Energy ministry D-BEIS today advertised its intention to seek bids from heat network operators, eager to extend low carbon heat and chills to homes and workplaces.

Applications will open on 14 March for the government’s £288 million Green Heat Networks Fund.

A core element of the Government’s Heat Network Transformation Programme, the fund succeeds the £250 million Network Investment Project (HNIP) and the £10m Green Heat Network Fund Transition Scheme, first opened in July 2021.

The Climate Change Committee estimates that by 2050 around 18% of UK heat will need to come from heat networks.  The configurations also lend themselves easily to heating with green hydrogen.   Cooling built up areas, combatting the “urban heat island” effect, are another plus.

Energy minister Lord Callahan commented: “Heating in buildings forms a significant part of the UK’s carbon footprint, so changing how we warm our homes and workspaces is vital to meeting our world-leading climate change commitments.”

“Heat networks are an effective way of reducing carbon emissions and this fund will enable us to accelerate the roll-out of these cutting-edge and green technologies.”

Vital to making Net Zero a reality in the UK, heat networks are seen by Whitehall as a cost-effective way of providing low carbon heat at a fair price to consumers, while aiding supporting town centre regeneration.

Lily Frencham, CEO of the Association for Decentralised Energy, welcomed the GNHF’s launch.

“We’re delighted that the government is invigorating the transition to zero-carbon heating across the UK that uses good old-fashioned pipes and water to transport heat from green energy centres to homes and businesses”, said Frencham.

More details here

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