Green Heat Network Fund (GHNF)

Round 1

Bradford

Awarded: £20 million commercialisation and construction funding

1Energy Group has received over £20 million of funding for the commercialisation and construction of the Bradford Energy network, a city-wide heat network supplied by large Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHP). This will deliver low carbon heating and hot water to residential connections and 34 non-domestic buildings, including many of the iconic heritage buildings across the city. The ASHP will be the largest installation in the UK so far, enabling buildings to decarbonise quickly and cost effectively.

The low carbon source will deliver most of the required annual heat demand whilst helping Bradford to deliver on its net zero aims. Operation is planned for early 2025.

Jeremy Bungey, Founder and Director of 1Energy, added:

“1Energy are delighted to have been awarded GHNF grant to develop a substantial heat network across the city of Bradford, which will form the backbone of the city’s decarbonisation plans. Given the important role Bradford played in the Industrial Revolution, it feels very fitting that the city will be at the forefront of the energy revolution. The support of Government has also enabled us and our partners to expand our businesses to meet expected growth, a real home-grown success story.”

East London Energy

Awarded: £1.76 million construction funding

East London Energy (ELE), owned and operated by Equans, has received funding of over £1.76 million from the Green Heat Network Fund. The award will enable the extension of the network to two new sites in the Pudding Mill Lane area supported by the installation of a heat pump at the Stratford City Energy Centre, due to be operational in June 2023.

The new extension will deliver 2.7GWh per year of low carbon heating and hot water to new developments which are anticipated to require heat from 2024.

The new low carbon heat will be generated through the installation of a Water Source Heat Pump, extracting waste heat from the existing energy centre, and sleeving this directly to new developments. This extension will enable growth of the network around the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park area.

An additional 750 dwellings are to be connected to the network with the extension, a 14% increase with the help of funding from GHNF.

James Graham, Divisional CEO for Equans UK & Ireland, said:

“The funding from the Green Heat Network Fund has allowed us to invest in delivering low carbon heat from 2023 and unlock further growth of the network. Existing district heat networks will play an instrumental role in the energy transition and it’s fantastic that the government has recognised this and reinforced our decarbonisation efforts at ELE by supporting with the funds for the heat pump, the first step on moving away from fossil fuels and delivering our net zero by 2035 commitment.”

Rotherham

Awarded: £25 million commercialisation and construction funding

1Energy Group has also been awarded over £25 million for construction of the Rotherham Energy Network (REN), a low carbon heat network which will extract heat from a range of local heat sources via 8MW of large heat pumps to supply heat and hot water to residents and businesses, including public sector buildings, in and around Rotherham Town Centre.

The network will deliver 43.2GWh of heat in phase 1 using an 8MW heat pump. The network is expected to be fully operational from 2027, with first heat provision from early 2025.

Jeremy Bungey, Founder and Director of 1Energy, said:

“1Energy is delighted to have been awarded a GHNF grant to develop a substantial heat network across Rotherham town centre. Rotherham MBC have really exciting regeneration plans to transform and revitalise the area and we’re looking forward to working in partnership with them and other local stakeholders to deliver a sustainable heating solution people can be proud of.”

Peterborough City Council

Awarded: £14 million construction funding

Peterborough’s Integrated Renewables Infrastructure (PIRI) has been awarded over £14 million for the development of a smart energy network which utilises intelligent digital platforms to manage and improve energy consumption.Known as “energy as a service”, PIRI will be providing place-based infrastructure that utilises existing assets to improve energy consumption through renewable technologies whilst minimising disruption to local grids, supporting future growth.

Once the project is complete, it will transport renewable heat and electrical power from Peterborough’s Energy Recovery Facility (ERF) direct to the city’s buildings via a series of underground pipework and cables. The ERF creates its own energy with non-recyclable household waste being turned into electricity and heat using a combustion process.

Councillor Wayne Fitzgerald, leader of Peterborough City Council, said:

“Peterborough is ready for a project of this size and thanks to this Government funding we will be well on the way to becoming one of the first carbon-zero cities of the future. It is yet another significant indicator of the confidence that the Government has in our city’s growth and its importance on the national stage.”

Hull City Council

Awarded: £1 million commercialisation and £12 million construction funding

Hull City Council has been awarded £1 million commercialisation and £12 million construction funding for the development of a low carbon heat network. The network is a key component of Hull’s Carbon Neutral 2030 strategy and GHNF will help to kickstart the first phase of Hull’s city-wide heat decarbonisation plan. The investment will deliver an additional 22 GWh of electricity from Hull and East Riding domestic and commercial waste to 46 public and private sector customers.

Councillor Paul Drake-Davis said:

“Supply low-cost heating to local residents and businesses – which will help people in this new era of higher energy bills,” acknowledging the importance of schemes like GHNF to help “make taxpayers’ money go further.”

Aire Valley Heat and Power Network 

Awarded: £19.5 million commercialisation and construction funding

The Aire Valley Heat and Power Network has been awarded £19.5 million from the GHNF and will deliver heating to a large industrial & commercial area of the city. The network is an innovative low carbon heating and electricity scheme in Leeds, led and majority funded by SSE Energy Solutions.

SSE’s district energy scheme will harness waste heat from the Skelton Grange Energy Recovery Facility (ERF) which is currently under construction. The site will also double-up to provide electricity to the Aire Valley, located just south of Leeds City Centre.

For businesses in the area, the low carbon energy network will offer a reliable, sustainable heating supply, while helping them to meet their ESG/CSR* business goals. The network is expandable, creating opportunities for future growth and integration with the GHNF and HNIP supported LeedsPIPES heat network on a city-wide scale.

Nathan Sanders, Managing Director for Distributed Energy, SSE said:

“The Green Heat Network Fund allocated to Aire Valley will continue to help make our ambitions to develop a low-carbon network in West Yorkshire and Leeds a reality. This will explore ways of unlocking new and plentiful heat sources, helping West Yorkshire meet its ambitions of a net zero carbon region by 2038 and reduce energy bills for businesses and communities in Aire Valley”.

Round 2

Cornwall Council

Awarded: £22 million commercialisation and construction funding

Cornwall Council has been awarded over £22 million from GHNF for commercialisation and construction of the Langarth District Heat Network – the first network connecting developments across Cornwall to the United Downs Deep Geothermal Project approximately 5km away. The geothermal heat source will be the first of its kind in the UK and is set to be operational in 2026.

The heat source will deliver on the network’s heat demand in the region of 50GWh/year and is expected to provide green energy to a new 3,800-unit development and Royal Cornwall Hospital, with potential for further connections in the future. Along with the new development, up to 26MW/h per year of existing commercial gas fired heating could be replaced in the Threemilestone area in addition to the new homes.

The United Downs Deep Geothermal Power Project produces power and heat from the hot granite rocks beneath Cornwall and the United Downs Industrial Site, drilling to a depth of 5,275 metres. The construction phase of the network will help to create around 100 full-time jobs, whilst the longer-term maintenance and operation will open-up 18 permanent FTE roles.

Councillor David Harris, Cornwall Council Portfolio Holder for Resources said:

“The Green Heat Network Fund award will contribute to the success of Langarth Garden Village and Cornwall Council’s mission to work with communities for a carbon neutral Cornwall, where everyone can start well, live well and age well.

This heat network will be a concrete example to others around the United Kingdom of how local and national government working together with the private sector can make a real difference to people’s lives.”

Kirklees Council

Awarded: £8 million commercialisation and construction funding

Kirklees Council has been awarded over £8 million for commercialisation and construction of the Huddersfield District Energy Network. The heat network will recover excess heat from the existing Energy-from-Waste (EfW) plant in Huddersfield. The heat will be distributed through a network of underground pipes to be used for heating and hot water across public and private sector buildings.

The heat network is expected to deliver 7.6GWh of heat in its first year, rising to 14.2GWh and 21.7GWh in its second and third years respectively. The network will go towards helping Kirklees Council reach its goals for net zero carbon emissions by 2038 and is being designed with ambition for potential future expansion and connection to other heat sources.

The innovative heat network will also benefit Huddersfield by creating jobs within the local area to help deliver the scheme.

Kirklees Councillor Naheed Mather, Cabinet Member for the Environment and Kirklees Councillor Will Simpson, Cabinet Member for Culture and Greener Kirklees, said:

“District Energy Networks, also known as Heat Networks, are widely recognised as one of the most effective ways of decarbonising the local heat supply in built up urban areas.

We recognise the challenges of a changing climate facing the district and are making changes and have set targets of becoming Net Zero and ‘climate ready’ by 2038 for the benefit of Kirklees residents, its wildlife, landscape and biodiversity.

The scale of the Huddersfield District Energy Network (HDEN) would contribute significantly to the decarbonisation of Huddersfield Town Centre and our 2038 targets. It will also provide the town with greater energy resilience and control over the local heat supply along with the potential for future expansion”.

East Riding of Yorkshire Council

Awarded: £12 million construction funding

Goole, East Yorkshire, has been awarded £12 million for the construction of the Goole District Heat Network, recovering waste heat from a local industrial source. The network is expected to provide heat to a mixture of residential, commercial, and industrial sites from 2024, facilitating the decarbonisation of public and private sector buildings in and around Goole. The scheme will deliver 322,000 tonnes of carbon savings across 40 years of operation once completed.

The scheme will use 2 heat recovery boilers, as well as a back-up air to water heat exchanger fitted to a duct of excavated hot air. In addition to this, the Goole District Heat Network has enabled an additional 40 jobs to work on the scheme within the local area.

Alan Manzies, Executive Director of Planning and Economic Regeneration at East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said:

“We declared a climate emergency back in 2021 which has placed a significant focus on sustainability and climate change across the organisation. The supply of cleaner, lower cost heat will not only reduce the Council’s carbon emissions through the supply to a number of our buildings but also allow for residents and businesses to receive a financial saving, which at such a difficult time in the energy market, is vital. The Green Heat Network fund award is warmly received by the Council and will ensure that our taxpayers money goes further.”

Bevin Court

Awarded: £1.1 million construction funding

London Borough of Islington has been awarded GHNF support to decarbonise an existing heat network serving 2 housing blocks serving 130 dwellings. The project will replace the gas boiler with four air source heat pumps providing 2MW capacity for the residential buildings. Using a cascade system, the low temperature hot water generated by the air source systems will be further heated by four water source heat pumps, providing a consistent supply of low carbon heat and hot water.

As part of the project, each dwelling will also be fitted with Heat Interface Units (HIUs), providing a seamless transition to low carbon heat for local residents.

Grigorios Kravvas, Senior Mechanical Engineer, London Borough of Islington, said:

“Works to Bevin Court which is a grade 2 star listed building is part of a greater initiative in London Borough of Islington to reduce CO2 emissions. The borough secured Green Heat Nett Work Funding to help support decarbonisation and energy efficiency works to Bevin Court and Holford House.

The proposed works will help reduce emissions and improve the energy performance of all dwellings who participated in the scheme. Beyond the immediate benefits the project will help provide beneficial data on the new low carbon technologies used within the project.”

Round 3

University of Reading

Awarded: £2.2 million construction funding

The University of Reading has been awarded £2.2 million to expand and decarbonise their energy centre at the Whiteknights Campus which currently powers their district heating network. The funding will help to replace the current CHP-led network with an open loop ground source heat pump from the below-ground aquifer.

The upgraded system will provide over 50% of the current heat network load, with additional plans for a small cooling network to be delivered by December 2025.

The Whiteknights energy centre also stores excess heat generated in two large thermal stores for times of high-demand – further creating greater energy security for the university. The network will reduce the carbon footprint of its campus by 10%, reducing emissions by 1,500 tonnes of carbon per year.

Professor Robert Van de Noort, Vice Chancellor of the University of Reading, said:

“This project, and the funding to make it happen, provide a major boost to the University’s mission to continue our leadership in environmental sustainability. This demonstrates that the technologies needed for a low carbon future are within our grasp.

This is a flagship project for the University, and as with all our activities, we look forward to sharing our experience with the wider world and encouraging others to take similar actions.”

Cheshire East Council

Awarded: £2.6 million commercialisation and construction funding

Cheshire East Council has been awarded £2.6 million for the commercialisation and construction of the Handforth Garden Village Heat Network. GHNF funding will support the first phase of the project to deliver low carbon heat to 600 new homes, a hotel, primary school, shops and an extra care facility.

The primary phase of the network also includes the construction of a purpose-built energy centre and the installation of two 521kW aquifer ground-water source heat pumps. Two subsequent phases will build out in line with the housing development, connecting 1,500 new homes in total.

Councillor Mark Goldsmith, Chair of Cheshire East Council’s Economy and Growth Committee, said:

“We are delighted to have been awarded this grant for The Garden Village at Handforth, which will play an important part in ensuring that we can deliver an exemplar scheme at one of our strategic housing sites and create a truly wonderful and desirable new Cheshire village for generations to come.

This grant will directly support the development and future delivery of a low carbon district heat network which could eventually cover the entire Garden Village site, served primarily by renewable ground source heat pumps located in an energy centre in the heart of the village. By reducing heating bills and harmful air emissions, the heat network will improve the health and wellbeing of those living, visiting, and working in the village and will have a direct and significant benefit towards tackling the climate emergency and our UK100 objective for the borough to be net-zero by 2045.”

Plymouth City Council

Awarded: £1.2 million commercialisation and construction funding

Plymouth City Council has been awarded £1.2 million for the extension of their existing heat network which currently serves the Council House and Guildhall.  The installation of a 480kW air source heat pump will provide sustainable heating to the redeveloped Civic Centre (which, when complete will comprise 144 new homes and a commercial space) as well as the Theatre Royal and Plymouth Combined Courts. Nearby developments in the City Centre and Millbay are also being considered for future connection.

Councillor Tom Briars-Delve, Cabinet member for the Environment and Climate Change, said:

“I’m really pleased to gain this funding to help us further decarbonise a number of Plymouth’s most prominent public buildings.

