DECC - £300m: Consultation on Heat Networks Investment Project (HNIP) London 22 July / Newcastle 27 July

The Government has launched a consultation on a major new project to support investment in heat networks.

The consultation document can be found here: Heat Networks Investment Project Consultation Document
The DECC news story can be found here: DECC News Story on Heat Networks Investment

The Heat Networks Investment Project is making available up to £320m of capital support to drive an increase in the number of heat networks being built.

Heat networks deliver heat to multiple properties from a single central heat source, a more efficient heating system which can deliver cost effective carbon savings and reduce consumer heating costs. This investment project will run for five years and will help create the conditions necessary for a self-sustaining heat network market to develop.

We are seeking views from current and potential heat network sponsors, investors, supply chain, and any other stakeholders on how best to use the capital support funding to overcome barriers to investment in heat networks and increase heat network deployment rates. We are also inviting views on the organisations and types of schemes that should be eligible for investment support, what form this funding should take, and the criteria that should be used to assess applications for funding.

Consultation responses are requested by 3 August 2016.

As part of the consultation, we are running two all day stakeholder events in London and Newcastle where we will be seeking stakeholder views on the scope and design of HNIP, as well as providing the opportunity to hear about the project development guidance under development by the Heat Networks Delivery Unit.

22 July - London and South East HNIP workshop event - Department for Business Conference Centre, 1 Victoria Street, London (www.1victoriastreet.co.uk)
27 July - North East HNIP workshop - Centre for Life, Times Square, Newcastle upon Tyne (www.life.org.uk)

These events are aimed at those stakeholders that have not already attended similar events (in May and June) in Cardiff, Bristol, Leicester and Manchester as these events will follow a similar format. Due to limited places, we can only accept one participant per organisation. We are treating bookings on a first come/first served basis. We will let you know as soon as possible whether your booking has been successful. An agenda for the events will follow in due course.

Please let us know in your response:

• which event (London or Newcastle) you would like to attend

• whether you have any special dietary or mobility requirements.

Please reply to: heatnetworks@decc.gsi.gov.uk. There is no need to respond to this article if you have already responded to the invitation issued on Friday 24 June.

The Heat Networks Investment Project Team