Heat networks ‘key to solving Greater Manchester underinvestment’

The Greater Manchester region could unlock £18.2 billion of new investment by decarbonising the heating of homes and buildings through heat networks.

That’s according to the Association for Decentralised Energy’s (ADE) latest research, that explores the potential of heat networks and the value they could provide to the region.

The North of England has historically suffered from critical underinvestment - a report from IPPR North last year suggests the public sector has a pivotal role to play in helping to change this.

The ADE states that one way to do this is through new energy infrastructure. Legally binding net zero targets mean that the future of heating must move away from gas boilers and towards cleaner solutions. For towns and cities within the Greater Manchester region to thrive throughout this transition, the public sector must look to city-scale heat networks to decarbonise homes and buildings.

Heat networks are a system of underground pipes that distribute heat from a central source to multiple buildings – this central source could be heat harvested from rivers, waste plants or even the metro system. Supplying heat in this communal and decentralised manner is much less emissions intensive and much more efficient. Heat networks alone could meet the majority of Greater Manchester’s heat demand and could attract £18.2 billion to the local economy.

This level of heat network deployment would require 4,839km of pipework to be installed below the region’s streets, and ultimately provide 17.7TWh of heat to the homes of Greater Manchester by 2050.

According to the ADE’s latest report, unless the public and private sector move with pace to decarbonise their large buildings and take advantage of low carbon heat technologies, billions of pounds of investment and the creation of new jobs across the region could be delayed by more than a decade, or not be seen at all.  

Councillor Tom Ross, Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s (GMCA) lead for Green City-Region, said: “Greater Manchester has set an ambitious, science-based target of becoming carbon neutral by 2038. This report from the Association for Decentralised Energy makes a clear, compelling case for the vital role that low carbon heat networks can play in this effort, helping to cut emissions from homes, businesses and public buildings in the city-region.

“Heat networks also have the potential to help reduce the cost of energy for residents and businesses, and support good, green jobs. That’s why we’ve been working with the government on a heat network pilot, and why we’ll carry on working to capture the benefits that green growth can bring for our people and places.”

Freddie Wilkinson, Senior Policy and Data Analyst at the ADE, said: “Meeting Greater Manchester's target of net zero by 2038 can be achieved with an ambitious plan to reverse the historic under-investment in the north of England.

“Adding the region's public and private-nondomestic buildings onto heat networks by the early 2030s could increase the heat demand met by heat networks more than 20 times over and unlock billions in investment. Public buildings already account for 90% of the heat demand met by heat networks across the region, so there is amazing potential for Greater Manchester to build on this foundation to meet its climate goals."

For further comment or interview, please contact external.affairs@theade.co.uk.