The Government has confirmed that it will create a central body to oversee the UK’s growing stock of low-carbon heat networks, and extend Ofgem’s price cap to households connected to these networks amid the energy price crisis. Late last week, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) published its response to a recent consultation on the ways in which heat networks should be planned, delivered and operated in the future. The Government is aiming for heat networks to expand to serve one-fifth of UK households by 2050, up from around 2% in 2020, as part of its plans to bring heat and buildings to net-zero emissions. Heat networks will also serve commercial and public sector buildings. Environmental groups, civil society organisations and local councils alike have previously warned that delivery is currently off track, with BEIS needing to make key decisions on strategy and delivery. These include mapping out zones and implementing plans to ensure networks are completed to time. BEIS’s response documents confirm that 81% of those responding to its consultation believe that certain responsibilities for scaling, operating and regulating the heat network zoning process should be carried out by the central government. These include the creation of a standardised methodology for calculating and reporting on the performance of heat networks, data collection and management.
Edie 20th June 2022 read more »