Efforts to decarbonise Bristol’s buildings given major boost

Efforts to decarbonise Bristol’s buildings through work to expand the city’s heat network have received a boost.

Bristol has been named one of six towns and cities to pilot innovative low carbon heating solutions as part of the UK government’s initiative to establish the country’s first Heat Network Zones.

The new initiative aims to develop efficient, low-carbon heating solutions in urban areas through establishing heat networks. Heat networks use insulated underground pipes to distribute heat from centralised sources to multiple buildings. Customers include public buildings, shops, offices, hospitals, universities, and homes.

In Bristol, the low carbon heat will come from large scale heat pumps, including the city’s award-winning water source heat pump, and from excess heat from industry and data centres.

Bristol joins Leeds, Plymouth, Stockport, Sheffield, and London in benefitting from £5.8m of funding to develop the city’s Heat Network Zone.

Cllr Tony Dyer, leader of Bristol City Council, said: “We are delighted that Bristol has been chosen to lead the way in this pioneering approach to decarbonising our buildings. This initiative is a testament to our collaborative efforts to establish the award-winning Bristol City Leap partnership by working across the public and private sectors to create sustainable solutions for a low carbon future.

“Bristol City Leap has already established itself as an internationally leading approach to marrying up the best of the public and private sectors to tackle one of the major issues facing all urban environments. This expertise has now received further government recognition, and we are ready and eager to demonstrate the value heat networks can deliver to local energy systems.”

Vattenfall, through the council’s innovative Bristol City Leap partnership, currently operates Bristol’s heat network, which at present covers a large section of the Old Market and Redcliffe. It is currently being expended to Bedminster with plans in place to go further across the centre of the city and beyond.

Bristol City Leap is a 20 year joint venture between Bristol City Council, Ameresco, and Vattenfall Heat UK. The initiative focuses on achieving city-scale decarbonisation by installing low carbon energy infrastructure, primarily funded and delivered by the private sector. The goal for the joint venture is to attract £1bn in investment over the partnership’s duration, with at least £424m committed by 2027.