Bradford to act as a ‘blueprint’ for low carbon heating
Millions of pounds have been secured to trial a new green heat network in the West Yorkshire city. If all goes well, the scheme could be rolled out across the UK.
Spearheaded by 1Energy, a private-equity backed developer of city heat networks, Bradford’s solution to keeping civic buildings warm has been awarded £75 million in funding. This includes £20 million from the government’s Green Heat Network Fund.
The heat pump-powered network will see all gas boilers replaced in existing buildings which require retrofitting, reducing air pollution coming from heating could be axed by up to 75% and carbon emissions by 80% during phase one.
The Bradford Energy Network is supported by three key customers which include the University of Bradford, Bradford College and Bradford Courts, which have all agreed to have their gas boilers ripped out. The buildings are projected to see their carbon dioxide output plummet by almost 30,000 tonnes each year.
Andrew Wettern, CEO of 1Energy, said: ‘We cannot reach net zero without decarbonising heat. We are proud to be delivering a city-wide solution to this challenge for Bradford alongside the University of Bradford, Bradford College and Bradford Courts.
‘The Bradford Energy Network is a flagship project in the UK’s transition to low carbon heating. Crucially, it also provides a blueprint for national rollout, successfully demonstrating how to: deploy institutional investment alongside government funding, deliver savings for customers in the transition, and decarbonise existing and new buildings across a city through an exemplar low carbon heat network.’
Using Bradford as a starting point, 1Energy has remarked they hope to deploy £1bn within the next eight years into building new city-wide, low carbon heat networks across the UK. Next in line are Rotherham, Exeter and Milton Keynes.
‘This project is already delivering significant social value and wider benefits to the city – creating new jobs and skills, utilising the local supply-chain and creating a more favourable environment for inward investment into Bradford. Thanks to the support of our key partners, we are able to put Bradford right at the very forefront of decarbonised, healthier cities in the UK and to assist its regeneration and growth,’ Andrew said.
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