Bristol has recieved £10m to expand their low-carbon heat network

Bristol City Council has received £10m of government funding to expand the city’s low-carbon heat network. 

The Heat Network Investment Project (HNIP) will see the city’s heat network broadened, meaning that low-carbon heat will be available to more properties in the city.

The heat network replaces the need for individual buildings to have their own heating systems by using heat that is recovered from industry and renewable sources to power homes.

Bristol’s existing heat network currently supplies over 1,000 properties with low-carbon heat, this funding will see it expand to new areas across the city.

Part of the expansion will also include the creation of a large water-source heat pump which will produce zero-carbon heat from Bristol’s floating harbour, the network will also use waste heat from the University of Bristol’s new campus development.

Proposals have also been made for a new energy centre that will use heat from the main sewer in addition to potential waste heat from the area’s former mine infrastructure area.

Cllr Kye Dudd, cabinet member for energy and transport said: ‘Our Bristol heat network has such a vital role to play in our city’s journey to carbon neutrality.

‘The council has invested over £7m in this infrastructure over the last five years and will continue to expand the network to serve new communities with low-carbon heat.

‘This new funding is so welcome to support the growth of the network and will enable us to innovate with new technology that will provide zero-carbon heat to a number of new developments in the city.

‘It’s also very exciting to see fossil fuel infrastructure like the Bedminster coal mine being considered for use to provide zero-carbon heat for the future, another example of Bristol’s ability to find pioneering ways to tackle the climate emergency.’

In October 2019, Bristol Community Energy fund revealed that they had invested nearly half a million into various small scale renewable energy projects across the city.

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