Low-carbon, low-cost heating project coming to city centre

Hull City Council is launching the city’s first district heating network which will provide low-cost, low-carbon energy to city centre buildings.

The news comes after the council was awarded £13m in funding from the Government’s Green Heat Network Fund.

Hull District Heat Network will use energy from waste to heat a series of pipes transporting heated water. The heated water will then be transferred to connected buildings through heat exchangers. The network will consist of a centralised energy source, as well as a back-up energy centre.

The network will provide buildings in the city centre with a low-carbon source of heat at a lower cost than other low-carbon heating solutions.

Councillor Julia Conner, portfolio holder for environment and climate change lead at Hull City Council, said: “I’m pleased the Government has agreed to back this ambitious project which will deliver cleaner, cheaper energy to those living and working in Hull City Centre.

“It’s a significant step towards the council achieving its carbon neutral ambition.”

Councillor Paul Drake-Davis, portfolio holder for economic development and regeneration, said: “As well as helping the council meet its environmental and climate change commitments, we also know that every penny counts right now, so we want to make taxpayers’ money go further.

“That’s why as energy prices rise it’s essential the council finds new ways to reduce energy usage in its buildings and the Hull District Heat Network project will help do this.

“Looking to the future, it could also supply low-cost heating to local residents and businesses – which will help people in this new era of higher energy bills.”

The Green Heat Network Fund is a three-year £288m fund which supports the construction of new low carbon heat networks and the retrofitting and expansion of existing heat networks.

It aims to develop and grow the heat network market and to address some of the challenges of decarbonising the UK’s heat sector.

Works are expected to start on the Hull District Heat Network project in 2024.