Marking the first ministerial heat network visit under the new government, Minister for Energy Consumers, Miatta Fahnbulleh MP, stopped by Liverpool’s Mersey Heat Network Energy Centre this week.

Led by Peel Group’s district heat network specialist Ener-Vate, and being delivered in partnership with low carbon solutions specialist, Vital Energi, the heat network will provide low carbon heating and hot water to existing and new build projects, including Liverpool Waters, with plans to scale up to expand to a wider regional area. 

A true success story for the industry, The Mersey Heat Energy Centre started construction in October 2023 and will be complete and operational by the end of 2024.

The first phase of the multi million pound Energy Centre will provide low carbon heat and hot water to thousands of homes and businesses around the city reducing the reliance on fossil fuels and saving 2,000 tonnes of carbon emissions every year – the equivalent of taking 1,000 cars off the roads.

The Energy Centre will be home to one of the UK’s largest water source heat pumps, taking heat from the water in the nearby Leeds/Liverpool Canal and using it to heat surrounding homes and businesses via a 6km district heating network.

Liverpool Waters will benefit from low carbon heat and hot water and in April this year, the Princes Dock’s office buildings became the first commercial buildings to connect to the Mersey Heat Network. 

Jo Longdon, Director of Strategy from Ener-Vate said of the visit: “It was an honour to meet the Minister for Energy Consumers, Miatta Fahnbulleh MP and showcase the Mersey Heat Network which we have been developing since 2016 on behalf of Peel Group. We are extremely proud of the scheme. It’s a fantastic example of how we can utilise local heat sources to generate low carbon heat and we are excited for the delivery of Mersey Heat and the role it will play in future zone plans for Liverpool. The funding from HNIP has allowed the Mersey Heat Network to be ambitious in scale. Our water source heat pump, set to begin providing heat this year, will bring us even closer to reaching net zero, saving more than 2,000 tonnes of carbon per year.”

Minister for Energy Consumers, Miatta Fahnbulleh, said: “It was fantastic to visit the Mersey Heat Network today, seeing first-hand how heat from the Leeds and Liverpool Canal is being used to provide hot water for thousands of homes and businesses.

“Heat networks are just one of the ways in which we will invest in clean, homegrown power, helping to finally end our exposure to international markets and secure Britain’s energy independence.”

Nick Gosling, Chief Strategy Officer from Vital Energi, said: “It’s always a privilege to showcase heat network projects, like Mersey Heat, as an example of what can be achieved with low carbon energy solutions and the support of funding like that of HNIP. This project has been in the making since 2016 and it is an honour to show the Minister for Energy Consumers, Miatta Fahnbulleh MP around the project as it’s coming to fruition. We are really looking forward to the continued growth of the Mersey Heat project and the low carbon savings Liverpool will benefit from.”