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 £13 million in funding from the government’s Green Heat Network Fund.
The 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.
The council plans to hold public engagement events in the near future to gather the views of local people and businesses, as well as raise awareness of the project.
Councillor Julia Conner, portfolio holder for environment and climate change lead at Hull City Council said: “I’m pleased that the government has agreed to back this ambitious project that 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 that 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 3-year £288 million fund that 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 commence on the Hull District Heat Network project in 2024.
Those interested to learn more about the project or wish to discuss connecting a building to the network can find out more by contacting Hull.Energy@hullcc.gov.uk.
In April 2019, Hull City Council declared a climate emergency and in 2020, they published the Hull 2030 Carbon Neutral Strategy – its ambitious vision for making Hull carbon neutral by 2030.
Hull City Council is a partner of the Oh Yes! Net Zero campaign, encouraging local businesses and residents to drive down their emissions and take positive action on climate change. To find out more about the Oh Yes! Net Zero campaign, access advice and tips about reducing your carbon footprint and sign up to be part of it visit www.ohyesnetzero.co.uk.
