Hull City Council has appointed three consultancy firms to support the next stage of the city centre district heating project.
The local authority has appointed technical consultants Sustainable Energy Ltd, legal consultants Womble Dickinson LLP and financial consultants QMPF to support the project.
The appointments are an important step for the council’s 2030 carbon neutral ambitions for the city. It will see an outline business case developed and extensive consultation with business, building-owners and residents in the city centre.
District heating networks provide heating and hot water at an overall lower cost than traditional heating with heat provided from a single central boiler that provides the heat and hot water to all buildings connected to the network.
This stage of the project will be completed in summer next year, with the council then considering the next stage to move to the potential construction of the district heating network.
Councillor Daren Hale, portfolio holder for economic investment, regeneration and planning, land and property at Hull City Council, said: “This is another significant step forward for the council and our city in meeting our carbon neutral ambition.
“The development of district heating continues the regeneration of the city centre and shaping our future post Covid-19. It could create jobs in another green energy sector for the city cementing our place as the energy city.”