Why are district heat networks a good idea?
Affordable
District heating networks are competitive in terms of pricing with individual heating. They are not fundamentally cheaper to run than a gas boiler, but importantly, the renewable heat sources used within a district heat network allow for long-term price stability. Customers of a heat network are not at the liberty of a volatile gas market, so are not at risk of price hikes in their heating bills.
A range of funding options are available to install the heat network, in order to minimise up-front costs to those wishing to connect to the network
Community-led
Developing a district heat network provide can empower a community to make decisions on how their homes are heated, and how the network will operate. A range of governance and ownership options exist for district heat networks. The choice will depend on what is most suitable within the context of a specific community. Options can include co-operatives or local government ownership of the heat network.
Zero carbon
District heating is playing a vital role in the clean energy transition, and the move away from heating our homes with gas. Currently in the UK, heat networks reduce carbon emissions in buildings by around 1 million tons of CO2 each year, as opposed to if the buildings were heated in traditional ways. This equates to 3,065GWh of gas per year not being burned, enough to heat 216,000 homes. It is estimated that by 2030, as more heat networks are established, that 5.7 million tonnes of CO2 will be saved per year in the UK.