In order to bring other partners across our city on board, we have to set the standard and the Civic District Heat Network does just that by proving that there is a viable and effective alternative to fossil-fuelled heating.”

London Borough of Brent

Awarded: £5.2 million commercialisation and construction funding

In North London, £5.2 million of funding secured by the London Borough of Brent will enable local regeneration. The initial phase (1.2GWh) of the South Kilburn District Heat Network will supply low carbon heat using air source heat pumps combined with back up gas boilers. The heat pumps will be located on the rooftop of an existing property and will supply heat to 34 sites via a 2.79km pipe network, providing heating to 2,900 customers. The scheme has been future-proofed to enable additional growth of the network, with subsequent phases being delivered through the addition of a second energy centre.

Councillor Shama Tatler, Cabinet Member for Planning, Regeneration and Growth, said:

“Regeneration across the borough is about bringing opportunities, growth and jobs to the local population. We always put the environment at the heart of our projects and the South Kilburn District Heat Network is a great example of that, creating low carbon heat for over 34 sites, as well as being future proofed so that we can increase the network to other homes in the future.”

Watford Community Housing

Awarded: £1.8 million construction funding

Watford Community Housing, a not-for-profit housing association with approximately 5,700 homes, will receive £1.8 million of funding to replace an old gas district heating system. To deliver its decarbonisation targets in one community, Watford Community Housing has decided to install a district heating scheme using a ground source heat pump (GSHP). The scheme will provide affordable, low carbon heat to residents in 252 apartments across 6 blocks. Watford Community Housing has demonstrated commitment to renovating properties across its portfolio and the £1.8 million of funding will allow the housing association to replace an old gas district heating system which was built in the 1960s and is economically unviable, with a new, highly efficient one.

Helen Town, Group Director of Property and Partnerships at Watford Community Housing, said:

“Watford Community Housing is delighted to be taking part in the Green Heat Network Funding programme. This will enable us to bring in a renewable energy alternative to a dated district gas heating system. This will make a real difference to residents and is part of our wider commitment to promote the decarbonisation of our homes and affordable warmth for our customers.”

Chilton Woods – Suffolk

Awarded: £745,000 construction funding

A Taylor Wimpey development at Westland Heath in Suffolk has been designed to incorporate a community heat hub which is able to provide low/zero carbon heat to family housing developments. The scheme is a result of extensive development work by GTC, Metropolitan and Taylor Wimpey and is expected to become a standardised GTC offering which can be used across the housebuilding industry high quality, fossil-free heating.

The community heat hub has been designed to provide heat to up to 950 residential connections and a primary school, and the initial spine network has already been constructed. The Green Heat Network Fund award will enable the completion of the heat hub and installation of air source heat pumps.

Andrew White, Metropolitan Managing Director commented:

“We are really excited to be able to welcome new customers on our newest zero carbon heat network at Taylor Wimpey’s Westland Heath development. This is the culmination of several years of collaboration between GTC, Taylor Wimpey and Metropolitan and will showcase how new build development can help the UK in reducing its carbon emissions. Our network solution is already better value for house builders and homeowners, compared to each house owning a heat pump.

The exciting thing is that our solution provides valuable services to enable a smarter electricity grid. The central Heat Hub provides a single exit from the electricity grid. We use thermal stores to reduce grid connection capacity and can add a battery to reduce this further. And we use this demand side response to create more value from grid wholesale and balancing, which will reduce homeowner bills further.”

Exeter Energy Network

Awarded: £42.5 million commercialisation and construction funding

The Exeter Energy Network will be developed by the 1Energy Group, which is investing an additional £70 million in the project.  The heat network will incorporate the UK’s largest high-temperature water source heat pump and will potentially utilise other local sources of waste heat in the Exeter area. This will be installed alongside a minimum of 500m3 of thermal stores to provide additional efficiency and flexibility.  Renewable heat will be distributed from an energy centre to buildings across the city via a 20km network of highly insulated underground pipes. Buildings which connect to the network will see an initial reduction of 65-75% in carbon emissions compared to gas heating, reducing carbon emissions by 13,000 tonnes per year. 

Jeremy Bungey, Executive Director of 1Energy, said:

“The Exeter Energy Network will deliver efficient and renewable heat to buildings across the city. It will cut carbon emissions and contribute to improvements in air quality by reducing the need for old, fossil fuel-based heating.

Exeter is a centre of innovation for climate science, and we look forward to working with people across the city to deliver this project. We expect the construction of the Energy Centre to begin in 2025, and the network to start providing low carbon heat to our customers in 2026.”

Cranbrook Heat Network Expansion

Awarded: £6.95 million commercialisation and construction funding

East Devon District Council will receive £6.95 million from the GHNF to help them expand the Cranbrook heat network.

The heat network was previously awarded funding under the Heat Networks Investment Project (HNIP) to develop a heat transmission main to utilise heat from an Energy-from-Waste plant. New funding to the Cranbrook scheme will expand the heat network to further developments across the town.

GHNF will help to support an expansion of the network to an additional 4,500 new homes and 24,500m2 of commercial and community space. The extension project will play a key role in decarbonising the two existing district heating networks that serve the Exeter and East Devon Enterprise Zone area.

In addition to supporting a number of apprentices, the project will also support 30 new local jobs and a further 11 jobs across the UK.

Councillor Paul Arnott, Leader of East Devon District Council and Chair of Exeter and East Devon Enterprise Zone, said:

“The Cranbrook Heat Network Expansion marks a major milestone in East Devon’s transition to a sustainable, low-carbon future. Backed by funding from the Government’s Green Heat Network Fund, this project will deliver clean, efficient energy to 4,500 new homes and a range of commercial and community facilities. It represents a vital step in continuing the roll out of district heating and in reducing carbon emissions throughout the town. This expansion demonstrates how we can support the transition to zero carbon development and meet our sustainable development objectives, offering a powerful example for communities across the UK.”

Round 4

West King Street – Hammersmith & Fulham

Awarded: £2.5 million construction funding

The West King Street project is a fusion between building sustainable new developments while decarbonising existing buildings. Hammersmith & Fulham Council has been awarded funding from GHNF to decarbonise both the Grade II-listed Town Hall, alongside 204 new homes, 50% of which are affordable. Heating and cooling will be provided to all buildings via a Ground Source Heat Pump (GSHP) solution, significantly bolstering H&F’s ambition to become a net zero carbon borough. Other buildings in the development set to receive low carbon heating and cooling include event spaces, offices, public spaces, a cinema and restaurant. The project is being delivered by West King Street Renewal LLP, a joint venture between the Council and A2Dominion Developments Limited.

Cllr Wesley Harcourt, H&F Cabinet Member for Climate Change & Ecology, said:

“Our Hammersmith heat network will help us cut carbon emissions and save taxpayers’ money in the long term. It will provide greener heating to our Civic Campus as we make it the most environmentally positive and accessible destination for people to live, work, play and relax. This network is just one of many innovative ways H&F is transforming how we build, power, and heat our borough to fight climate change and improve the lives of local residents.”

Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation (OPDC)

Awarded: £36 million commercialisation and construction funding

The innovative project is the first of its kind to secure GHNF support, with the cooling of data centres offering a predictable supply of low-grade heat to distribute to a number of energy centres via a plastic “ambient” network. The ambitious project will offer unrivalled connectivity for thousands of new and affordable homes, businesses and services in the area. The OPDC area spans three London Boroughs in the largest adopted Opportunity Area in London. Heating will be delivered to over 10,000 homes and 250,000m2 of commercial space, all the while creating 22,000 new jobs.

Due to the scale and innovative nature of the project, the Mayor of London’s Local Energy Accelerator (LEA) funding programme, which was co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund, has also provided almost £400,000 to fund technical expertise to develop the OPDC-led heat network.

David Lunts, OPDC Chief Executive, said:

“Recycling the huge amounts of wasted heat from our local data centres into heat and energy for local residents, a major hospital and other users is an exciting and innovative example of OPDC’s support for the mayor’s net zero ambitions. We are excited to be leading the way in developing low carbon infrastructure, supporting current and future generations of Londoners in Old Oak and Park Royal to live more sustainably.”

Lancaster University

Awarded: Over £21 million commercialisation and construction funding

Lancaster University is set to fully decarbonise its campus with a low carbon energy centre. The centre will use air source heat pumps, thermal storage and electrical infrastructure works, providing 45 GWh of low carbon heat sufficient to provide heating and hot water for virtually all of the campus.

Lancaster University has placed carbon neutrality at the centre of its Estates Strategy with a number of initiatives including the University’s “Heat Pump Ready Buildings” programme. The heat pumps will be supplied by renewable electricity from a new solar farm and an existing wind turbine, providing a low carbon solution for heat and electricity supply to the whole campus for the next generation.

Professor Simon Guy, Pro-Vice-Chancellor Global Digital, International, Sustainability at Lancaster University said:

“Lancaster University has a long-established reputation for its world-leading education and research. With this next step, Lancaster aims to be among the best in the world for offering students and staff a sustainable and carbon neutral campus in which to work and study. Our students want to go out into the world to make a difference – what better start to that ambition than a world-class university education which is mindful of the planet and places sustainability at the heart of its decision making.”

Hull East Heat Network

Awarded: Over £22 million commercialisation and construction funding

The heat network will provide low carbon heating to 14 public sector council buildings and a mixture of industrial customers, helping to decarbonise one of the UK’s industrial hotspots. As part of the network, Hull East are also hoping to secure green solar energy to help power the network whilst feeding energy into other customers across Yorkshire Energy Park, a next generation energy and technology business park currently in development. 

Mike Cooke,  Managing Director of Vital Energi, said:

“We’re delighted with the award of the Green Heat Network Funding which will allow us to deliver the Hull East Heat Network. Taking waste heat from Saltend Chemicals Park situated on the Yorkshire Energy Park, we aim to decarbonise commercial and residential buildings across Hull, bringing them closer to a net zero future with low carbon heat and hot water.”

Bloomsbury Energy Network

Awarded: £7.2 million commercialisation and construction funding

The existing Bloomsbury Heat and Power Decentralised Energy Scheme serves the southern half of the Bloomsbury university district in central London, more than 50,000 students. The network serves multiple University of London institutions across the campus, including University College London (UCL) and SOAS.

The University of London will receive £7.2 million worth of GHNF funding to upgrade the 80-year-old infrastructure, replacing the existing gas- and oil-fired systems with low carbon air source heat pumps.

The upgrade will help to decarbonise the Bloomsbury Estate, consisting of UCL, SOAS, and the University of London, which was founded in 1836. Work to replace the existing technology with a low carbon heat source begins in 2024 and is set to be complete by 2029.

Rita Akushie, Pro Vice-Chancellor Finance and Operations, said:

“Decarbonisation is essential if we are to tackle the climate emergency, so I am delighted that the University of London is a partner in the combined Heating and Power Network scheme.

Introducing the new system involves the replacement of vast network of historic and underground infrastructure, and on completion will mean the Bloomsbury Estate is decarbonised by 99 per cent, making the new system greener, cleaner and more efficient for all.”

Round 5

Bolton District Heating Network

Awarded: £11 million commercialisation and construction funding

Support from the Green Heat Network Fund will unlock the funding of an innovative network which uses a heat pump to extract waste heat from the combined sewer that runs through Bolton town centre. This innovative project captures and distributes waste heat pre-heated from washing machines, showers, baths and kitchens to capture and distribute to buildings. As a result, the heat network is expected to save 123,000 tonnes of carbon emissions over 40 years, the equivalent of taking 15,000 cars off the road, a 75% reduction in emissions. The project will also be supplemented by additional capacity from an Air Source Heat Pump, allowing for further expansion across Bolton. 

Bolton Council’s Executive Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Environment, Cllr. Richard Silvester, said:

“I am fully behind and supportive of Bolton’s proposed district heat network. This will be an innovative and ambitious way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality in Bolton town centre. It will be a major project as part of the council’s Climate Change strategy. It will generate energy that is not only clean and green, but also affordable, lowering energy bills for all connected customers and increasing energy security and resilience.

The scale of this project demonstrates the council’s commitment to a low carbon future for Bolton and the wider city-region, delivering on our climate emergency obligations, and we expect it to benefit residents and businesses in Bolton town centre, as well as helping to attract new investment that will boost jobs and regeneration.”

Greenwich Peninsula ESCO District Heating Network

Awarded: £4.6 million commercialisation and construction funding

Funding provided by GHNF will unlock low carbon heat for 2,300 existing homes and 7,115 new build homes. Low carbon heat will also be provided to 84,000m2 of existing commercial space, with an additional 10,400m2 new planned commercial space as the development expands. The project will be made possible by a 5MW Air Source Heat Pump installed on the rooftop of the existing Greenwich Peninsula Energy Centre.   

Steve Yewman, Chief of Staff at Knight Dragon, said:

“As part of our ESG strategy, we are committed to investing in Greenwich Peninsula to create a sustainable and resilient community that is built on principles of equity, environmental protection and economic prosperity.

We want to ensure the infrastructure that underpins our development supports the lives of the people that choose to live here whilst protecting the environment. We believe this investment will make a positive environmental and social impact and are looking forward to rolling this out as part of our strategy to transition into a net zero carbon business.”

Clapham Park

Awarded: £3.7 million construction funding

GHNF is awarding funding to decarbonise the existing Clapham Park District Heating Network, currently serving 569 homes, with plans to extend to connect 3,347 homes to low carbon heat as well as 16 commercial customers. The heat network will be decarbonised with 3MW of high efficiency air source heat pumps, alongside thermal storage and resilience capacity. These technologies will be stored in a new energy centre, with decarbonisation works set to be complete by the beginning of 2025. The heat network decarbonisation project will support 257 new jobs as well as 8 long-term apprentices.

Geeta Nanda, OBE, Chief Executive at MTVH said:

“We’re delighted that GHNF is awarding £3.7 million of funding for the Clapham Park District Heating Network. Providing high quality, affordable homes is at the heart of MTVH’s flagship regeneration project at Clapham Park and providing a greener, more sustainable heating network is central to this.

