More than £15m of new government funding has been awarded to upgrade heat networks across England and Wales, in one of the largest rounds of the Heat Network Efficiency Scheme so far.
Round 10 of the scheme will support social housing providers, hospitals, universities, charities, public buildings and private sector heat networks, with the aim of cutting waste, improving reliability and reducing bills for residents.
The funding includes more than £14.3m of capital grants for physical upgrades and more than £1.2m of revenue funding for optimisation studies, to identify why existing heat networks are underperforming.
Ministers say the round will help deliver fuel savings of around 348,600kWh a year and carbon savings of 52,526 tonnes annually across England and Wales.
Martin McCluskey, Minister for Energy Consumers, said: “The conflict in the Middle East has shown once again why we must get off the fossil fuel rollercoaster and onto clean, homegrown power we control.”
He added: “Heat networks will play a crucial role in that shift, lowering bills for whole communities while strengthening our energy security.”
In the North of England, several schemes will benefit, including major upgrades in Salford, Manchester, Chesterfield, Sheffield, Liverpool, Blackburn and County Durham.
Salix Homes has secured £1.2m for three 1960s high-rise blocks in Salford, with upgrades including new Heat Interface Units, bulk meters, pipework insulation and improved controls to help reduce heat loss and tackle fuel poverty.
One Manchester will receive more than £637,000 for improvements to two networks serving 104 residents, while Sheffield City Council will receive revenue support for studies covering heat networks serving 719 residents.
In the Midlands, Solihull Community Housing has secured more than £2.1m to improve five heat networks serving 484 residents.
The funding will address problems including poor plantroom condition, high return temperatures, outages, ageing metering and deteriorating pipework.
Walsall Housing Group will also receive support to improve a ground source heat pump network at Austin House.
In the South, large schemes include more than £2m for London & Quadrant networks in Waltham Forest, Brent and Hackney and £2.8m for Notting Hill Genesis sites including Stratford Halo Estate.
Camden will receive a share of £2.1m for heat network improvements at Dudley Court and Lymington Road Estate, while further support is going to networks in Wandsworth, Worthing, Wiltshire and Thanet.
In Wales, Adra Tai Cyfyngedig will receive revenue funding for studies at heat networks in Gwynedd while Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council will be supported at The Works heat network.
Louise Singleton, HNES Programme Manager, said more than 10,000 residents in this round alone will benefit from “more efficient, reliable, and cost-effective heating”.
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