Oxford wins DECC funding support to develop heat networks
Oxford City Council has been awarded £91 000 by the Department of Energy & Climate to develop heat networks in Oxford. The city council will work with partner organisations, including the University of Oxford, to look at innovative ways to distribute heat around the city. Potential heat sources include heat from industry, waste and the river.
The funding from the Heat Networks Delivery Unit will be used to carry out feasibility studies for heat networks in the city centre and in Headington, which present a good combination of heat-demand intensity and committed stakeholders.
The core of the city centre scheme would be Oxford University’s science area, which has an existing small heat network that could be expanded to the whole area.
Successful heat networks would bring long-term economic and environmental benefits to the city and help achieve the city council’s target to reduce emission in Oxford by 40% by 2020. This approach complements the city council’s renewable-energy investments and energy-efficiency upgrades for immediate energy and carbon savings across Oxford.