This investment will also provide a wealth of employment opportunities, once again demonstrating the contribution of the project to south London’s local economy and community whilst giving residents the chance of a decent home and to live well.”

West Bromwich heat network

Awarded: £4.9 million commercialisation and construction funding

Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council is facilitating the development of a town-scale low carbon heat network that will serve mostly residential and public buildings across West Bromwich. The Council has been awarded almost £5 million from the GHNF for the project, which will be supplied with heat from the privately owned Enfinium Kelvin Energy from Waste Facility.

Potential customers for the heat network include two hospital estates, 12 council high rise residential blocks, West Bromwich Leisure Centre, Sandwell College properties, the Town Hall and planned mixed-use developments within the town centre. Other buildings, including some in the commercial sector, are also anticipated to connect to the network in the future.

The project will create jobs both locally in and around West Bromwich, and nationally, and is expected to support a number of apprenticeships and trainee positions.

Councillor Peter Hughes, Cabinet Member – Regeneration & Infrastructure, said:

“The West Bromwich heat network project offers an opportunity for the Council to demonstrate real commitment to addressing climate change. It should enable residents and commercial consumers to access low-carbon heat from a reliable source that will insulate consumers against any future energy price shocks thanks to the source of the energy being from unrecyclable waste that is diverted from landfill as opposed to traditional fossil gas or grid electricity.

“We look forward to completion of the current commercialisation process and the development of a successful heat network that will benefit both residents, public sector and commercial stakeholders alike.”

Maiden Lane heat network

Awarded: £3 million commercialisation and construction funding

The Maiden Lane estate in King’s Cross is set to benefit from a £15 million heating network upgrade, supported by £3 million GHNF support. The project will modernise the estate’s ageing communal heating and hot water system, which has become costly to maintain and prone to breakdowns, by creating a single, efficient energy centre.

The heat network will use air source heat pump technology to provide low carbon heat and hot water to the estate, alongside high-efficiency back-up boiler capacity. Each property will receive a new Heat Interface Unit (HIU), internal pipework, and replacement radiators with thermostatic controls. These upgrades will give residents improved comfort, greater control of their heating, and fairer, usage-based billing.

The scheme is expected to cut carbon emissions by around 40 per cent compared with the current system, while improving long-term resilience and reducing running costs. It represents a significant step towards Camden’s ambition for a low-carbon housing stock.

Paul McHugh, M&E Capital Works Programme Manager at Camden Council, said:

“We’re delighted that support from the Green Heat Network Fund has helped make this major investment at Maiden Lane possible. As well as delivering warmer, more efficient homes and cutting carbon emissions, the scheme will generate real benefits for the local community through new apprenticeships, training and job opportunities. This is about building a heating system that works better for residents today and supports Camden’s long-term climate ambitions.”

Round 6

Barnsley

Awarded: £12.6 million commercialisation and construction funding

Hemiko is being awarded £12.6 million of funding to develop the Barnsley Heat Network. Hemiko will invest £32.3m alongside this funding, to develop an initial network which will connect around 20 buildings in the town centre. They will deploy further investment to expand the network and offer low carbon heat to all homes and businesses in Barnsley town by 2050. The GHNF will support the commercialisation and construction of a 2.3 MW mine water plant and 6MW of air source heat pump capacity, with plans to explore taking heat from nearby industrial manufacturing plant as the network expands.

The scheme will provide a total of 38GWh of heat per year to a mixture of public and private-sector connections, including council buildings, in the first two phases of the project. Hemiko expect to create around 40 local jobs in the first 5 years.

Toby Heysham, CEO, Hemiko said:

“The Barnsley Heat Network doesn’t just bring low carbon heat to buildings, it brings new life to the mines, allowing them to supply energy once again, this time as low carbon heat.

Heat networks can create significant local value. We are absolutely committed to making sure that the value created by the heat network stays in Barnsley, as much as possible.”

Brent Cross

Awarded: Over £14 million commercialisation and construction funding

GHNF funding will support the Brent Cross Town project to become net zero carbon by 2030. Low carbon heat will be generated through a fully electric energy centre and supplied to all 6,700 residential properties, and commercial and leisure buildings. The network will meet the town’s demand of 30MW of heat and 20MW of cooling peak capacities. Alongside providing affordable low carbon heat, the project is expected to create 121 new long-term jobs whilst supporting a range of new apprentices. The scheme is being developed as a joint venture between Related Argent and Barnet Council.

André Gibbs, Executive Director at Related Argent, said:

“The Green Heat Network Fund allocated to Brent Cross Town will help make our ambition to achieve low carbon district heating across the whole of the development a reality. This will also include low carbon cooling to offices in the 25,000-workspace business and innovation district. When complete, Brent Cross Town will have one of the largest fully electric energy centres in Europe, developed in partnership with Vattenfall. This network points to the future of how the UK can provide clean energy to its towns and cities on the path to net zero.”

Leeds South Bank

Awarded: £24.5 million commercialisation and construction funding

Extending the highly successful LeedsPIPES project which received funding from HNIP to construct a heat network utilising waste heat from a Recycling and Energy Recovery facility, Leeds will receive a further £24.5 million for the South Bank extension. The original LeedsPIPES project connected over 1,900 homes and non-domestic buildings to the energy-from-waste (EfW) scheme, whilst helping to employ over 400 people.

The South Bank extension is located in one of Europe’s largest brownfield regeneration sites. Funded by GHNF, the scheme will connect an additional 16km of pipework to the heat network for up to 8,000 new residents and mixed-use customers, across 28 buildings, representing the most significant investment to the project since its inception. The project will support an additional 81 new jobs across the heart network sector, and 16 apprenticeship positions.

GHNF is also supporting the connection into two new low carbon EfW heat sources, providing a total of 30GWh of waste heat per year to both residential and non-domestic buildings across Leeds.

John Lewis, Head of Building Engineering (UK and Ireland) at AECOM, said:

“Heat networks will play a critical role in facilitating the UK hitting its 2050 net zero target, providing energy-efficient heat to support new and existing communities. With more and more local authorities developing heat networks, Leeds’ PIPES network and this latest extension into the South Bank area will continue to act as a flagbearer for how our cities can operate more sustainably. The city is ahead of the curve in developing a rapidly expanding heat network and we are delighted that this extension will not only supply low carbon heat to a host of new customers but will also further decarbonise the existing heat network and facilitate its growth.

The AECOM team has been leading the technical design of this key infrastructure to support Leeds City Council’s ambition to transform and regenerate South Bank. We’re delighted our work will enable a resilient, low carbon energy platform for local communities.”

Oldham low carbon heat network

Awarded: £8.8 million commercialisation and construction funding

Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council (OMBC) has received GHNF support for a new low carbon heat network aiming to decarbonise a number of council, public, commercial, and residential buildings across Oldham.

The ambitious project will use a combination of air source heat pump and biomass boiler technology to deliver over 27 MWh of heat per year. The project will help the borough reach its carbon neutrality target by 2030, while providing low carbon heat to a total of 27 connections, including over 1,300 social homes.

This new heat network project forms a core part of Oldham’s wider £265 million Heat Network Zone, aiming to deliver low carbon heat not just in Oldham Town Centre but across the local authority area.

Cllr Abdul Jabbar MBE, Deputy Leader of Oldham Council, said

“The Oldham Low Carbon Heat Network will be a key piece of energy infrastructure to future-proof Oldham Town Centre and help us wean ourselves off fossil fuels. It is also the anchor project for our forthcoming procurement of a Green New Deal Strategic Energy Partner and we are very excited about the potential opportunities this will open for Oldham borough.”

Round 7

Maidstone District Heat Network

Awarded: £782,500 commercialisation funding

Maidstone, the largest town in Kent, is set to benefit from £782,500 from the GHNF to support the development of a heat network that will harness waste heat produced by an existing Energy-from-Waste (EfW) facility owned by Green Recovery Projects Limited (GRP).

The Allington Integrated Waste Management Facility is designed to recover energy from non-recyclable waste collected by Kent County Council. GRP aim to utilise heat energy generated from the site to heat over 80,000m2 of public sector buildings, as well as other commercial and residential properties.

Once the commercialisation phase is complete, GRP hope to move into the construction phase with partners GREN Energy Limited, with the aim to decarbonise other public sector and commercial buildings in the Maidstone area.

Juergen Schaper FCC Environment Operations Director (Energy Division) said:

“With Net Zero ever on the agenda and a pressing need to invest in UK based renewable power sources as we seek to move to a lower carbon future economy, utilising the heat from this plant is vital. This project demonstrates that real progress is being made towards delivering low-cost, low-carbon heating to homes and businesses in Maidstone and we are proud to be a part of this major step forward.”

Bristol City Centre heat network

Awarded: £21 million commercialisation and construction funding

Vattenfall is being awarded over £21 million worth of GHNF funding to support with the commercialisation and construction of the Bristol City Centre heat network (known as the Frome heat network area). This will be the largest new network area in Bristol, stretching from Cabot Circus to Millenium Square, passing some of the city’s most recognisable landmarks.

With construction beginning later this year, it will initially support new buildings being developed as part of Frome Gateway Regeneration and Bristol City Centre Development and Delivery Plan.

To generate low carbon heat, Vattenfall will build new energy centres including air source heat pumps. Ultimately, this network area will form part of one singular Bristol heat network which will meet heat demand using a combination of low carbon heat sources including water source heat pump technology and electric boilers, as well as thermal storage for resilience and efficiency during periods of high demand.

By investing in low carbon energy infrastructure, Vattenfall will significantly reduce the city’s reliance on fossil fuels to heat buildings, continuing the citywide effort to reach Bristol City Council’s decarbonisation targets through the Bristol City Leap partnership.

Dom Barton, Director of Bristol Heat Networks at Vattenfall, said:

“This vital funding will help build critical infrastructure that will provide reliable, resilient, low-carbon heating and hot water to homes and businesses in Bristol. Large scale heat networks are one of the most effective and efficient ways of decarbonising heat in urban areas, so the network expansion in Frome is vital for Bristol’s long-term, low carbon future. Building the heat network is a great demonstration of the power of collaboration, working hand-in-hand with our partners in Bristol City Leap and Bristol City Council. We look forward to continuing our journey towards a fossil-free future for Bristol, connecting more buildings to our innovative heat network.”

South Westminster Area Network (SWAN)

Awarded: £21 million commercialisation and construction funding

The SWAN Partnership has secured £21 million in grant funding for the South Westminster Area Network (SWAN). SWAN is a low carbon heat network being developed by the SWAN Partnership in collaboration with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and Westminster City Council. SWAN has the potential to harness waste heat from local sources and deliver low carbon heating to many of London’s iconic buildings and estates across Victoria, Whitehall, the Strand and more.

As the network expands, SWAN will drive over £1 billion of investment into the capital by 2050. Over time, the project is expected to save 75,000 tonnes of CO₂ every year (equivalent to removing 40,000 cars from the road), create 500 jobs, improve local air quality, and create 100 opportunities for UK businesses.

Mete Coban, Deputy Mayor of London for Environment and Energy, said:

“It is great to see some of central London’s most well-known buildings taking this step on their decarbonisation journey. Heat networks have an important role to play in helping London achieve net zero carbon by 2030 as we continue working to build a better, greener London for everyone.”

Lincoln heat network

Awarded: £15.5 million commercialisation and construction funding

Hemiko has received £15.5 million of GHNF funding to support with commercialisation and construction of the Lincoln Heat Network. This ambitious heat network will initially supply low carbon heating and hot water to buildings in the city from a new data centre, which is being purpose built to meet the data needs of Lincoln’s businesses, whilst supplying cheap low carbon heat to the heat network. As the network grows over time, more heat sources will be brought on.

The GHNF funding will unlock £62m of private investment from Hemiko for phase 1 of the network, rising to £420m by 2050. With construction set to begin in Spring 2026, Hemiko will aim to create 40 local jobs over the first five years of the network, ensuring that local people benefit from the delivery of new green infrastructure in their community. Hemiko is also developing a Social Value Plan for Lincoln, in collaboration with local stakeholders, which will include providing local jobs, curriculum support, volunteering, and grants for community initiatives.

Toby Heysham, CEO of Hemiko, said:

“We are witnessing a remarkable transformation in Lincoln with the development of the Lincoln Heat Network. Hemiko’s investment, supported by £15.5m of grant funding from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, will create a wave of new, local jobs and opportunities for businesses in the area. By drawing heat for the network from a co-located data centre, this project represents a dual revolution: the green industrial revolution and the tech revolution. It’s wonderful to see these initiatives working hand in hand to drive growth, create local jobs, and attract investment into Lincoln’s economy.

“Heat networks deliver wide-ranging benefits for towns and cities – there truly is something in it for everyone. We’re working with organisations seeking a low-cost route to decarbonisation, supporting schools and colleges in developing green curricula, partnering with local causes through funding and volunteering, and collaborating with the council to drive local growth, jobs, and decarbonisation.”

Severn Wye, Mersey Biochar heat network

Awarded: £1.7 million commercialisation and construction funding

A new on-site heat network at Lingley Mere Business Park in Warrington is being developed with £1.7 million worth of support from the GHNF. The proposed heat network will deliver excess heat from the carbon negative Severn Wye Biochar pyrolysis plant operating at the site. Heat should be available from the network by April 2027.

Initially, four buildings in the business park will benefit from heat provided by a carbon negative pyrolysis facility. The project is unique in its use of excess heat created through the biochar manufacturing process, using biomass feedstock to produce biochar, a carbon rich material. The biochar locks away carbon, which would have otherwise been lost to the atmosphere, and can be used in a wide variety of applications such as a soil improver, for water treatment, and as an addition to concrete blocks and road surfaces.

The project will also support local and regional jobs.

Sandy Ruthven, CEO at Severn Wye Energy Agency Ltd, said:

“We are really pleased to receive funding from the GHNF. This support enables us to build the UK’s largest carbon-negative heat network, using heat from our biochar unit to power the equivalent of 400 homes. Partnering with United Utilities, this funding transforms our vision into reality.”

