Swedish multinational power company Vattenfall Heat has invested more than £300m in Bristol's heat pump system.
With bases across the º£½ÇÊÓƵ, the power company seeks solutions for a sustainable energy system through initiatives in renewable production and climate smart energy solutions.
In Bristol the firm has partnered with Bristol City Leap to develop a heat network, which will provide low-carbon reliable heat to the community while creating jobs.
Vattenfall is working with the partnership - between Bristol City Council and Ameresco to accelerate green energy investment - to expand the existing network, develop new networks and interconnect them to create a single Bristol Heat Network.
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Dom Barton, regional director for Bristol told BusinessLive: "Being the first city to declare a climate emergency in 2018, it has since set an ambitious target of achieving net zero emissions by 2030. Key to this endeavour is the ground breaking initiative, Bristol City Leap, a city-level partnership that has attracted over £1bn in investment to support Bristol's drive towards carbon neutrality and climate resilience."
According to Mr Barton, district heating is "central to this collaboration", as it offers a sustainable solution by utilising heat and renewable heat sources to meet heating needs without relying on fossil fuels.
Over the next five years, Bristol City Leap aims to invest nearly £500m into low carbon energy infrastructure, such as solar, wind, heat networks, heat pumps and energy efficiency measures.
Mr Barton explained: "Waste heat is captured and used to heat a network of insulated underground pipes, which transport heated water to buildings to provide heating and hot water. The potential to scale up district heating is huge, with half of all º£½ÇÊÓƵ buildings in areas suitable for a district heating network."
Vattenfall's investment of more than £300m in Bristol's district heating system expansion hopes to deliver low-carbon heat to around 12,000 homes.
Mr Barton added: "The successful installation of the º£½ÇÊÓƵ's largest single water source heat pump at Bristol's Castle Park Energy Centre marks a significant milestone in this effort, providing energy from latent heat to benefit Bristol's residents and businesses.
"As well as making significant emissions savings, getting the city ready for the 2025 gas boiler ban, and contributing to the government’s target for five million homes connected to a district heating network by 2050, Vattenfall’s partnership with Bristol City Leap brings a host of further benefits worth an estimated £61m in social value to the city."
Vattenfall is committed to generating local jobs with an estimated £55m worth of contracts being delivered by local suppliers, fostering urban regeneration, and reducing air pollution, while ensuring secure and sustainable energy access for Bristolians.
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