WHAT IS A HEAT NETWORK?
District heating networks provide heat to multiple buildings from one central source.
Hot water is produced in a central energy centre and the heat produced travels through insulated pipes to homes or businesses, where it is used for heating and hot water. Each home or apartment has a Heat Interface Unit, replacing the need for an individual boiler or individual heat pump.
Our supplied heat is efficient, low carbon and easy to control.
THE ESP HEAT PROPOSITION
Source
We are agnostic on heat source, although typically the energy centre’s heat source is a large heat pump powered by zero-carbon electricity.
Storage
Heat produced is stored in thermal storage tanks, even though we use electricity to generate the heat, this is primarily in off-peak times, reducing peak load requirements.
Power Demand
As energy centre load is not at the same time as peak household load, ADMDs can be equivalent to gas boiler developments – making district heat a solution that can unlock capacity constrained sites.
Delivery
Our construction partners deliver the energy centre and network. ESP supports with design, strategy, planning, and value engineering.
The Home
Water is delivered at 60°C to a Heat Interface Unit (HIU), and homes can be equipped with standard radiator systems. It is fully controllable for the customer – on demand 24/7/365.
Developer Cost
Offsetting the construction cost of the energy centre and district heating network with our asset value, ESP heat can deliver a solution at a lower overall project cost than individual ASHPs.
Customer Cost
We guarantee with our Consumer Price Promise that overall cost of heat is lower than operating an individual ASHP.
Carbon
Our solution will meet the Future Home Standard requirements on carbon content of heat.
BENEFITS OF AN ESP HEAT NETWORK
As an IDNO and a heat network operator, independent of technology or construction businesses, we offer impartial solutions tailored to your site’s needs, whether individual ASHPs, a ground source heat pump network, or an energy centre:
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Environmental Benefits
- Discharges carbon obligations under the Future Homes Standard, delivering net zero-carbon heat from the outset.
- A centralised solution for electrified low-carbon heat and thanks to thermal storage, a lower sitewide peak demand (ADMD) than iASHPs
- Replaces the need for individual heat pumps in every home.
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Cost Savings
- Cost-competitive to iASHPs on a plot-by-plot basis and overall project cost, thanks to the offset ESP asset value payment.
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Proven Technology
- Over 500,000 UK homes are already connected to 4th-generation District Heating systems and it is the standard solution for new builds in many European countries.
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Technical Advantages
- Technology-agnostic energy centres tailored to your development’s needs.
- Standard designs for planning and construction and we support with pre-vetted contractors to make adoption seamless.
- Simplified installation with a single energy centre, avoiding the challenges of individual ASHP units.
- Standard wet-system compatibility through heat interface units delivering hot water at 60°C.
- Flexible systems that can grow or adapt with your development.
- Fully controllable for the customer – on demand 24/7/365.
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Consumer Protection
- Upcoming Ofgem regulation will provide further protections, while Heat Trust ensures current standards. For more information on the timeline for the new Ofgem regulations click here
HEAT NETWORKS: WHY NOW AND WHAT HAS CHANGED?
District heating is a well-established industry. Over 500,000 homes in the UK are already connected to a heat network, along with every NHS Trust and most universities and I&C campuses. By comparison, over 60% of properties in Scandinavia are heated via district networks.
Historically, heat network adoption in the UK has been low due to the dominance of cheaper gas alternatives and a lack of regulation. This led to issues such as monopoly pricing, no guaranteed service standards, and limited consumer protection.
While the Heat Trust has been an excellent voluntary consumer protection scheme, it currently covers only 80,000 of the 500,000 homes on heat networks.
However, the landscape is changing.
The push for low-carbon energy:
With the Future Homes Standard and the transition to net zero, gas boiler systems will be phased out, paving the way for alternative heating solutions.
Challenges with air source heat pumps:
Although air source heat pumps (ASHPs) are being promoted as the default solution, they come with significant challenges, including increased demand on an already constrained electrical grid and rising costs for consumers.
New consumer protections:
The new Ofgem regulatory framework will build on the foundations set by the Heat Trust, ensuring comprehensive protection for
all heat network consumers.
District heating is emerging as a viable, low-cost, and energy-efficient alternative to ASHPs and the introduction of heat regulation has made the sector viable for regulated utility asset owners, such as ESP.
WHY CHOOSE ESP?
With our unmatched expertise, technology-agnostic approach, and commitment to sustainability, ESP Heat provides a reliable and forward-thinking solution for modern developments.
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