Milton Keynes

Awarded: £17.6 million commercialisation and construction funding

Over £17.6 million in GHNF funding has been secured by 1Energy, with the support of Milton Keynes City Council, for the Milton Keynes Energy Network (MKEN). Funding will go towards accelerating the design of the energy centre and heat network, with an aim to begin providing low carbon heat to buildings in the city from 2028 using air source heat pump technology.

The project will produce energy savings for residents, public and private buildings. Initial connections include Milton Keynes University Hospital, The Open University and Milton Keynes City Council, as well as new build homes in plan. Plans, aided by funding from the GHNF, will also seek to connect several local schools and colleges, with over 30 buildings in the pipeline to be connected at a later date.

All buildings connected to the scheme will observe an initial 75% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions and an 80% reduction in nitrous oxide emissions compared to a gas boiler installation, improving the air quality and health of the city. The scheme will provide a huge contribution towards Milton Keynes ambition to transition to net zero by 2030.

The heat pump will also be installed alongside large thermal stores to help improve the efficiency of the network further.

Jeremy Bungey, Executive Director of 1Energy, said:

“At 1Energy, our mission is to decarbonise heat across the UK – one of the toughest challenges in reaching net zero. As one of the six networks we’re delivering in cities across the country, the Milton Keynes Energy Network is a vital step in that journey. It will deliver efficient, low-carbon heating infrastructure that cuts emissions, improves energy security and supports public services like the NHS. It’s also an example of how we can repurpose waste heat into community value, powering a cleaner, healthier and more sustainable future.”

The funding will allow us to press on with the design of the energy centre and buried network, to reach commercial close, and be ready to start construction.”

Round 8

Derby Energy Network

Awarded: £23.2 million commercialisation and construction funding

1Energy is receiving £23.2 million worth of support in today’s announcement for a heat network in Derby using 12MW of water source heat pumps to harness waste heat from organisations in the Spondon area of the city. Alongside thermal stores and a gas boiler backup, the heat network aims to connect up to 47 buildings in and around Derby, which may include buildings owned by the University of Derby, Derby College, the local council, and the University Hospitals Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust once complete. Other private and public sector buildings are also due to receive low carbon heat from the project.

The construction of the project will create over 100 jobs both locally and nationally.

Andrew Wettern, CEO of 1Eenergy, said:

“Derby is known as a pioneering city, from the first mechanised factory in the world to modern engineering giants. 1Energy is excited to develop a landmark low carbon heat network in Derby which will future-proof the city for generations to come, offering sustainable, affordable, locally generated heat across the city.”

Trafford Civic Quarter district heat network

Awarded: £5.7 million commercialisation and construction funding

Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council has been awarded £5.7 million for a heat network that aims to serve a range of public and residential buildings across Trafford. The low carbon heat network plans to harness waste heat from a local sewerage network using heat pumps, and is set to connect to homes, schools, local colleges, hotels, retail facilities, and a local police station. The network will also include back-up boilers for added reliability. The project will create local jobs, apprenticeships and other roles.

Cllr Aidan Williams, Trafford Council’s Executive Member for Climate Change, said:

“Trafford Council is very excited to receive this award. The creation of a Heat Network is core to Trafford Council’s plans for the Civic Quarter area, supporting our public buildings and the wider community to achieve Carbon Neutrality by 2038. Trafford Council has made addressing the climate crisis a major corporate priority and we will continue to do everything we can to support the vision.”

East London energy network

Awarded: £8.8 million commercialisation and construction funding

In an extension to a previously funded GHNF project in Pudding Mill Lane, Bring Energy are receiving another £8.8 million for an extension to provide a further eight significant residential and commercial developments within the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park area with 28.7GWh of low carbon heat.

The heat network, which currently operates with heat generation using a combination heat pump and Combined Heat and Power (CHP), biomass and gas boilers, will build low carbon extensions to meet growing demand from customers in east London seeking low carbon heat. The support will part-fund the continued decarbonisation of the existing network, and the installation of two heat pump systems.

A heat pump will recover waste heat from the existing King’s Yard energy centre, while a 6MW river source heat pump system will recover waste heat from the nearby River Lea for use across the network. Over 3,000 residents will receive low carbon heat with the network extension.

Richard Burrell, Executive Chairman at Bring Energy, said:

“Securing £8.8 million in GHNF funding is a significant milestone in expanding low-carbon heat across east London. This investment will support new pipework connections to eight developments, with heat supply rolling out between 2027 and 2030.

“Beyond cutting emissions, we are committed to delivering long-term value for the local community, from lower energy costs to job creation through apprenticeships and supply chain partnerships. This funding accelerates our transition to a greener, more sustainable future.”

Oxford heat network

Awarded: £21.96 million commercialisation and construction funding

1Energy have secured almost £22 million from the GHNF for a heat network powered by 20MW of water source heat pump capacity. The project will provide low carbon heating to a number of Oxford’s most historical public sector buildings.

The University of Oxford, Oxford Brookes, Oxford City Council, Oxfordshire County Council and the Zero Carbon Oxfordshire Partnership (ZCOP) are just a few of the major stakeholders 1Energy are collaborating with to help shape and deliver the project. 1Energy are already moving forward to advance the heat network with plans to begin construction in 2026 following engagement with the local community and securing planning consent.

The project is expected to cut carbon emissions by an impressive 15,000 tonnes a year – a significant step towards Oxford’s net zero ambitions. By reducing air pollution, the heat network aims to support a healthier, cleaner environment for those who live, work and study in the area.

The network is also forecast to reduce harmful air pollutants linked to respiratory problems by 5% before 2030. To ensure the project delivers a meaningful impact, 1Energy has established a community benefit task group which brings together major institutions in the city to explore ways the project can support community initiatives, tackle fuel poverty and create local employment opportunities.

Andrew Wettern, CEO of 1Energy, said:

“Oxford is already at the very forefront of city decarbonisation and low carbon energy through the work of the University, and the Zero Carbon Oxfordshire Partnership and its constituent members. We are thrilled to add to this success by enabling the city to decarbonise heat through the Oxford Energy Network.

“Oxford has more than 1500 listed buildings across the city, so the decarbonisation challenge for Oxford is much harder than many other cities. The Oxford Energy Network matches perfectly to the challenge because it will be invisible and silent, it will supply the temperatures required by these historic buildings to maintain their warmth in the winter, and it will be easier and cheaper for customers to connect to the network than to create their own low-carbon heat onsite.

“By using the Oxford Energy Network as a model for other historical cities and towns, we can deliver heat decarbonisation in a way that preserves our heritage, across many more cities and towns at pace.”

Tyseley heat network

Awarded: £3.9 million commercialisation and construction funding

Taking advantage of the significant opportunities for harnessing waste heat in Tyseley, Hemiko has been awarded almost £4 million worth of support for an innovative new scheme in the area, powered by waste heat from a local data centre.

Initially, thermal energy generated from the data centre’s cooling processes will be upgraded using a 1.2MW water source heat pump to decarbonise a number of buildings across Tyseley. In the future, the project will also help to support heat network zoning in Birmingham City Centre by expanding to bring low carbon heat from Tyseley into the city centre, where there is less waste heat available.

21 buildings will connect to the network initially, providing low carbon heat to public buildings, local schools, commercial and industrial buildings. As part of the project, Hemiko is working with local contractors while supporting local apprenticeships, trainee positions, scholarships, and jobs.

Toby Heysham, Hemiko CEO, said:

“Hemiko is proud to lead this pioneering project in Birmingham, collaborating with local partners to harness the region’s huge waste heat resource. The Tyseley Energy Park exemplifies the circular energy economy in action. The city’s waste goes in, heat and power come out. By bringing heat from outside the city centre into Birmingham’s busiest districts, we’re not just cutting emissions, we’re giving access to the locally wasted heat – access that homes and businesses would not be able to get connected to without a heat network. This scheme is about creating opportunities and leaving a lasting infrastructure in the West Midlands that links waste heat to the customers that so desperately need it.

Hemiko wants to make sure that we contribute to the communities that we work in. To this end we’ve launched an apprenticeship programme with South City College Birmingham, giving local people the skills and experience to be at the heart of the region’s low-carbon future.”

Stockport heat network

Awarded: £14.65 million commercialisation and construction funding

Across two rounds of the GHNF, Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council has been awarded a total of £14.65 million commercialisation and construction funding from the scheme. The innovative heat network project will use heat pumps to extract waste heat from a local sewer system. It is also benefitting by being part of the Advanced Zoning Programme run by DESNZ.

With construction set to begin as early as 2026/27, the network, once complete, will support the ongoing regeneration and redevelopment of Stockport town centre, creating the spine of a network stretching from the town centre to Stepping Hill Hospital. 87% of the initial network offtake will be from existing public sector buildings with the majority of those controlled by the local authority and NHS. This includes leisure centres, cultural sites, schools, colleges, and public courts. As well as decarbonising parts of the area, the Stockport project will support a huge number of local jobs, and a number of other UK wide jobs and apprenticeship positions.

Cllr Jake Austin, Cabinet Member for Housing & Environment at Stockport Council, said:

“Securing £14million to deliver a district heat network for the town centre and along the A6 is a huge step forward for Stockport.

“This investment will not only cut carbon emissions and improve energy security, but also help protect residents and businesses from rising energy costs. The scheme shows Stockport’s ambition to lead on green infrastructure, creating a cleaner, more sustainable future for our borough.”

Sunderland Central heat network

Awarded: £15.5 million commercialisation and construction funding

1Energy and Sunderland City Council have signed an agreement to deliver a new city-scale district heating project for Sunderland.

Over £15 million of GHNF funding has been awarded to help kickstart the project that will significantly improve and future-proof the area’s heating infrastructure, supporting new commercial developments, civic buildings, and ongoing regeneration projects.

The network is expected to provide 39GWh of heat to a variety of buildings across the city through the construction of a data centre and energy centre in Deptford, which will supply recycled heat for use across the network. In parallel, the Council and 1Energy will continue to work with the Mining Remediation Authority to explore the potential of sourcing additional heat from a local mine water source.

Discussions are also ongoing around the possibility of providing heat to the local NHS Foundation Trust’s new Eye Hospital, the University of Sunderland’s campuses, and the City Council’s City Hall.

The project, which will unlock a £67 million investment opportunity for Sunderland, will roll out in phases over the next five years, with a number of existing and new build residential developments to connect to the network in the coming years. The district heating project will also provide significant social benefits for the local area, as the scheme invests in almost 300 local jobs, a number of apprentices, and more opportunities across the country.

Jeremy Bungey, CEO of 1Energy, said:

“We are proud to be partnering with Sunderland City Council to deliver a truly transformative heat network for the city. This project is an excellent example of the public and private sectors working together to deliver benefits to businesses, public institutions, and residents.

“Our ambition is to invest over £100 million in Sunderland, creating local jobs, stimulating further investment, and demonstrating how sustainable infrastructure can future-proof cities for generations to come.”

Round 9

Barking Riverside

Awarded: £9.1 million commercialisation and construction funding

L&Q, through its subsidiary L&Q Energy, has been awarded just over £9 million worth of GHNF support for a heat network set to connect to one of the UK’s most significant regeneration sites.

The Barking Riverside heat network will recycle waste heat from a local Energy-from-Waste plant, supplying low carbon heating to up to 18,500 new homes in East London’s vibrant new community. The network will also have the potential to connect to local amenities, including commercial space, new schools, offices, and event spaces.

The Barking Riverside development will span 179 hectares of land within the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham. Construction of the network is set to begin in 2026. The heat network project will also support 26 new local jobs, and several apprenticeships and trainee positions.

The new neighbourhood is being led by master developer Barking Riverside Limited (BRL), a joint venture between L&Q and the Mayor of London, with BRL also being a key partner to the application process.

David Lewis, Executive Director of Property and Investment at L&Q, said:

“Today, Barking Riverside is becoming a blueprint for an innovative heat network that we hope will inspire future developments.

This project aims to lower residents’ energy bills, support the UK’s low carbon energy supply, and create new green jobs. We are grateful to the government for making this possible.”

Ipswich District Heat Network

Awarded: £9.8 million commercialisation and construction funding

Suffolk County Council are receiving support from the GHNF for a heat network that will harness the naturally occurring heat from the River Gipping.

Via a water source heat pump, the project will provide 35 GWh of heat to public and residential buildings across Ipswich, with the first buildings set to connect as early as 2028.

As part of the project, the Council will be continuing to work with local colleges and the university to support the development of green skills locally, offering vocational and academic training and qualifications in the district heating sector.

It is expected that the network will provide low carbon heating to a diverse range of buildings across the town, including council buildings, hotels, religious buildings, offices, colleges, theatres, and more.

The heat network is also set to support over 50 local jobs.

Cllr Richard Rout, Suffolk County Council’s Cabinet Member for Devolution, Local Government Reorganisation and NSIPs, said:

“This will be a significant project for Ipswich, one which the county council is proud to have been leading on since 2021, and has now secured a successful funding bid.

“By harnessing natural occurring heat from the River Gipping, there is the potential to provide over 35 GWh of heat each year to public buildings across Ipswich – enough to power around 40 buildings in the first phase, ranging from offices to community buildings.

“This can deliver hugely positive upgrades to the town: affordable energy for businesses, protection from volatile energy markets, jobs and growth for the local economy and placing Ipswich as one of the country’s forward-thinking towns when it comes to ensuring local energy security.”

Waterloo and South Bank heat network

Awarded: £15.6 million commercialisation and construction funding

Hemiko has been awarded GHNF funding for a pioneering new heat network in London. The Waterloo and South Bank heat network will provide 56 GWh of heat to 12 buildings across one of London’s busiest districts in its first phase.

Iconic landmarks including the National Theatre, Southbank Centre, the BFI Southbank and Kings College London are exploring a low-carbon connection from a network powered by heat from the River Thames through a set of water source heat pumps.

The project will generate almost 200 local jobs, and provide a number of apprenticeship opportunities, scholarships, and provide trainee opportunities to increase the number of skilled workers in the district heating sector.

