Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) is seeking views on their proposed approach to deliver heat network zoning in England and to identifying areas where heat networks are the most appropriate solution for decarbonising heating.
These proposals envisage central and local government working together with industry and local stakeholders to identify and designate areas within which heat networks are the lowest cost, low carbon solution for decarbonising heating.
This consultation is government’s first in what is intended to be a multi-year project developing the necessary legislation and processes for zoning.
At this stage, BEIS is seeking views on the broad principles for how heat network zoning should be designed ahead of later consultations which will go into further detail.
BEIS is particularly asking for views on:
- The methodology to be used for identifying and designating heat network zones
- roles and responsibilities of different parties involved in the zoning process
- requiring certain buildings within zones to connect to a heat network, with an exemption process to avoid sub-optimal outcomes
- requirements on certain parties to provide information to support the identification and designation of heat network zones
- whether heat networks in zones should meet a low carbon requirement
- approaches for how heat networks are deployed in zones
- proposals to ensure that consumers within zones are not adversely affected
- the enforcement, monitoring and reporting regimes under zoning
According to BEIS, the consultation will be of interest to the heat network industry and those with a broader interest in the decarbonisation of heat:
- local authorities
- electricity and gas distribution network operators
- housing associations
- owners of large public sector and commercial non-domestic buildings (for example, NHS trusts, universities, hotels, supermarkets, office blocks)
- owners of potential waste heat sources (energy from waste operations, data centres, industrial operators, sewage utilities)
- consumer advocacy groups
This consultation closes at 11:45pm on 19th of November 2021.
More information about this consultation and how to take part is available on the UK Government website.
