This funding includes £20 million directed to energy-from-waste (EfW) projects in Birkenhead and Loughborough, alongside £2 million for a heat network in Portsmouth.
The projects will utilise untapped heat sources from wastewater, energy recovery facilities, and reservoirs, providing low-carbon heating to thousands of homes and public buildings.
Birkenhead’s heat network project begins with commercialisation funding
Wirral Borough Council has been awarded £887,000 in commercialisation funding to develop a heat network in Birkenhead.
The network will harness waste heat from a local wastewater treatment plant using a Water Source Heat Pump (WSHP) and aims to connect over 21,000 homes in the area over the next 20 years.
Councillor Tony Jones, chair of Wirral Council’s Economy, Regeneration and Housing Committee, shared: “The development of a new heat network for Birkenhead, likely to be powered using a water source heat pump, underpins our wide-reaching regeneration plans for the town centre.
“It is a clear example of Wirral looking to embrace green investment opportunities, promote sustainable regeneration and develop infrastructure in line with the challenge of rapid decarbonisation.”
Loughborough project to connect low-carbon heat to educational institutions
In Loughborough, £19 million has been allocated to the Newhurst heat network to capture waste heat from the Newhurst Energy Recovery Facility (ERF).
This project, led by Vital Energi, will initially provide 42 GWh of low-carbon heat to Loughborough University, with plans for expansion to other local institutions and residential areas.
Nick Gosling, chief strategy officer at Vital Energi, said: “The Newhurst heat network is a great example of sustainable innovation, transforming waste into warmth and having a positive environmental impact across the community.
“Many education institutions have set extremely tight deadlines for reaching their net zero targets and we are excited to be working on a project which will help move so many important organisations towards a greener future.”
Welborne Garden Village project to harness reservoir heat
Last Mile Heat, in partnership with Rendesco, has secured £2 million for a project in Welborne Garden Village, which will use ambient heat from Portsmouth Water’s reservoir.
The network will provide low-carbon heating to approximately 15,000 residents and businesses in the new development.
Alastair Murray, director at Last Mile Heat, stated: “With government legislation steering new developments towards cleaner heating and hot water options, developers are working with Last Mile Heat to take advantage of high quality, low carbon energy sources that are more efficient than air source heat pumps without costing the developer any more.
“This project is a template for future housing developments of all shapes and sizes and gives the developers the confidence to design their projects around low carbon heat networks.”
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