Toby Heysham, CEO of Hemiko, said:

“The Waterloo and South Bank Heat Network will unlock a cheaper, low-carbon future for buildings in the area. This heat network is being developed in a cultural and business hub that will significantly benefit being given access to locally wasted heat. The network will do the hard work and allow buildings to both take and give energy into the area.

“We are offering both heat and cooling using the amazing local resources and huge heat density in the area. We are already very active in South London, with the Clapham, Tooting and Greenwich networks a huge part of the Hemiko story. We are thrilled to be adding a terrific new scheme to the portfolio.”

Media City Heat Network

Awarded: £5.3 million commercialisation and construction funding

Leep Utilities (Leep) has been awarded £5.3 million from the GHNF to support the commercialisation and construction of an expansion and decarbonisation of the existing MediaCity heat network.

GHNF funding will enable Leep to progress the commercialisation phase of the project. Subject to successful completion of this phase, the project would then move into construction.

The funding will go towards the installation of water source heat pumps, harnessing excess heat from the Manchester Ship Canal to supply the new low-temperature heat network serving new buildings in MediaCity across the heat network’s expansion.

In later phases, the new low-carbon heat network will be combined with the existing network, decarbonising the heating provision for buildings connected to the current system. This phased approach allows new developments to access low-carbon heat in the near term while providing a controlled, cost-effective transition pathway for existing buildings.

In developing the project, Leep will aim to stimulate the local supply chain and invest in the development of additional skills, including apprenticeships and scholarships. Leep will collaborate with other local heat projects and stakeholders to maximise the benefits through aggregation.

If successfully delivered, the expanded network could provide a scalable platform for future growth, supporting wider heat decarbonisation objectives across Salford and Greater Manchester.

Ieman Barmaki, Director of Heat, Leep Utilities, said:

“The award of Green Heat Network Fund support allows us to take the next step in developing proposals to decarbonise and expand the MediaCity heat network. The funding will enable us to work through the commercialisation phase, demonstrate viability and secure the necessary consents, before moving forward to construction. Using renewable heat from the Manchester Ship Canal has the potential to provide a practical, scalable pathway to lower-carbon heat for both new and existing customers.”

Hounslow heat network

Awarded: £10.5 million commercialisation and construction funding

Isleworth and Brentford are set for a major upgrade as the GHNF supports a project set to provide low-carbon heat to thousands of residents, schools, and private and public sector buildings.

The London Borough of Hounslow has received funding for a heat network that will extract waste heat from the Mogden Sewage Treatment works. It is expected that construction on the heat network will begin in 2028, for a heat network that will provide around 50GWh of heat per year to 30 buildings in the local area.

The network is expected to connect to a local NHS Trust, libraries, commercial buildings, and other vital local amenities across the borough. The £55m scheme delivered with majority private capital supported by this grant funding will mobilise the regional supply chain to deliver cost effective decarbonised heat and will create significant skills and employment opportunities.

Cllr Shantanu Rajawat, Leader of Hounslow Council, said:

“I’m delighted to learn that we’ve been awarded over £10.55 m from the Green Heat Network Fund and I’d like to thank the team here at the Council for their hard work on putting together a very detailed and successful bid.

“This investment will lower the pressure on the grid and bring valuable new skills and jobs for local people in the long-term, boosting Hounslow’s economy while making energy more reliable for residents and businesses.”

Bristol Temple Quarter

Awarded: £13.5 million construction funding

Vattenfall, as part of Bristol City Leap, has been awarded £13.5 million to construct the Temple Quarter heat network project. The project will bring together the existing Temple, Old Market and Redcliffe heat networks into one connected system.
The integrated network will make full use of the existing low carbon water source heat pump at Castle Park and prepare for a future connection to the Bath Road Energy Centre once developed, supporting long term expansion.

There are currently 35 buildings connected to the Bristol heat network, and these are supplied with enough heat for the equivalent of almost 13,500 homes. New connections are underway, with up to four planned within the next year.

The project also includes the development of a Semi-Permanent Energy Centre (SPEC): an air source heat pump system designed as a “plug-in” solution. This will initially provide heating to the University of Bristol’s Temple Quarter Enterprise Centre Academic Building, which is already connected to the heat network.

Once the Bath Road Energy Centre is operational, the SPEC can be moved and reused elsewhere, offering a flexible way to deliver low carbon heat where it is most needed.

It has been estimated that Bristol City Leap will deliver a minimum of £61.5 million in social value to the city over the next five years, including over 1,000 new jobs, apprenticeships and work placements, including a new Community Energy Fund worth £1.5m. So far, the partnership is on track to meet this with a total spend of £36 million.

Dom Barton, Director of Bristol Heat Networks at Vattenfall, said:

“Our vision is that over half of all Bristolians living, working and learning in the city will be kept warm by the Bristol heat network by 2050. We’re pleased to be awarded this funding as a welcome step closer to connecting the current individual heat networks in Bristol to become one citywide heat network. This is critical infrastructure that will provide reliable low carbon heating and hot water to local homes and businesses.”

King’s Cross

Awarded: £8.6 million construction funding

The King’s Cross Group has secured £8.6 million in construction funding from the Government’s Green Heat Network Fund (GHNF) to support the next phase of the King’s Cross Heating & Cooling Network. The funding will help decarbonise the established heat network, serving one of the UK’s most established mixed-use neighbourhoods.

The King’s Cross Heating & Cooling Network serves more than 1,750 homes and 44 buildings. Its reliable, low-carbon energy supports everything from workplaces and homes to cultural venues and public spaces.

The funded project will support the transition of the network through a combination of ground and air source heat pumps, electric boilers and heat recovery from the existing cooling system, resulting in lower-carbon heating and cooling infrastructure.

Magnus MacAulay, Head of Portfolio Operations at the King’s Cross Group, said:

“With energy markets more volatile than ever, at scale investment in clean energy builds resilience, providing a double win on security of supply and decarbonisation.

“In partnership with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, the funding means we can move faster in building lower-carbon heating and cooling infrastructure for homes, workplaces and public spaces across the estate, while also helping support the decarbonisation ambitions of our occupiers.”

Atherstone heat network

Awarded: £2.2 million commercialisation and construction funding

Vital Energi is receiving £2.2 million for a heat network that will provide low-carbon heating to the proposed 1,700 homes in Atherstone, North Warwickshire. The project will harness waste heat from the Baddesley Energy from Waste facility located nearby.

Construction of the network is set to begin in Spring 2027, with ‘heat on’ expected later in 2028. The network is also planned to connect to Aldi’s national headquarters in phase 1 of the network’s phased construction process and future connections are currently being explored to ensure the network is embedded into the wider Atherstone community.

The heat network is a £22.5 million+ strategic infrastructure project, with resilience provided through backup electric boilers if required during peak times. The project is also set to bring a number of new jobs to Atherstone, including local jobs and 120 jobs across the country.

Scott Lutton, Operations Director at Vital Energi, said:

“We look forward to commencing work on the proposed heat network in Atherstone, delivering a low-carbon, resilient source of heating for new homes and local buildings by capturing heat from black bin waste that would otherwise go unused. This project is about future-proofing the town’s energy infrastructure while creating jobs and long-term benefits for the community.”

Rochdale Town Centre

Awarded: £1 million commercialisation funding

Rochdale Borough Council has been awarded £1 million commercialisation funding for the Rochdale Town Centre district heat network. The project will connect 28GWh of low carbon heat to public, private and residential buildings across Rochdale Town Centre.
The heat network will harness heat from the local sewer, with construction planned to start in 2029. The network will initially be backed up by gas boilers, before eventually moving to a fully electric system.

The network will provide low carbon heat to buildings in Rochdale, including the leisure centre and the council’s main offices No 1 Riverside and its Grade 1 listed Town Hall. The network is also set to connect to a local art gallery and museum, local colleges & schools, Rochdale Infirmary, social housing and more.

The project is part of Rochdale’s wider plans to regenerate Rochdale Town Centre, which includes the rail station corridor and brownfield site redevelopment to provide new homes, a new public park, community facilities and retail outlets. Funding provided to the Rochdale heat network will also help to unlock new local and UK-wide jobs, while supporting a number of apprentices.

Ben Greenwood, Head of Policy, Performance and Improvement at Rochdale Borough Council, said:

“As well as contributing towards the Greater Manchester target of 90 GWh capacity of low carbon heat networks active (420KtCO2) by 2038, the Town Centre Heat Network project is an important regeneration and economic development opportunity for the borough.

“The town centre heat network is one of the key actions set out in the council’s Climate Change Action Plan. It is an exciting project which will contribute to the council’s objective to become carbon neutral in line with the ambition for Greater Manchester as a whole”.

Riverside Heat Network

Awarded: £11.5 million commercialisation and construction funding

The GHNF is supporting Cory and Vattenfall’s Riverside heat network, set to serve an initial 20,000 homes in and around the Bexley and Greenwich area. £11.5 million from the GHNF will support the early phases of the project, including the delivery of pipework to serve the Peabody social housing estates.

The heat network will provide low carbon heating to both new homes and social housing blocks through the Cory EfW facility in Belvedere. As the network expands, Cory expects the Riverside heat network to become the largest single heat network in the UK, serving up to 100,000 homes.

Alina Gheorghiu-Currie, Regional Director for London, Vattenfall said:

“The Green Heat Network Fund award for Riverside Heat Network is a significant step forward, helping us to unlock locally sourced heat for homes, businesses and public buildings. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with Cory to deliver sustainable heat infrastructure that brings lasting benefits to communities across London.”

Round 10

London Strategic Heat Main

Awarded: £41.63 million commercialisation and construction funding

RHN Developments Limited, a Cory Group company, has secured funding for the LSHM. The project consists of hot water pipes, housed in tunnels, designed to transport low carbon heating more than 25km from the Thames Estuary into central London across seven boroughs, supplying the equivalent of up to 650,000 London homes via local heat networks, or more than one million people.

The award has been made to the UK’s first nationally significant heat infrastructure project on the scale of European systems. Cory operates the anchor heat source, Europe’s largest single-site energy from waste campus, which is located in Belvedere, South East London. The network is also designed to draw on multiple additional heat sources over time.

The ambitious project is expected to cut carbon emissions from heating by around 95%, while eliminating nitrogen oxide emissions from fossil fuel boilers at the source. Alongside its carbon benefits, the LSHM will also unlock more than £5 billion of local investment, while supporting jobs across the supply chain.

While the LSHM is under construction, heat will be delivered to homes and businesses in London via electric thermal barges. The barges will carry heated water up the Thames and deliver it to large, insulated hot water tanks housed in new pontoons, allowing heat to reach central London from 2028.

In March 2026, the Mayor of London and London Councils recognised the strategic nature of the LSHM, designating it a priority to deliver the London Growth Plan. Support provided through the GHNF brings London one step closer to a more independent energy supply, and enables the wider development of heat networks across the capital.

David Carter, Managing Director – Heat at Cory Group, said:

“This award is a major vote of confidence in heat transmission as part of the UK’s future energy infrastructure. The London Strategic Heat Main will allow us to capture surplus low carbon heat and move it to where it is needed, helping to cut carbon, improve energy security and support new investment across the capital.

“By delivering heat by barge while the permanent tunnel is developed, we can start serving Londoners sooner and demonstrate a model that could be replicated in cities across the UK.”

Marble Arch Energy Network (MAEN)

Awarded: £11.4 million commercialisation and construction funding

The Portman Estate has secured £11.4 million through the Green Heat Network Fund to help deliver new energy infrastructure for the Marble Arch district, supporting the long-term decarbonisation and resilience of mixed-use neighbourhoods near Oxford Street.

The funding will support the Marble Arch Energy Network, a proposed low carbon district energy network serving offices, residences, hotels and retail premises in Westminster.

Initially, the network is expected to provide heating and cooling to at least 34 connections and thereafter to expand incrementally. Once operational, it is expected to deliver 39 GWh of heating and 25 GWh of cooling each year, enough low carbon heat to meet the annual heating needs of around 3,000 average UK homes.

MAEN will use reversible water-source heat pumps to harness energy from the London Chalk Aquifer and will incorporate energy-sharing technology so that connected buildings can draw from or reject heat into the network according to their heating and cooling needs.

The project is designed to reduce associated carbon emissions from connecting buildings by up to 98% and improve local energy security in a part of London where individual building-by-building decarbonisation can be constrained by heritage fabric, limited plant space and electricity grid pressures.

The funding will allow The Portman Estate to progress the commercialisation of the scheme and procure a long-term delivery and investment partner to finance, design, build and operate the network. It is expected to support almost 200 skilled jobs, apprenticeships and trainee opportunities locally and nationally.

Simon Loomes, Strategic Projects Director at The Portman Estate, said:

“We are delighted to receive support from the Green Heat Network Fund for this transformative project that will benefit occupiers across The Portman Estate and the wider Westminster community. The Marble Arch Energy Network represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to modernise essential infrastructure within one of London’s most important commercial and mixed-use districts. The project will help create a more resilient, efficient and sustainable energy system for businesses, residents, hotels and retailers, while supporting the long-term competitiveness of the West End.”

Bradford Energy Network Southern Extension

Awarded: £9.7 million commercialisation and construction funding

In an extension to the Bradford City Centre project previously supported by the GHNF in Round 1, the scheme is now providing 1Energy with almost £10 million to further decarbonise buildings across Bradford.

The extension will provide an additional 16GWh of heat to 25 connections across the South of Bradford. This will see low carbon heat supplied to a local hospital, residential blocks, schools and college buildings. As a result of today’s further funding, 1Energy will be able to deliver a significant cost saving for customers versus installation of individual building level air source heat pumps (ASHPs).

The Bradford Energy Network was initially supported with £20 million grant funding in the GHNF’s inaugural round for constructing the city-wide network, which will be heated by large-scale ASHPs. With over 5km of pipework already installed across Bradford, the Thornton Road energy centre is nearing completion and ASHPs have been installed on site. Later this year the project will reach heat on and the networks anchor customers will begin to receive low carbon heat for the first time.

