Sewers set to heat nearly 2,000 English homes

The UK government has announced the recipients of four grants for green heating projects, including one aiming to keep Bolton homes and businesses warm with waste heat from the local sewer.

Funding for the four Green Heat Network projects in the latest round totals £80.6m. The Green Heat Network Fund is intended to support the development of low-carbon heating networks for organisations within England. Other countries of the UK have their own dedicated funds.

One of those projects, which will receive £11m in public support, will see homes and businesses in Bolton kept warm with waste heat from the town’s sewer. Energy will be extracted from both sewage and hot waste water from washing machines, baths, showers and kitchens to fuel a new heat pump and establish a district heating network for Bolton. The town council and the University of Bolton will be among those benefitting from the network.

Lord Callanan, minister for energy efficiency and green finance, said in a statement: “These innovative projects will help drive down energy costs while also demonstrating why the UK has led the way in cutting carbon emissions. They show how energy sources can be found in the most unexpected places, as more homes and businesses will benefit from cleaner heating and lower energy bills.

“Our upgrades will also make sure our existing heat networks are upgraded so customers can get the reliable heating supply they deserve.”

Other projects to receive funding in this round span Exeter, Hull and south London. The Exeter Energy Network is the largest recipient, getting £42.5m to build a heat network with air-source heat pumps and the UK’s largest high-temperature water-source heat pump – buildings connected to the network could see an initial reduction of 65-75% in carbon emissions compared with gas heating. 

Meanwhile, the Hull East District Heat Network will receive £22m to build a heat network using excess heat from a nearby chemicals park for council and industrial buildings, and the Greenwich Peninsula ESCO District Heating Network in south London will receive £4.6m to connect more than 9,000 homes and 94,000m² of commercial space to green heating powered by an air-source heat pump fixed to the roof of the Greenwich Peninsula Energy Centre.

The funding comes alongside a smaller sum, which will be dedicated to improving 34 inefficient heat networks across both England and Wales, helping operators replace inefficient or old equipment.

Sarah Honan, head of policy at the Association for Decentralised Energy (ADE), said: “Today’s announcement takes us an important step closer to heat networks’ ultimate role in decarbonising the bulk of heat across the UK’s cities, towns and buildings. As we embark on the journey towards regulation, heat network zoning and the expansion of existing schemes, the ADE is very glad to see government supporting sector growth and high industry standards.”

Decarbonising heating of buildings is a major challenge for the UK in particular, which has some of the most poorly insulated housing stock in Europe. Heating in buildings, according to government figures, is responsible for 30% of all UK greenhouse gas emissions.