Tens of thousands of UK homes, businesses and public buildings will benefit from low carbon heat thanks to £44 million of government funding announced today.
£30 million of the package will support three heat network projects in South East London, Manchester and Cambridge. A further £14.6 million will finance 11 projects exploring ways the UK can develop low carbon technologies for heating and cooling buildings.
Today, the provision of heating and hot water accounts for around 30% of the UK’s total carbon emissions. The Climate Change Committee estimates that heat networks could serve 8 million customers by 2030 and provide as much as 20% of the UK’s heating needs by 2050.
Today’s announcement comes ahead of the government’s long-awaited Heat and Buildings Strategy, which will set out a roadmap for decarbonising heat as part of the UK’s commitment to net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
Minister for Climate Change, Lord Callanan, said:
“Today’s funding package will accelerate the development of low carbon technologies that will both reduce emissions, and ensure people’s homes are warmer, greener and cheaper to run.
Securing a lasting move away from fossil fuels to heat our homes will allow thousands of households and businesses to feel the benefits of projects that are breaking new ground and making our villages, towns and cities cleaner places to live and work.”