John Hartley, CEO at 1Energy, commented:

“This latest GHNF funding will allow us to build on the significant progress already made in Bradford, extending the network to serve more public buildings, homes and organisations across the south of the city. Crucially, by delivering heat at city scale, we can offer customers a more cost-effective route to decarbonisation while strengthening Bradford’s long-term energy resilience.

“With Heat On for the first phase approaching, this extension represents another important step towards our ambition of developing a truly city-wide heat network that will support Bradford’s buildings, communities and economy for decades to come.”

Solihull Energy Network Town Centre Expansion

Awarded: £3.98 million commercialisation and construction funding

Originally supported through the Heat Networks Investment Project (HNIP), Solihull Energy Limited is receiving almost £4 million to extend their low carbon heat network further across the town.

The existing heat network, currently under construction, will receive its supply from an energy centre in Tudor Grange Park housing a Combined Heat and Power (CHP) system and air source heat pumps.

The heat network is already set to provide low carbon heat to public buildings, education sites, and commercial outlets. GHNF support will unlock further connections, bringing heat to further public buildings, schools, businesses, and a new mixed use commercial and residential development.

The Tudor Grange Energy Centre is nearing completion, and is designed with energy resilience in mind, helping the local authority to adapt the network’s heat provision to future demand fluctuations and regulatory changes.

Construction on the heat network extension is set to begin in summer 2027. The project will also boost local jobs and has already supported 126 apprentice weeks, work placements, and has delivered over £3 million in local supply chain expenditure, boosting the local and regional economy.

Cllr Andy Mackiewicz, Solihull Council’s Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Planning, said:

“This funding award is a major vote of confidence in Solihull’s vision for a cleaner, greener and more sustainable future.

“The Solihull town centre energy network is one of the most ambitious low carbon infrastructure projects being delivered in the region and this additional investment will allow us to extend its benefits to even more organisations and developments across the town centre.

“By bringing more buildings onto the network, we can help reduce carbon emissions, strengthen energy resilience and support sustainable growth, whilst making the most of the significant investment already made in the Energy Centre and network infrastructure.”

Heat Networks Investment Project (HNIP)

Read our case studies to explore a portion of the work made possible by the success of the Heat Networks Investment Project (HNIP).

Pilot Round

The Heat Networks Investment Project (HNIP) pilot ran from October 2016 to March 2017. Nine applications were successful in the pilot phase. Total awards are worth over £24 million.

Round 1

Barking Town Centre Strategic Distribution Energy Scheme

Award: £5,000,000 of grant funding for commercialisation and construction

Barking and Dagenham Council has been awarded £5m to co-fund the creation of a landmark low carbon UK district heating scheme in Barking Town Centre. The project has been classified as strategically significant by the GLA and builds on the borough’s ambitions to become the green capital of London. It involves modification of the existing energy centre on the Gascoigne East Estate, Weavers Quarter, and the construction of a new large-scale energy centre. Together these will supply over 30 GWh per year of low carbon heat into a new Barking Town Centre wide heat network, serving a mixture of new developments comprising over 8,000 homes, together with existing buildings. Initially, supplies of heat will come from gas-fired combined heat and power units, but over time these will be replaced with existing sources of waste heat in the borough to deliver zero carbon heat supplies.

Read more about this funding award in our press release.

Councillor Darren Rodwell, Leader of Barking and Dagenham Council:

“I am delighted to see our ambitions being supported in this way and look forward to seeing our vision for a low carbon borough come to fruition. We’re always striving for a cleaner, greener borough, for the benefit of our residents, and the delivery of this scheme is a major step forward for us.”

Bristol Redcliffe Heat Network

Award: £3,600,000 of grant funding for commercialisation and construction

The extension of the Bristol Redcliffe heat network will involve the expansion of the existing network and the installation of a second low carbon energy centre to supply heat to a number of new commercial developments in the area. The current scheme, which utilises biomass boilers, was completed in 2016 and supplies 700 social housing properties.

The extension will use the additional capacity within the current energy centre as well as the new energy centre, located within the council’s offices, which will include new gas CHP and back up boilers. The scheme will also include future proofing works to enable the network to be connected to additional existing loads and proposed new developments around Bristol Temple Meads. In addition to this section of the network the council will also be expanding to new areas of the city which will be served by new renewable sources such as water source heat pumps and geo-thermal technology.

Cabinet Member for Energy, Transport and The Green New Deal, Councillor Kye Dudd:

“We know that heat networks make a big impact on our city’s use of carbon.  By providing low carbon sources of heat we are helping to make a big shift towards building a carbon neutral Bristol by 2030.”

Leeds City Council

Award: £2,400,000 in grant funding for construction

The Leeds PIPES scheme is a recently-completed district heat network that has already begun delivering heat to Leeds. It currently comprises a network of around 16km of pipework, delivering low carbon heat and hot water, generated from waste steam created by the Recycling and Energy Recovery Facility (RERF), to commercial properties and council-tenanted properties. HNIP funds will be used to extend the network into the city centre, connecting five council buildings and allowing other existing buildings and developments to connect in the future. The pipework therefore will be sized to enable a future extension to the South Bank, an area of major development and regeneration. The extension of the network comes at a key time, as Connecting Leeds will deliver extensive highways remodelling in the city centre.

Councillor James Lewis, Executive Member for Resources:

“It’s fantastic to have secured funding to extend the district heating. This expansion means that we will be able to connect more of the city’s buildings to the Leeds PIPES network and further reduce the use of individual, fossil fuel powered boilers—helping building owners save money on energy, improve local air quality and reduce the city’s carbon footprint.”

Veolia: South East London Combined Heat and Power Heat Network

Award: £5,500,000 of grant and loan funding for commercialisation and construction

The network will consist of a spine running from the plant to Lewisham and connections to an anchor load comprised of commercial and residential units. This will create a network of approximately 1.7 km capable of delivering in excess of 30 MW of low carbon heating demand.  The proposed heat network will provide immediate and long term carbon reduction to these developments compared to alternative heating options while providing good value heating to residents and businesses.

Richard Kirkman, Chief Technology and Innovation Officer, Veolia UK and Ireland:

“We welcome this award which will contribute to the expansion of the SELCHP district heating network and demonstrates the vital role modern energy from waste plants are playing in heat decarbonisation. This is a major factor in achieving the net zero goals, and showcases how energy from waste technology can meet this ambition by lowering fossil fuel use and reducing climate changing carbon emissions. More importantly it makes use of non recyclable household waste, so communities get the benefit of reliable and affordable heat generated from the waste they discard. If all non recyclable waste was diverted from landfill to energy recovery, the UK would save in the region of 880,000 tonnes of CO2 per year.”

Round 2

Bristol City Council: Old Market Heat Network

Award: £6,590,000 of grant funding for commercialisation and construction

A new network in Bristol, as the City Council seeks to install a city centre-wide provision of low carbon heat through heat network pipes. Designed to supply low carbon heat from the Energy Centre at the current Castle Park Council Depot site, at full build out the energy centre will comprise of a Water Source Heat Pump, Gas CHP and Gas peak and reserve boilers. The Phase 1 Old Market Network will supply 17 buildings including 4 residential blocks, 10 office blocks, 2 hotels and 1 school with an annual demand of 14.4MWh, through 1.6km of DH pipe. Over the next 25 years, the Old Market Network Phase 1 project will save around 76,911 tonnes of carbon. In the longer term, there may be more opportunities for new low or zero carbon sources of heat to connect to the network.

Councillor Kye Dudd, Cabinet Member for Energy and Transport:

“Our Bristol heat network has such a vital role to play in our city’s journey to carbon neutrality. The council has invested over £7 million in this infrastructure over the last five years and will continue to expand the network to serve new communities with low-carbon heat. This new funding from BEIS is so welcome to support the growth of the network and will enable us to innovate with new technology that will provide zero carbon heat to a number of new developments in the city. It’s also very exciting to see old fossil fuel infrastructure like the Bedminster coal mine being considered for use to provide zero carbon heat for the future – another example of Bristol’s ability to find pioneering ways to tackle the climate emergency.”

Energetik: Meridian Water Heat Network

Award: £14,760,000 of grant and loan funding for construction

Meridian Water Heat Network will supply waste heat to at least 15,000 homes, with potential to rise to in excess of 30,000 over the lifetime of the network. The project is planned to be operational in 2022 and will be extended as new developments are built. Connection to the North London Waste Authority’s new Energy Recycling Facility (ERF) when built in 2026 will provide a very low carbon heat supply.

The energy centre will initially use gas fired boilers, enabling the heat network to supply customers with heat from 2022 before connecting to the ERF to supply up to 60MW of waste heat. The network’s construction will enable 8.9km of heat network piping to be installed, eventually serving multiple large housing developments. Once the ERF is connected in 2026, the equivalent annual carbon savings will exceed 2200 tonnes and will rise rapidly over the next 10 years to over 5700 tonnes per annum in 2036.

“We’re thrilled to announce that Energetik has been awarded a £14.76 million share of the Heat Networks Investment Project (HNIP) fund.  On the 6th of February, Triple Point formally announced the first beneficiaries and our company stands amongst the seven successful applicants! All beneficiaries have been described as promising and highly deliverable heat network projects and have been selected to receive a first share of the £320 Million fund. We’re truly honoured to be acknowledged on a national level. This funding will be used to unlock the next phase in our business plan helping to build our Meridian Water heat network.”

Peel Energy, part of Peel L&P: Liverpool Waters Heating Network

Award: £1,300,000 of grant funding for construction

Peel Energy, through its supply company (ESCo) Mersey Heat is delivering a district heat network to serve Peel L&P’s Liverpool Waters development and surrounding areas including 2,000,000m2 of development floorspace, 9,000 residential units, 315,000m2 of business space and 53,000m2 of hotel and conference facilities. The awarded funding will support the supply of heat to multiple residential and commercial buildings with a temporary energy centre. A planned transition to a low carbon heat source will occur in the future to reduce carbon emissions.

Jon Burley, Commercial Director at Peel Energy, part of Peel L&P:

“It’s great to see the Government get behind clean growth projects across the country and in Liverpool, this funding will help us to deliver the first phase of our Mersey Heat network to benefit businesses and thousands of residents with low-cost heating and ultimately support our drive to create low carbon communities and make the City Region a greener place to live, work and invest.”

Round 3

Gateshead District Energy Scheme

Award: £5,909,000 grant funding for commercialisation and construction

The grant will support the commercialisation and construction of the first major, strategic eastward expansion of the heat network within the Gateshead District Energy Scheme. This will enable the scheme to supply lower cost, lower carbon heat to an additional 12 GWh of heat load by 2030 represented by four Council buildings, a care home and, in time, up to 1250 new private homes within the Exemplar Neighbourhood, Gateshead’s largest new-build housing development site. Significant decarbonisation is achieved by the installation of a 6MW mine water source heat pump, to provide geothermal heat into the network, displacing the gas boiler generated heat, as well as reducing the operating hours of the existing 4MW gas CHP engines.

Councillor John McElroy, Gateshead Council Cabinet member with responsibility for energy:

“The council has always seen the development of low-carbon energy as key to meeting our climate change goals, but also in generating lower-cost energy for residents and organisations in Gateshead. This grant allows us to take this one step further. This new proposal uses a source of energy that is already under our feet but which is virtually unused. Thanks to the continued development of heat pump technology, we are at last able to properly exploit this abundant untapped heat source and use it to warm thousands of homes and businesses in Gateshead. 

“We have been looking at this proposal for some considerable time, so the award of this grant is timely and its means we can now begin to bring it to fruition. There must be hundreds of miles of abandoned mine workings beneath Gateshead and many of them are flooded providing access to a sustainable source of heat, so there is huge scope for more initiatives like this. It is particularly satisfying that we can exploit the forgotten remains of an old industry – and a heavily polluting one at that – to create clean green energy.” 

Bridgend Town Heat Network

Award: £1,241,000 grant funding for commercialisation and construction

Initially, the scheme will serve public sector buildings in the town centre which includes Bowls Hall, Civic Centre offices, Bridgend Life Centre (leisure centre) and a new development. The Bridgend Town heat network will allow for the expansion to other buildings in the immediate vicinity including local business and residential units. The energy centre will be based at the Bridgend Life Centre and initially use gas fired CHP with back-up gas boilers. These will be replaced with a larger CHP unit and new backup/ peak boilers with the addition of thermal storage tank at the rear of Bridgend Life Centre as the scheme develops. Key objectives for the scheme are to continue to provide reduced energy costs for customers, provide carbon emissions savings compared to alternative strategies and, over time, further decarbonise heat supplies.

Councillor Richard Young who is Cabinet Member for Communities:

“Bridgend County Borough Council is proud to be the first recipient of HNIP funding in Wales. The Bridgend Town Heat Network Project is a key part of our plans to decarbonise heat within Bridgend and forms part of our Smart Energy Plan developed with the support of the Energy Systems Catapult through the Smart System and Heat Programme to drive forward and capture the economic and social benefits of decarbonisation. The HNIP funding will enable us to progress the scheme through its commercialisation phase by first accessing £241,000 funding and, should that phase meet all necessary requirements, then to place Bridgend County Borough Council in a position where it can determine whether to move the project through to, and beyond, construction and accept the further £1m of funding.”

Round 4

Cardiff Town Heat Network

Award: £6,628,000 grant funding for construction

The proposed Cardiff Heat Network begins at Trident Park Energy Recovery Facility (ERF) plant in Cardiff Bay, spreading across the Bay area before crossing the main Cardiff to London railway line, as part of a later phase. Funding from HNIP will support Phase 1 of the network which will reach to the area immediately south of the railway line. Utilising the ERF plant will allow the network to supply the 12 GWh per annum of Phase 1 Customer heat demand, whilst a separate energy centre containing back-up gas boilers will provide further capacity, ensuring resilience to the network. Once fully built out (phase 1 and 2) connections will have a combined annual heat demand of 34 GWh with adjacent private sector buildings having a combined annual heat demand of approximately 22 GWh. Part of the HNIP funding will support the costs of future proofing the network to accommodate for this potential future growth.

