​Bees show the way to build buzz for community heat networks - Rachel Munro

To ensure the buzz around heat networks doesn’t fade, I’d suggest all parties with a vested interest in seeing the country transition to net zero heat sources by 2045 consider the approach of nature.

In April, the New Build Heat Standard came into force. This has super-charged the debate in the wider real estate and energy sector about how best to enable the transition of our current domestic energy system to one that can include a fully active hive of heat networks within communities.

There are already notable community heat networks either operational or in development, like the Shawfair JV partnership between Midlothian Council and Vattenfall. However, to date these are one-off projects serving a particular development or pockets of cities.

The question is how can such zero emission heating systems be produced at scale? As bees know, collaboration is key to overcoming issues.

There are Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategies (“LHEES”) prepared by the 32 local authorities (LAs) across Scotland. However, their lack of expertise in this area, and financial resources, mean LAs can’t realise net zero energy transition targets alone. To create a feasible honeycomb network of community heat projects, the roll-out of any strategy needs meaningful buy-in and involvement from bodies in the public and private sector, including investment from private stakeholders.

Crucially, to make any collective strategy workable on the ground, I’d suggest LAs must actively consult and engage stakeholders who have a practical understanding of technical, regulatory and financial issues that need to be addressed within their properties and developments to make major community heat networks a reality.

This includes consultation with the owners of flagship buildings in our cities, who must be incentivised if many proposed inner city heat networks are to be feasible. Crucially, from a regulatory perspective, a key catalyst to stimulate growth will be the implementation of an active regulatory framework that instils investor and end-user confidence in the delivery and operation of heat networks.

Moreover, there needs to be reciprocal reliance and open dialogue between stakeholders, recognising how each party can draw on one another’s strengths to push the entire sector forward. The Shawfair JV partnership is a good example of effective public and private working in practice.

Yet, just as bees must constantly assess and adapt, for real progress to be achieved, there must be an acknowledgment that the physical geography within some LAs may make large-scale deployment of heat networks unfeasible. For example, North Lanarkshire Council’s LHEES estimates only 6 per cent of domestic properties within the area are suitable for such technology.

In such instances, other forms of widespread zero emission heating may be the solution. Approximately 73 per cent of North Lanarkshire domestic properties have reportedly been assessed as suitable for a heat pump retrofit.

Consequently, while community heat networks are part of the solution, there needs to be cognisance that heat pumps and other zero emission technology can equally make sense.

The journey towards heat decarbonisation is underway. Now, if the sector can further collaborate and collectively harness its respective strengths and resources, more of our communities may yet be buzzing with new carbon-friendly heat networks.

Rachel Munro is a senior associate, Shoosmiths