Features: October 26th, 2018

Last week the Government launched its annual Green GB Week
to highlight the opportunities clean growth offers the UK and raise
understanding of how business and the public can contribute to tackling climate
change.  A key theme of the week was
financing the low carbon economy and clean growth.  Heat networks are expected to be at the
forefront of this growth.

The Government has a legally binding commitment to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80% of 1990 levels by 2050.[1]   Heat currently accounts for around 18% of the
UK’s existing greenhouse gas emissions (by way of comparison, power is around
21% and transport is 24%).  Meeting such
challenging climate change targets will therefore require complete or
near-complete decarbonisation of heat.   

Heat networks, as proven technologies for providing lower
carbon heat to domestic and commercial customers, have the potential to play a
key role in the long term decarbonisation of heating, and local authorities can
contribute significantly to their success in this emerging sector.  Local
authorities’ involvement, particularly as a principal driver in the development
stages of a project, can help realise the many benefits of heat networks, while
also delivering jobs and growth.

Many local authorities may recognise the potential benefits
of developing a heat network, but lack the expertise and/or finance required to
pursue such ambitious schemes.   The
Government, therefore, is providing support to help facilitate the delivery of
heat networks:

  • Heat
    Networks Delivery Unit (HNDU):
    Established in 2013 the HNDU seeks to address
    the obstacles local authorities face when considering developing heat networks by
    providing grant funding and guidance on project development. Since its
    inception, HNDU has run 7 funding rounds – awarding £17 million in total – and
    is currently running Round 8. Over 200 unique projects have so far been
    supported across 140 local authorities.

  • Heat Networks Investment Project (HNIP): Launched by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) on the 16th October 2018 HNIP is a major Government investment project which will see £320m of capital funding made available for the development of heat network projects.  The funding, made up of a combination of grants and loans, will be available from April 2019 and is offered as “gap funding”.  Local authorities are encouraged to apply for the funding for a period of up to 3 years and it is hoped that the scheme will leverage around £1bn of private sector and other investment to support the commercialisation and construction of heat networks.
  • Published Guidance: BEIS have also commissioned various pieces of guidance relating to heat networks.  As recently as August this year the following were published with a view to guiding local authorities (and others) on various aspects of heat networks:          

For further information on heat tworks please contact charles.robson@wbd?uk.com