At the recent Association for Decentralised Energy (ADE) Heat Network Conference, experts highlighted the importance of heat network zoning and rebalancing levies for the successful deployment of heat networks in the UK.
The event, hosted in partnership with Womble Bond Dickinson, brought together industry professionals to discuss public investment and local delivery strategies ahead of the general election.
Melanie Onn, a Labour candidate for Great Grimsby & Cleethorpes, spoke about Labour‘s commitment to decarbonising domestic heating by 2030.
Speakers from various organisations, including the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, Greenpeace and the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC), shared insights on sector growth.
Margaret Reid, Director of Policy at the NIC, discussed the broader role of heat networks beyond decarbonising heating, highlighting their potential in providing system flexibility and utilising waste heat.
Margaret Reid said: “One of the key takeaways from the conference was bringing home the point that heat networks can’t just be thought of solely as a means of decarbonising heating.
“Their potential role within the broader system – including providing flexibility, or utilising waste heat – will be important to consider as part of a more holistic, whole systems approach to the energy transition.”
ADE’s Heat Network Policy Officer Mike Tisdell said: “The vision of city-scale heat networks operating as an additional utility will require clear and consistent commitment from the government.
“Ensuring clean heat networks are not unfairly disadvantaged on costs remains a crucial issue, with the rebalancing of levies away from electricity still at the front of minds, as industry mobilises to roll out low carbon heat networks across the UK at scale.”
