Sewer heat to be tapped as part of new £80m scheme

Set to be Bolton’s first district heating network, the £11m project will use a heat pump to boost heat extracted from local sewers, as well as warm water runoff from washing machines, bathrooms and kitchens. According to the government, almost 2,000 homes and businesses could benefit, including Bolton University and the Town Council.  

Elsewhere, the Exeter Energy Network will receive £42.5m to build a heat network using air source heat pumps and the UK’s largest high-temperature water source heat pump. It’s claimed that buildings connected to the network will reduce their carbon emissions by 65-75 per cent. Other projects to benefit include the Hull East District Heat Network, which has been awarded £22m, and the Greenwich Peninsula ESCO District Heating Network in London, which will receive £4.6m.

“These innovative projects…show how energy sources can be found in the most unexpected places – as more homes and businesses will benefit from cleaner heating and lower energy bills,” Lord Callanan, minister for Energy Efficiency and Green Finance, said in a statement. “Our upgrades will also make sure our existing heat networks are upgraded – so customers can get the reliable heating supply they deserve.”