ENERGY

Something up your sleeve – how to turn gas heat networks into an eco-asset

Strategy and decarbonisation director, EQUANS UK & Ireland Charlotte Large says there are smart, efficient, and beneficial ways to adapt heat networks, such as sleeving, that can support the net zero energy transition.

Gas is, for all intents and purposes, a dirty word. Every local authority, energy supplier, business, building owner or consumer is looking at the fundamental ways we can decarbonise to meet our net zero targets – with a heavy focus on transitioning away from fossil fuels, especially in heating.

But one thing we can't overlook in the energy transition and how we decarbonise heat, is heat networks. If you have an existing heat network or communal heating systems fuelled by gas boiler or CHP, then don't view them as a problem – these systems can very much support the energy transition and become a huge value proposition in decarbonising your local area especially in light of proposed zoning and legislation.

As an organisation that has built and operates several heat networks across the country, we have pioneered the development of ‘sleeving' heat to supply low carbon energy.

Sleeving enables existing and new buildings connected to heat networks to be supplied with heat generated by low carbon technology and uses the carbon factor associated with that lower carbon heat source, rather than using an average emissions factor for the entire network. This allows carbon savings from the introduction of new lower carbon heat sources (such as heat pumps) to be immediately recognised supporting the supply of decarbonised heat to specific buildings on the network.

This supports networks to recognise the value of new low carbon generation through enabling growth, investment cases and ultimately help the network to start to decarbonise and transition away from gas. Putting a heat pump into a heat network energy system means you can get more out of that heat pump that you would otherwise if supplying an individual building. Furthermore, the combination of a heat pump alongside existing gas assets means that smaller heat pumps can be installed while still meeting the majority of heat demands reducing both capital and operating costs.

The industry-wide support we received has led to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero confirming sleeving may be treated as an acceptable means of carbon accounting and sleeving has been included in the Green Heat Network Fund for bringing new connections on to existing networks.

A heat network is a complex system, and it can't be decarbonised overnight. But there are smart, efficient, and beneficial ways they can adapt, such as sleeving, and support the net zero energy transition.

Charlotte Large is strategy and decarbonisation director, EQUANS UK & Ireland

This article is sponsored content for The MJ

ENERGY

Creating a collaboration that's fit for the future

By Mariana Pexton | 03 June 2025

Mariana Pexton reports from a workshop in Leeds focused on a national strategy for creating health that is rooted in community settings and going with the gr...

ENERGY

Using AI to build a thriving public sector

By Paul Maltby | 03 June 2025

Paul Maltby sets out how AI can help local government leaders plug funding gaps and transform public services nationwide.

ENERGY

Retrofitting in a personal way

By Leonie Taylor | 02 June 2025

Tania Carregha and Leonie Taylor explain why local government is uniquely placed to support the green housing shift.

ENERGY

Surrey's journey towards a cleaner energy future

By Ben McCallan | 02 June 2025

Ben McCallan explains how Surrey CC has helped establish a community energy sector by building strong relationships with residents and collaborating with est...