Keir Starmer: ‘More action urgently needed on decentralised energy’

During the Labour Party Conference, the Leader of the Party visited the Combined Heat and Power (CHP) energy centre that feeds into the university’s heat network, which provides the campus with low-cost, low-carbon heating.Operated by Clarke Energy, the energy centre generates both heat and electricity through a single, highly efficient process, reducing the university’s gas demand, lowering emissions and saving money on bills. It provides 90% of the campus electricity needs, while the waste heat produced by the CHP process is carried around the campus in insulated pipes to provide a reliable and modern source of warmth to classrooms, lecture halls and accommodation facilities around the estate.The visit, which was facilitated by the Association for Decentralised Energy (ADE), saw Mr Starmer take a tour of the energy centre itself, to better understand how the network of pipes and machinery can play a key role in tackling the impacts of the energy price crisis and the climate challenge. Mr Starmer heard about how CHP is a key technology in the energy transition and understood the importance of planning and zoning in getting heat network infrastructure in the ground, noting that government needs to do significantly more if 18% of all heat is to be supplied by heat networks by 2050.The ADE’s Head of External Affairs, Jonny Bairstow, spoke to Mr Starmer about the urgent need for government action, drawing comparisons with European nations at the forefront of delivering clean heat. Due to the widespread adoption of heat networks in Denmark, around 90% of Danish households have not seen their energy bills rise at all in the last year.Keir Starmer, Leader of the Labour Party said:As the British people face sky rocketing energy bills, we need an energy system that works for the future. That is why this week, I set out Labour's central mission to turn the UK into a clean energy superpower.The University of Liverpool's Energy Centre is a brilliant example of how innovative technology will reduce our country's carbon footprint through efficient generation of heat and power.To achieve clean power by 2030, innovations like this will be vital. I'm delighted to see the work already done by the University on this, and look forward to seeing further developments in future.Clarke Energy’s Head of Sustainable Solutions & Resilience, Adam Wray-Summerson, spoke to Mr Starmer about how fuel flexibility and longer-term government policy supporting the development of both biomethane and hydrogen could help ensure that CHP continues to offer benefits in all applications.Adam remarked:CHP technology, alongside renewable generation and energy storage, can help our UK businesses to maintain security of supply, provide significant financial savings and contribute to achieving net zero aspirations.