Marking the first ministerial heat network visit under the new government, Minister for Energy Consumers, Miatta Fahnbulleh MP, stopped by Liverpool’s Mersey Heat Network Energy Centre this week. Led by Peel Group’s district heat network specialist Ener-Vate, and being delivered in partnership with low carbon solutions specialist, Vital Energi, the heat network has been twice funded by the Heat Networks Investment Project (HNIP) and will provide low carbon heating and hot water to existing and new build regeneration projects for the locale, with plans to scale up to expand to a wider regional area.
The Mersey Heat Network Energy Centre is a true success story for the industry. The project was initially awarded £1.3m worth of funding in round 2 towards the first phase of its heat network which would connect new homes and businesses within the development. It was later awarded £6.2m in round 8 to fund one of two 3MW low-carbon heat pumps and an expansion to include Liverpool’s Three Graces buildings.
The Liverpool Waters regeneration development, spanning 2.3km across the city’s northern docks, will benefit from low carbon heat and hot water from a Water Source Heat Pump (WSHP), harnessing heat from the Leeds/Liverpool Canal. The innovative Energy Centre, which is being designed and built by Vital Energi, will reduce Liverpool’s carbon footprint and improve the energy-efficiency levels of over 6,700 new homes, 1.3 million sq feet of commercial space, the Titanic Hotel and conference spaces.
The funding has also facilitated a potential further extension of the network to the Grade II listed Cunard Building, George’s Dock Building and Museum of Liverpool, all of which define an iconic skyline along Liverpool’s Pier Head.
In April this year, the Princes Dock’s office buildings became the first commercial buildings to connect to the Mersey Heat Network. The Mersey Network Heat Energy Centre near Great Howard Street which houses the WSHP is set to complete by the end of this financial year.
