In an announcement from the UK Government, over 2,000 homes and businesses could expect to be heated with sewer power as part of a new Green Heating Project backed by £11 million
£80.6 million is to be shared between 4 Green Heat Network projects in an effort to enhance efficiency in existing heating networks, according to The Department for Energy Security and Net-Zero (DESNZ).
Heating networks: Sewer powered homes?
Heating networks supply heating and hot water to homes and businesses via heat pumps or sources from underground, manufacturing, and waste management.
With £11 million from the UK government, Bolton residents may be about to keep their homes and businesses warm with waste heat from the town’s sewer.
In an effort to keep energy bills down, the new project will provide a recycled heating source for the local community.
Extracted from both sewage and waste hot water from washing machines, bathrooms, and kitchens to fuel a new heat pump as part of Bolton’s first district heating network, helping to keep bills low.
These networks help cut carbon emissions by supplying heat to multiple buildings from a central source, avoiding the need for households and workplaces to rely on individual, energy-intensive heating solutions, such as gas boilers.
Tackling inefficient heating networks: Sewer power
In addition to the Green Heat Network Fund, the Government has allocated more than £8m through the Heat Network Efficiency Scheme to improve 34 heat network projects across England and Wales.
The money will enable upgrades, creating a more reliable heating supply for more than 9,000 residents, hospital patients, students, and public sector workers.
According to the UK Government, the transition to heat networks forms a major part of the UK’s carbon reduction commitment, with heating in buildings making up 30% of all UK emissions.
Sewer power and heating networks: The future of energy systems
Sarah Honan, Head of Policy at the Association for Decentralised Energy, said:
“Heat networks are a key solution in the mix of technologies that will make up the energy system of the future – not only will they be essential in decarbonising our homes and offices, factories and shops, but without them, the UK will not be able to build the truly resilient and flexible grid needed for the future.”
