Sunday, November 10, 2024
EnergyLatestNews

Solihull Low Carbon Energy Network heats up

Plans to bring an affordable new source of low carbon heating to the town centre have gathered steam as Solihull Council partners with Vital Energi to deliver its Low Carbon Energy Network.

The new energy network will generate low carbon heat and power (electricity) from a single energy centre and distribute it directly into town centre buildings via a system of underground pipes and cables.

The Energy Centre will be built on land next to a leisure centre and will house a range of renewable and low carbon energy solutions including Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHP).

This scheme forms part of a wider strategic approach Solihull Council is developing to decarbonise the borough over the next 20 years.

Following a competitive tendering process, Vital Energi Ltd have been selected as the contractor who will take the project forward – building, operating and maintaining the new network.

The first phase of the network will provide heat and power to public and private sector customers, including council-owned buildings and education campuses.

It is intended that future phases will then connect other buildings in the town centre and link to planned commercial or residential developments in line with the Council’s Town Centre Masterplan. 

The funding for the carbon saving scheme was provided by the government’s Heat Networks Investment Project (HNIP) and West Midlands Combined Authority alongside the council’s own investment.

Councillor Andy Mackiewicz, Portfolio Holder for Climate Change and Planning said:

“A huge amount of hard work has already gone in to developing this project and with Vital’s help we can finally get it over the line and bring the benefit of affordable, reliable low carbon energy to Solihull town centre customers, while contributing to an overall reduction in the borough’s carbon emissions.

“The town centre energy network will be the first of its kind in Solihull and will hopefully pave the way for similar projects around the borough.” 

Gemma Dyson, Pre-Construction Director, Vital Energi, said:

“We’ve worked closely with the Council throughout the initial project stages, and now we’re really looking forward to continuing with our collaborative approach to deliver an energy network that makes significant strides in reducing the borough’s carbon emissions.”   

Since its inception, the project has been supported by expert technical advisers from Sustainable Energy Ltd, who will continue to play a role during the construction phase.

Chrissy Woodman, Director of Sustainable Energy Ltd, said:

“This project represents a significant step forward in the Council’s decarbonisation plans for the Borough, and we are proud to be part of it.”

Image from Solihull Council

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