering our carbon emissions and ensuring we avoided having a Clean Air Zone imposed by Government in Nottingham as they have elsewhere.

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Tomorrow I am joining my co-councillors and local volunteers for a community litter pick in my ward to help make Sneinton, Bakersfield and Colwick?cleaner?places to live. One of the key priorities for the council is ensuring that we keep Nottingham?clean?and tidy and that neighbourhoods are as?clean?as the city centre.

In addition to the waste collection and street?cleaning?services the council provides, Nottingham is lucky to have thousands of people who take pride in their area and give up their time to help make our communities?cleaner. Since 2019 there have been 7,000 local people who have become?Clean?Champions, helping keep our city?clean. ?I would personally like to say a big thank you to all our Clean Champions for the work they do every week.

If you are free tomorrow morning, you could join the monthly Friends of Wollaton Park monthly litter pick ? meet at the red telephone kiosk at 11am. Equipment provided.

If you want to be a?Clean?Champion, you can find out more here:?www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/cleanchampions

Tomorrow (Saturday 25 February) is the first anniversary of Russia?s invasion of Ukraine. Earlier today along with the rest of the country we observed a minute?s silence to mark the anniversary. I will be joining members of the Ukrainian community here in Nottingham as part of a march in Old Market Square tomorrow afternoon ? and we will light up the Council House blue and yellow to represent the colours of the Ukrainian flag.

The attack on Ukraine has resulted in thousands of lives being lost, seen towns and cities destroyed, and led to Ukrainian people having to flee their homes to neighbouring countries. I?m saddened that, one year on, we are no closer to a resolution of this conflict. As with all tragedies, it is our response in the face of adversity that defines who we are. The people of Ukraine have stood firm against this act of aggression ? and I am proud that here in Nottingham we are standing with them. We have responded with donations of aid and money, sent off blankets and clothing as part of a humanitarian response ? and finally, people have opened their homes.

I would like to pay tribute to the work of the Ukrainian community here in Nottingham. They have worked tirelessly to offer support to those here in our city and to maintain the important link with those who remain on the frontline in Ukraine. Thank you for everything that you have done in such difficult circumstances.