Heat networks and zoning: flyer (accessible webpage)
Updated 25 July 2024
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Heat networks
Heat networks use 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 can be across entire cities or to a selection of neighbouring buildings.
Highly efficient
These highly efficient systems remove the need for individual boilers or heaters in each building and can utilise local sources of low-carbon heat – which would otherwise go to waste.
Cost effective
Heat networks are one of the most cost-effective ways of providing secure, reliable, and affordable heat to consumers and help us end our reliance on fossil fuels while cutting customer bills.
The future of heat
In 2024, around 3% of heat in the UK is provided by heat networks. It is estimated that heat networks will supply almost 20% of heat by 2050 to enable the UK to reach net zero.
This will unlock more than £80 billion of investment and create around 35,000 jobs in the sector.
Support for heat networks
Through its Heat Network Transformation Programme, the government is enacting legislation and developing policies, regulations and providing financial stimulus to ensure that heat networks can contribute towards reaching net zero.
This includes improving consumer protection, creating the conditions to grow the market, lowering emissions, improving the performance of heat networks, and building up skills in the sector to encourage investment and jobs growth.
Heat network zoning
Heat network zoning is core to this growth and when launched in 2025 it will fundamentally transform the development of heat networks in towns and cities across England.
This will require certain types of buildings to connect within defined geographic zones.
Are you ready for Heat Network Zoning?
From 2025, Heat Network Zoning will designate areas in English towns and cities where heat networks provide the lowest-cost, low-carbon heating option – requiring certain types of buildings to connect
Heat network zoning
Using new legislation under the Energy Act 2023, local communities will be empowered to accelerate the development of heat networks in their area.
Requirement to connect
Certain types of buildings and low-carbon heat sources can be required to connect to a network within a prescribed timeframe. By identifying, and ultimately connecting, the largest consumers of heat within a given area, a critical mass can be reached and provide the certainty needed to support long-term investment in heat networks.
These consumers could include:
- new buildings
- non-domestic buildings above an agreed size and energy use threshold
- buildings that are already communally heated
There will be some exemptions, such as where it would not be cost-effective to connect to a heat network or where a better low-carbon solution exists. All of this will be confirmed in legislation.
Homes within zones which are not already communally heated will not be required to connect. However, should they wish to, the heat network could connect them.
Unlocking investment and creating jobs
Developing heat network zones across the country will require tens of billions of pounds of investment and has the potential to create tens of thousands of jobs.
Local authorities and heat network developers will work closely together to build new networks and deliver a low carbon heating revolution across the country.
The next steps
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) consulted on its plans for heat network zoning earlier in 2024 and will be publishing its response later in the year.
Webinars
DESNZ regularly hosts free-to-attend webinars that further explore topics around Heat Network Zoning and how it may affect buildings inside zones.
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