Government focuses on heat networks as future for decarbonised UK heating

decarbonised, Heat Networks Investment Project, HNIP, Claire Perry MP, Heat Network Industry Council, ADE, Tom Rotheray
Claire Perry MP

Government is pushing forward on delivery of its Heat Networks Investment Project (HNIP) as a way to reduce fuel poverty, decarbonise heat and to create jobs. A fund of £320 millions has been set aside to support up to 200 projects by 2021 through grants, loans and other mechanisms.

The HNIP was announced in 2017, and in September 2018 the pilot phase had invested £24 million in heat network projects. The pilot scheme was only open to applications from local authorities and other public sector bodies. However, the Project will be open to a wider range of projects from Autumn this year.

At Green Britain Week in October, Claire Perry MP, minister of state for energy and clean growth, said: “The UK has led the world in cutting emissions whilst growing our economy, with clean growth driving incredible innovation and creating hundreds of thousands of high-quality jobs.”

Green Britain Week also saw 13 companies in the heat network sector join forces to create the Heat Network Industry Council. The Council was established, and is led by, the Association for Decentralised Energy (ADE). Its key aim is to support government in developing a sustainable heat network sector.

Claire Perry MP said: “I’m delighted to see how many more businesses and organisations, such as the Association for Decentralised Energy, are seizing this multi-billion-pound opportunity to energize their communities to tackle the very serious threat of climate change.”

ADE Director Dr Tim Rotheray says: “Industry and Government have the same objective; to deliver a sustainable heat network industry that delivers for customers. Neither industry nor government can deliver on this objective alone.

“The Council exists to set out ambitious commitments of what the heat networks industry will deliver, in return for policy measures which ensure heat network infrastructure projects are an attractive investment proposition.”

Kirsty Lambert, director at Switch2 Energy which is a Council member, says: “It is important the industry works together to deliver the Government’s ambitions for rolling out heat networks to meet the climate change obligations.”

The 13 members of the Council are The ADE; BU-UK; EDF Energy; ENGIE; EON; Pinnacle Power; Ramboll; Siemens; SSE; Switch2Energy; Vattenfall; Veolia; and Vital Energi.

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