Research by the Association for Decentralised Energy (ADE) shows the Greater Manchester region could unlock £18.2 billion of new investment through a transition to heat networks.
The ADE explored the potential of heat networks and what value they could provide in the region. Historically, the North of England has suffered from underinvestment. One way to change this, says the ADE, is through new energy infrastructure.
Legally binding net zero targets mean heating must move away from gas boilers – in the Greater Manchester region the public sector must look to city-scale heat networks to decarbonise homes and buildings.
The lower-emission, decentralised heat network system is far more efficient than gas-powered heating. The ADE suggests heat networks alone could meet the majority of Greater Manchester’s heat demand and attract £18.2 billion to the local economy.
To enable that change, 4,839km of pipework would need to be installed to provide 17.7TWh of heat to homes in Greater Manchester by 2050.
However, the report shows that the public and private sectors will have to move fast to decarbonise large buildings and take advantage of low carbon heat technologies. Otherwise, billions of pounds of investment and the creation of new jobs across the region could be delayed by more than a decade or not 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.
“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 non-domestic 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.”