Cllr Michael, Cardiff Council’s Cabinet Member for Clean Streets, Recycling and Environment said:

“We’re very pleased to have been awarded an HNIP grant for this important low carbon infrastructure project. The scheme will allow us to capture heat already being produced from Cardiff’s residual waste and use it to deliver a low carbon heat source to large buildings in the Bay. Buildings that connect to the heat network will have the potential to reduce their carbon emission by around 80% compared to traditional gas heating and so this scheme forms an important part of our response to the Climate Emergency. The grant funding will help to kick start a scheme that can grow and evolve over the long term bringing low carbon energy security to the heart of the Capital city.”

Round 5

Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council, Solihull Town Centre Low Carbon Energy Network

Award: £6,591,000 commercialisation and construction grant

The network will supply public and commercial buildings in Solihull Town Centre using a combination of a 1.7MWth air source heat pump, 1,560 kWe gas-fired Combined Heat and Power engine (prioritised for network heat supply) and auxiliary gas boilers. Electricity generated by the CHP will supply the Energy Centre and heat pump operations, 4 public and private sector customers via private wire supply and or grid export depending on electricity demand and grid electricity prices. Initially, the scheme will supply heat to a Council building and four education sites to the south, and then cross under the railway line to supply further public sector and commercial buildings to the east. The network accommodates expansion to new developments within the town centre masterplan. No domestic connections are envisaged in phase 1, although new developments in the town centre are likely to include residential apartments. Solihull Council has received support from the Heat Networks Delivery Unit (HNDU) prior to applying for HNIP funding. Heat on is expected in late 2022.

Cllr Andy Mackiewicz, Portfolio Holder for Climate Change, Planning & Housing, Solihull Council said:

“As a Council we have committed ourselves to taking the necessary local action to tackle the climate change emergency. Through our ambitious Net Zero Action Plan we are developing a strategic approach to the challenge of decarbonising the borough over the next twenty years.

“The funding announced today is fantastic news for Solihull as innovative schemes like this will have a significant role to play in helping us to achieve our goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2041.

“We know that decarbonising heating for schools, homes, offices and other business uses can be prohibitively expensive for building operators on an individual level. However, a central town centre energy network provides a unique opportunity for existing buildings and new developments to benefit from low carbon heat generation. This scheme will help us to reduce the borough’s greenhouse gas emissions while providing customers with a highly efficient and affordable heat supply.

“With this vital funding now in place we can move to the next phase of this exciting project and the real work can begin. While we still have a long way to go this feels like a significant step forward in our journey towards net zero emissions.”

Seaham Garden Village

Award: £3,800,000 grant for commercialisation and construction

The proposed Seaham Garden Village district heat network, if built out, is expected to supply low-carbon geothermal heat from former coal mines to a new development to the south of Seaham. It is hoped that the scheme will be a commercially viable sustainable energy demonstrator project that can be duplicated across the UK coalfields which contains ¼ of UK population and as such is of strategic importance. It is forecasted that up to 1,500 homes could connect to the network over time. This is a planned new build housing development and so construction has not yet commenced, it would be proposed that the heat network would be installed in tandem with the housing infrastructure including roads, roundabouts etc, to minimise costs and installation time.

Mine water is continuously pumped from the mine and treated to remove contaminants at the Dawdon Mine Water Treatment facility adjacent to the development. Dawdon is just one of 75 mine water treatment schemes across the UK that the Coal Authority operates. The mine water is heated by geothermal processes to circa 20°C providing low-cost low-carbon heat.

The new energy centre would comprise of a 1.022MW water source heat pump and later be expanded to include an additional water source heat pump of the same size. The energy centre would supply heat sourced from mine water to a new underground pre-insulated plastic heat network built out over 3 phases with a total trench length of 17.464km.

Cllr Kevin Shaw, Durham County Council’s Cabinet member for strategic housing and assets, said:

“The development of a proposed mine water district heating network to supply low carbon heat to new residents is an exciting project. It will offer a wide range of benefits, including residents accessing renewable and affordable warmth in their homes, and it will create new jobs and will help the council progress towards being carbon neutral by 2050. It is a fitting legacy to the mine workers who toiled in the coal seams that produced the coal that powered the Industrial Revolution that those same seams could now help power the Green Revolution in the future. This project is an excellent opportunity for County Durham and one that the council is excited to facilitate and enable.”

Newcastle University

Award: £2,900,000 loan for construction

Newcastle University has secured funding to support the extension and upgrade of existing District Heat network on their city centre campus in Newcastle upon Tyne. The project will involve the development of new pipework from an existing energy centre to serve a new development on the campus and also supply heat to some existing properties. The University will replace the current gas boilers with a new liquid biofuel combined heat and power plant (CHP) which will deliver substantial carbon savings across the site.

Matt Dunlop, Head of Sustainability at Newcastle University said:

“It is fantastic to receive HNIP support for this major heat decarbonisation project on our Newcastle campus, and we look forward to delivering this and many more carbon reduction projects in pursuit of our Net-Zero Carbon target”.

Cambridgeshire County Council: Swaffham Prior

Award: £3,268,0000 grant for commercialisation and construction

In 2018, the Council had been approached by the Swaffham Prior Community Land Trust (a group comprised of residents motivated to provide affordable housing in the village) to collaborate on this community heat scheme. The funding will help the 300-strong village to transition from oil to low carbon heating and is thought to be the first project of its kind to actively collaborate with members of the local community to deliver a village wide scheme. Led by a community with a common goal for change, the scheme will provide a blueprint model which can be refined and replicated by other communities across the UK.

Sheryl French, Programme Director, Climate Change and Energy Investment said:

“This is a fantastic project and a first of its kind that we know of in the country. Retrofitting a whole village is a challenge but the Swaffham Prior Community Land Trust has been a great partner driving the project forward. Securing the funding is a huge step in creating accessible renewable heat for oil dependent homes in Cambridgeshire. Cambridgeshire County Council is committed to tackling climate change and I’m looking forward to seeing the continued success of this project.”

Round 6

Manchester Octagon Project Energy Network (OPEN)

Award: £740,000 grant for commercialisation and £12,900,000 loan plus £1,000,000 grant for construction

The Octagon Project Energy Network (OPEN) is being undertaken by Manchester Energy Partnership Limited (MEPL), a joint venture between Sustainable Energy Supplies Limited Ltd, and Electricity North West (Construction and Maintenance) Ltd. The project also brings together key organisations in the region committed to reducing carbon emissions, creating employment opportunities and contributing to the overall wealth of the city. MEPL has been working with Manchester City Council and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority for over 7 years to create the network as part of plans to bring commercial vibrancy, growth and regeneration to the city’s strategic Southern Corridor. MEPL will initially construct close to 10Mw of electricity from Combined Heat and Power (CHP) generation, which will be combined with Photovoltaic Solar Panels and Air Source Heat Pumps throughout the network. The project also plans to be one of the UK’s first local energy centres to benefit from the inclusion of a 20% mix of Green Hydrogen with natural gas in 2024, further reducing carbon emissions long term.

Richard Everton, Chairman of the Manchester Energy Partnership said:

“I am delighted that the tenacity and single mindedness of the MEPL team has turned what was a personal “pipe-dream” into a financially viable and practical reality for the city of Manchester. The support received from both the local authority and central government is proof that multiple agencies can work together with the private sector to bring about infrastructure projects that will benefit communities, in pursuit of fuel efficiency and to reduce carbon emissions in our major cities. Manchester is taking a strategic lead in achieving “Net Zero North West.”

Leeds City Council

Award: £3.06 million for construction

Leeds City Council has secured £3.06 million of grant funding from the Heat Networks Investment Project (HNIP) to enable £7.4 million of upgrades to its award-winning district heat network to go ahead. Plans to extend Leeds’ the network by 2,500 metres has started following the award of HNIP funding. This award follows a previous award of £2.4 million for an earlier futureproofed extension into the city centre. The extension marks the third major phase of the Leeds PIPES network and means that more buildings in new areas of the city will soon be able to enjoy the benefits of reliable, affordable, and low carbon district heating.

In 2021, the network of insulated underground pipes, soon to stretch more than 28 kilometres (17 miles) in length, supplied 15,454 megawatt-hours of heating and helped reduce the city’s carbon footprint by more than 2,000 tonnes.  The £49 million network continues to expand and is regularly connecting to new buildings. A key scoring metric for HNIP funding was the ability to expand and further decarbonise over time. Buildings and developments located nearby can choose to connect at any time and the council has seen strong interest from private developers and public sector organisation across the city.

Councillor Helen Hayden, Leeds City Council’s executive member for Infrastructure and Climate, said:

 “The Leeds PIPES district heating network is one of our most exciting infrastructure projects and has real momentum behind it with more public, commercial, and residential buildings all choosing to connect.

“By extending the network to more parts of the city, I am delighted that we’ll soon be able to give even more businesses and residents the opportunity to enjoy affordable, reliable and low carbon heat—helping them to move away from costly fossil fuel based systems and towards a greener future.”

Round 7

Cory

Award: £1,600,000 commercialisation grant and £10,509,000 construction loan

Cory’s existing Riverside energy from waste (EfW) facility will provide heat for up to 10,500 homes in Bexley in the first phase of the proposed heat network. A second EfW facility – adjacent to the existing one and part of Cory’s Riverside Energy Park which received planning permission from the Government in April 2020 – will supply an additional 10,500 homes. Serving a combined 21,000 homes, the heat network will be among the largest in the UK exemplifying the type of ambition needed as the UK transitions to net zero. Cory will work with Vattenfall to deliver the project; a collaboration that will also support Vattenfall’s wider vision to deliver low carbon heating to 75,000 homes across the Thames Estuary over the next decade. The wider heat network will draw on secondary heat sources, such as heat as a by-product of commercial or industrial activities, or heat from the environment.

Dougie Sutherland, CEO at Cory, said:

“We are delighted that BEIS is supporting the development of one of the UK’s largest heat networks. This is a very major step towards net zero, providing low-carbon heat for thousands of homes and businesses in Bexley and its surrounding Boroughs.”

Energetik

Award: £12,000,000  grant and £11,859,000 loan funding for construction

Energetik will deliver two major extensions of its community heat network across the London Borough of Enfield to enable the supply of very low carbon heat to over 50,000 homes. This funding award follows an initial grant and loan to support the construction of the Meridian Heat Network in Funding Round 2. The extensions will link together and significantly decarbonise all existing heat networks in the London Borough by connecting them to the upcoming Meridian Water energy centre at Edmonton Eco Park, which will connect to the North London Waste Authority Recovery Facility once complete in 2026.

The northwards extension will link the Meridian Water Heat Network with the existing Ponders End Heat Network, serving two new housing developments comprised of over 3,300 homes and the civic centre building in Enfield Town. The westwards extension will follow the route towards the Arnos Grove Heat Network, heading north towards the Oakwood Heat Network and connecting two care homes along the way.

Jayne Clare, Managing Director at Energetik said:

“This funding decision is extremely positive for Enfield and our Company. The expansion of our low carbon heat networks will provide the required infrastructure to unlock untapped potential and deliver maximum carbon savings across the borough. This an immense step forward towards achieving Enfield’s carbon goals.”

Round 8

Bristol City Council

Award: £1.7 million grant funding for commercialisation

In its second funding award, Bristol City Council received over £1.7 million to support the development of the Temple Heat Network, which will use a combination of heat pump technologies to provide low-carbon heat to hundreds of local homes and businesses, as well as student housing, university buildings and education facilities.

The network will generate low carbon heat from water sources accessible from the regeneration of Temple Island and waste heat from The University of Bristol’s Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus. The technology mix includes a Ground Source Heat pump using a local sandstone aquifer, a Water Source Heat Pump using Bristol’s floating harbour and extracting waste heat from the university buildings themselves.

Minister for Climate Change Lord Callanan said:

“Changing the way we heat our homes and workspaces is key to tackling pollution and today’s investment into Bristol’s heat networks will put the thriving university city at the heart of the UK’s green industrial revolution. This network of underground pipes will deliver affordable, low-carbon heat and energy across homes, local businesses and university residencies, while opening up huge job and investment opportunities for Bristol, and making the city a greener place to live, work, and visit.”

Peel NRE Developments Ltd, part of Peel L&P

Award: £6.2 million grant funding for commercialisation and project grant loan funding for construction

Peel NRE Developments Ltd, part of Peel L&P, which was awarded funding in earlier funding rounds for the delivery of the first phase of the Mersey Heat Network, was awarded a second funding award of £6.2 million to enable the scheme to transition to a heat pump rather than gas CHP.

The funding will support the usage of one of two 3MW low-carbon heat pumps, the first of which will be water source heat pump. Once complete, Mersey Heat will provide low carbon heat and hot water to up to 9,000 homes and 4 million sq. feet of commercial space at Peel L&P’s £5 billion Liverpool Waters development and nearby buildings.

Jonathan Burley, Commercial Director at Peel NRE, part of Peel L&P, said:

”Mersey Heat supports national and local targets to achieve net zero and we’re pleased to receive further funding to help roll-out the network on a larger scale. The addition of large historical buildings like the Three Graces would make a high-profile impact on reducing Liverpool’s carbon footprint and we look forward to working with the buildings’ owners and our district heat network specialists Ener-Vate to progress these designs and hopefully connect some of Liverpool’s most prestigious properties to our low carbon network.”

Cranbrook

Award: £10.7 million (grant and loan) for commercialisation and construction

Cranbrook is a new town in East Devon located near to the city of Exeter.  Development began in 2011 and today around 2,800 homes have been built.  Cranbrook is in close proximity to employment developments including the low carbon Skypark business park with a single heat network serving both developments. Over the next 20 years, Skypark is predicted to create up to 6,500 new jobs with a significant positive impact on the local economy. The development takes an integrated approach to sustainability which includes tackling embodied carbon, reduction in building level energy demands, the use of renewable technologies and ensuring the site is future proofed. A second network immediately to the west is being rolled out to serve Exeter Science Park and further housing development.

