Presentation slides: Heat Network Zoning – An Introduction (accessible webpage)
Updated 25 July 2024
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This is a general overview of heat network zoning proposals and is subject to change. Please refer to the heat network zoning content on GOV.UK for the latest information: www.gov.uk/government/collections/heat-network-zoning
What is a heat network?
Heat networks use highly-insulated underground pipes to distribute heat from centralised sources to a variety of different customers, such as public buildings, shops, offices, hospitals, universities and homes.
This could be across entire cities or to a selection of neighbouring buildings.
In high density urban areas, they are often the lowest cost, low carbon heating option. Those currently powered by gas can be converted to other heat sources in the future.
Heat networks currently provide almost 3% of UK heat demand and could provide 20% of heat demand by 2050.
They can unlock otherwise inaccessible large-scale renewable and recovered heat sources such as waste heat from industry and heat from rivers and redundant mines.
They deliver broader system benefits as they can run during times of lower grid demand and can take advantage of lower carbon electricity and reduce the investment needed in local energy grids.
Heat network zoning will fundamentally transform the development of heat networks in towns and cities across England
Heat network zoning will designate areas where heat networks are expected to provide the lowest-cost, low carbon heating.
It will give local communities the tools to accelerate the development of heat networks in their towns and cities.
We want to give developers and investors more certainty about the number of likely connections to networks to help unlock the investment needed to build them.
This will remove the barriers to greener, cheaper heat that currently limit the scale and pace of developing heat networks and encourage investment.
This will allow for large-scale strategic heat networks to be built in towns and cities across the country.
How will zoning be delivered?
- Enabling legislation in the Energy Act 2023
- Consultation on heat network zoning – closed 26 Feb 2024
- Establish zoning co-ordinators and a national authority to oversee the process and support local zoning co-ordinators
Where will zones be and how will this be communicated?
- Potential zones identified throughout England via a national methodology
- Local refinement before zones designated
- Zone information available via a digital portal
What is the process via which zones will be built?
- Standardised routes for identifying heat networks developer in each zone
What lessons can we learn from early pilots and activity?
- Advanced work to ensure initial batch of zones are in construction by end 2025
Identifying heat network zones
Standardised methodology for identifying indicative heat network zones.
Areas where we expect heat networks to be the lowest cost low carbon heat against a suitable counterfactual.
Model uses data about the size, type and existing energy use.
Working with 28 towns and cities to test and refine the model.
Examples of building types
Heat consumers
A 3D representation of a heat network zone, showing various buildings and a network of pipes connecting them to various sources of heat. Various buildings are labelled as potential consumers of heat, including:
- communally-heated residential blocks
- hospitals
- hotels and leisure
- industry
- offices and commercial space
- public buildings
- schools and colleges
- retail and leisure
Producers of waste heat
A 3D representation of a heat network zone, showing various buildings and a network of pipes connecting them to various sources of heat. Various buildings are labelled as potential sources of waste heat for the network, including:
- Data centres
- Industry
- Power generators
- Water and waste treatment sites
Keep up to date
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You can also visit the heat network zoning GOV.UK page for the latest updates: www.gov.uk/government/collections/heat-network-zoning