The £10.7 million award by HNIP will allow both of these networks to be connected to a forthcoming Energy from Waste Plant. Cranbrook/Skypark will supply heat to 3,500 homes and 1.4m sq ft commercial space and Monkerton/Tithebarn which will connect 4,600 homes and 800k sq ft commercial space. The interconnection of these networks will enable the bulk supply of heat to both networks including all necessary resilience and back up. The project will also support the planned expansion of Cranbrook to circa 8,000 houses through enabling the delivery of a Future Homes Standard compliant energy solution.

Cllr Geoff Jung, East Devon District Council’s Portfolio Holder for Coast, Countryside and Environment, said:

“We very much welcome this £10m plus investment from the government’s Heat Network Investment Project. It will provide us with a significant step in supporting the large-scale delivery of low and zero carbon development and towards the target of our net-zero carbon goal by 2040 by moving away from reliance on fossil fuels. Utilising recoverable heat form the forthcoming energy from waste plant was selected as the preferred solution to decarbonising the district heat networks following an extensive review of ten different technologies and will help to significantly boost the overall efficiency of the plant itself.”

Bristol City Council

Award: £1.7 million

Bristol City Council has previously been awarded HNIP funding for three heat networks in the city and has secured further funding to support the development of a new heat network in Bedminster.

The Bedminster Network is being developed in south Bristol to generate low carbon energy utilising large heat pump technology either from sewer sources accessible within Dame Emily Park and the Bristol South Swimming Pool or ground/air source. It will support significant regeneration in the local area including a number of high-density developments with more than 330 homes. Future-proofing works will enable the heat network to connect to existing and proposed new developments around Bedminster.

Cllr Kye Dudd Bristol’s Cabinet Minister for Climate, Ecology, Energy and Waste, said:

“The Bristol Heat Network is an integral part of our strategy for decarbonising the city and ensuring that Bristol continues to play its part in addressing the climate crisis. The council has invested over £60m in low-carbon and renewable infrastructure in recent years and we’re delighted to be working in partnership on this innovative project.

“It’s exciting to be replacing old technology with greener solutions and great to be supporting businesses and public sector partners with their own efforts to decarbonise. Developing the heat networks has so many benefits for the city including the reduction in fuel poverty, cutting carbon emissions and creating thousands of jobs to support the local economy.”

Haringey Tottenham Hale and Broadwater Farm District Heating Network

Award: £17.2 million

The Council has been awarded £27.8 million funding for two heat network projects (Wood Green District Heating Network (£10.6 million) and the Tottenham Hale and Broadwater Farm District Heating Network (£17.2 million) which will collectively supply heat to more than 10,000 homes when fully built out. The heat networks support the Council’s ambition to reach Net Zero by 2041 as well as deliver ambitious housing and economic growth in the borough. Both schemes are interlinked and demonstrate the strategic approach being considered by the Council.

Supporting local regeneration, the Tottenham Hale and Broadwater Farm District Heating Network will deliver low carbon heat to homes and commercial premises across the borough whilst enabling further infrastructure development.

Not only will the Tottenham Hale and Broadwater Farm District Heat Network eventually deliver heat to almost 7,500 dwellings and over 125,000m2 of commercial floor space, but it will also connect to and supply to the new Wood Green District Heat Network. The Wood Green Heat Network scheme will grow to serve around 5,000 dwellings and 144,533m2 of commercial floor space.

Both heat networks will be supplied primarily by heat generated by the Energy Recovery Facility being built at the Edmonton Eco Park. Back up heat will be provided by existing local gas boilers if required to ensure a continuity of supply to residents and commercial off-takers.

Cllr Mike Hakata, the Deputy Leader of Haringey Council and Cabinet Member for Climate Action, Environment and Transport said:

“The heat networks at Tottenham Hale and Broadwater Farm and Wood Green are significant projects within the borough’s Climate Change Action Plan (CCAP). With the borough’s homes making up 50% of its carbon emissions, the DEN programme will replace thousands of highly polluting, individual gas boilers from our homes and buildings with an infrastructure which could reduce CO2 emissions from heating by 80% versus the use of gas. The DEN programme will go a long way to delivering our CCAP pledge of delivering homes that are desirable, warm and affordable to run.”

Round 9

Worthing Borough Council

Award: Over £5 million grant funding for commercialisation and both grant and corporate loan for construction

Worthing Borough Council was awarded just over £5 million of HNIP funding to develop a heat network that will use a centralised 3MW heat pump to capture heat passing through the sewers underneath the town’s high street. The scheme will support the council’s pledge to become carbon neutral by 2030 by replacing gas boilers in 27 buildings and saving an estimated 2,454 tonnes per year.

HNIP funding will cover preparatory work, initial construction and the appointment of a private sector partner to help finance, design, build, own and operate.

Cllr Edward Crouch, Worthing Borough Council’s Executive Member for Digital and Environmental Services, said:

”The prospect of heating huge swathes of the town using the heat that is literally beneath our feet while phasing out environmentally harmful gas boilers, is a simple but wonderful piece of science that, if adopted around the world, could help save the planet. I’m extremely grateful to HNIP for showing faith in our scheme with this funding.”

Haringey Wood Green District Heating Network

Award: £10.6 million

The Council has been awarded £27.8 million funding for two heat network projects (Wood Green District Heating Network (£10.6 million) and the Tottenham Hale and Broadwater Farm District Heating Network (£17.2 million) which will collectively supply heat to more than 10,000 homes when fully built out. The heat networks support the Council’s ambition to reach Net Zero by 2041 as well as deliver ambitious housing and economic growth in the borough. Both schemes are interlinked and demonstrate the strategic approach being considered by the Council.

Supporting local regeneration, the Tottenham Hale and Broadwater Farm District Heating Network will deliver low carbon heat to homes and commercial premises across the borough whilst enabling further infrastructure development.

Not only will the Tottenham Hale and Broadwater Farm District Heat Network eventually deliver heat to almost 7,500 dwellings and over 125,000m2 of commercial floor space, but it will also connect to and supply to the new Wood Green District Heat Network. The Wood Green Heat Network scheme will grow to serve around 5,000 dwellings and 144,533m2 of commercial floor space.

Both heat networks will be supplied primarily by heat generated by the Energy Recovery Facility being built at the Edmonton Eco Park. Back up heat will be provided by existing local gas boilers if required to ensure a continuity of supply to residents and commercial off-takers.

Cllr Mike Hakata, the Deputy Leader of Haringey Council and Cabinet Member for Climate Action, Environment and Transport said:

“The heat networks at Tottenham Hale and Broadwater Farm and Wood Green are significant projects within the borough’s Climate Change Action Plan (CCAP). With the borough’s homes making up 50% of its carbon emissions, the DEN programme will replace thousands of highly polluting, individual gas boilers from our homes and buildings with an infrastructure which could reduce CO2 emissions from heating by 80% versus the use of gas. The DEN programme will go a long way to delivering our CCAP pledge of delivering homes that are desirable, warm and affordable to run.”

Round 10

Kensington and Chelsea Council

Award: Over £1.1 million million grant funding for construction

The Notting Dale Heat Network will be able to provide heat to 826 existing homes in North Kensington, and several public buildings and business units.

By using Air Source Heat Pump technology, the zero carbon heat network will be zero-carbon from 2030 supporting the council’s plans for the borough to become net zero carbon by 2040. The scheme is expected to deliver carbon savings over the first 15 years of operation of around 790 tonnes per year.

Cllr Kim-Taylor Smith, lead member for Grenfell, Housing and Social Investment, said:

“It’s important as a Council we continue to put residents first and provide a better quality of life now and for future generations. We’re making great strides in our progress to decarbonise all of our services and the borough as a whole, but we know homes can be one of the biggest carbon emitters.

“It’s fantastic to be able to further our plans for a zero-carbon heat network, which we have co-designed with local residents. This will allow us to provide affordable heating and hot water in an environmentally friendly way, whilst tackling fuel poverty.”

Veolia

Award: £16.3 million for commercialisation and construction (grant and loan)

Veolia has been awarded over £16 million to bring an EfW sourced, low-carbon, heat network to a new area of Southwark, supplying heating and hot water to several existing estates and schools that currently depend on gas boilers and supporting the future growth to a new regeneration area aimed to accommodate 20,000 new homes over the next 15 years. The project is subject to further agreement with SELCHP Ltd, the existing EfW energy centre, and will involve some modifications to improve efficiencies and enable further heat extraction and the construction of a new 6km district heat network.

The proposed network will provide immediate and long-term carbon reductions to these developments compared to the proposed counterfactuals, while providing good value to residents and businesses. The network is expected to deliver on average 11,100 tonnes of carbon savings each year.

Commenting on the latest carbon reduction energy project, Gavin Graveson, Veolia Senior Executive Vice-President, Northern Europe Zone, said:

“Decarbonisation of the domestic heat supply is a key area where the UK can advance progress towards the net-zero carbon goal by increasing the adoption of heat networks. The proposed expansion of the existing Energy Recovery Facility (ERF) derived heat network, to a further eleven estates across the London Borough of Southwark, has now been made possible with support from BEIS and Triple Point Heat Networks.  This significant new heat network project will deliver low carbon affordable heat to over 3,000 Southwark homes, local schools, and enable commercially viable connections to future private and commercial customers.”

Cllr Helen Dennis, Cabinet Member for the Climate Emergency and Sustainable Development, said: 

“Seventy-nine per cent of emissions in Southwark are from buildings, so to achieve our ambition of being net-zero by 2030, it’s crucial that we take steps to green all of our homes and buildings and support the shift away from gas. We are delighted to see this significant project move forward to do just that on eleven of our estates and at five of our schools in the Old Kent Road and North Peckham area. This will provide a sustainable and affordable heating and hot water solution, which will keep our students and residents warm, whilst also making a massive reduction in the borough’s carbon emissions.”

Round 11

Gateshead Council

Award: £2.9 million grant funding

Gateshead Council has been awarded £2.9 from HNIP to extend the initial Gateshead District Energy Scheme, allowing for further connections to social housing properties. The second grant will help the council to extend the existing Gateshead District Energy Scheme further into low rise social housing estates and bring the council closer to reaching their targets detailed within their Zero Carbon Heat Strategy to connect 15,000 Council Homes to the network by 2030. The funding will aid the installation of further pipework to provide over 19,000 tonnes of heat over 15 years to 550 Council homes, as well as an extra care facility and a church.

Jim Gillon, Service Director for Energy and Design, said:

“We are proud of the success our heat network has achieved to date, providing low carbon heat to over 300 high rise homes and more than 20 private and public sector buildings.

Now this HNIP funding has given us the opportunity to expand the network further, to an existing low rise housing estate. Soon all these new residents will be getting the benefits of being part of our heat network.”

Round 12

Vital Energi

Award: £16.9 million

Located in a former brick clay extraction pit near Stewartby in Bedfordshire, the Rookery South Energy Recovery Facility provides a sustainable alternative to landfill and will now also provide waste heat to a new heat network. The low temperature hot water will be pumped to connected buildings via pre-insulated below ground pipework and heat interface units provided at the final connections. The energy centre will be constructed in a modular style to facilitate future expansion for other anticipated developments in the area (potentially circa. 30MW total load). This modularity will also ensure the energy centre is suitable for adaptability to other low carbon technologies in the future. Up to 12,000 homes and non-domestic buildings could be connected to the scheme in the future.

Find out more about this project in our press release.

Nick Gosling, Chief Strategy Officer for Vital Energi, said:

“Energy from Waste (EfW) plants produce huge amounts of excess heat each year and harnessing this resource is one of the core ways we can make real, practical progress in meeting our carbon reduction targets. We are delighted to be working alongside Rookery South Limited and plant operator, Covanta Energy Europe, to harness and distribute the heat that their new EfW produces.

“The heat network project will provide reliable, non-fossil fuel dependent low carbon heat for homes plus a range of commercial customers, and will form an important long-life infrastructure asset for the area.”

E.ON

Award: £6.3 million grant funding

The Silvertown Quays urban redevelopment in East London has been awarded £6.3 million from HNIP for the development of an innovative heat network using E.ON’s ectogrid™ technology. The project is aiming to help contribute to London’s ambitious climate goals and allows buildings to self-generate and manage their own heating and cooling demands through decentralised heat pumps and cooling machines. The funding provided will aid the construction of the network, installation of decentralised heat pumps and chillers for heating and cooling, as well as connections to the network and smart tools.

Chris Norbury, Chief Executive of E.ON UK, said:

“Silvertown is a huge milestone for UK developments as this is the first ectogrid™ for Britain. It’s fantastic we can bring this to life in such an iconic redevelopment area as the Royal Docks. This is yet another example of E.ON stepping up as playmaker in the energy transition and investing at scale in the UK’s energy future.”

Islington Council

Award: £678,000 grant funding

Islington Council has been awarded £678,000 for their Bunhill Heat and Power Network (BHPN). The network was launched in 2012 to provide greener heat for local homes, schools and leisure centres, with an additional energy centre beginning construction in 2017 adding more expansive connectivity. Funding provided will help to expand Bunhill Heat Network to reach the district’s multi-use ‘City Forum’, consisting of 1,000 homes, a retail space and hotel, as well as Telfer House – a new council-owned block of 38 flats.

The council has been developing these plans as part of their heat masterplan since 2014, with discussions around proposed connectivity to City Forum expected to conclude in the near future. This will be delivered in collaboration with existing funding from the HNIP, covering part of the construction costs involved with the new projects.  The new proposed connections are expected to generate carbon savings of over 1,100 tonnes CO₂ per year, with funding covering construction and other administrative costs.

The Bunhill Heat and Power Network (BHPN) is currently the first scheme in the world to take waste heat from underground train networks for use in homes schools and leisure facilities, with new funding made available through the HNIP scheme rapidly boosting expansion and further improving Islington Council’s carbon footprint.