Two heat network projects in Cardiff and Bridgend, that will provide low carbon energy to hundreds of building and homes, have secured a combined 拢16m funding boost.
Both projects have been awarded funding 拢8m through Triple Point聽Heat聽Networks聽Investment Management, the 海角视频 Government鈥檚 delivery partner who have successfully awarded funding to 18 projects in total as part聽 of the聽Heat聽Networks聽Investment Project (HNIP).
And in a further boost to the Cardiff project the Welsh Government is also providing it with an interest free loan of 拢8.6m.
Following a successful HNIP application, Bridgend County Council has received a 拢1.2m commercialisation and construction grant for a heat network which will deliver heat to a number of public sector buildings in the town centre.
The network has been designed to enable future expansion to additional properties in the local area, including businesses and residential units
The energy centre will be based at the Bridgend Life Centre and will initially use gas fired combined聽heat聽and power (CHP) with back-up gas boilers.
These will be replaced with a larger CHP unit and new backup peak boilers with the addition of thermal storage tank at the rear of Bridgend Life Centre as the scheme develops
Cardiff Council have been successful in receiving a 拢6.6m construction grant for its Cardiff Heat Network which will utilise heat from an energy a waste to energy plant in Cardiff Bay.
By reusing聽heat from the waste plant at Trident Park, those connected to the Cardiff聽network聽could reduce their carbon emissions by up to 80%. This could save 18,000 tonnes of CO2 over the next ten years 鈥 the equivalent of planting 7,000 trees.
Heat networks are a distribution system of pipes that take heat from a centralised source and deliver it to a number of different buildings and provide lower carbon heat sources.
Minister of State for聽Energy聽and Clean Growth Kwasi Kwarteng said: 鈥淭hese projects in Wales will help ensure that low-carbon sources of heating are available across the 海角视频.
鈥淧rojects in Bridgend and Cardiff will help connect as many homes and businesses as possible to low-carbon affordable heating - by cutting bills and emissions we can achieve our net zero target in a way that works for residents across the 海角视频.鈥
Secretary of State for Wales, Simon Hart said: "Heat networks form an important part of the 海角视频 Government鈥檚 plan to reduce carbon emissions and cut heating bills for consumers.
鈥淭his 拢8m investment will help heat hundreds of homes and buildings using cheaper, greener聽energy聽across Bridgend and Cardiff. It also marks another step forward for our ambitious Clean Growth Strategy and moves us closer to our target of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.鈥
Minister for Environment,聽Energy聽and Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths, said:聽 鈥淚 am delighted Bridgend and Cardiff have been successful in gaining this funding, which builds on the hard work of the local authorities, with support from Welsh Government鈥檚 Smart Living programme and the聽Energy聽Systems Catapult to help develop Bridgend鈥檚 smart systems and heat strategy.
鈥 We have today also announced an interest-free loan of 拢8.6m to support the Cardiff City Heat Network.鈥
鈥淭hese projects are just two of a number we are happy to support through our Welsh Government聽Energy聽Service, to make sure homes and businesses have access to clean, affordable heat.鈥澛
Ken Hunnisett, project director at Triple Point聽Heat聽Networks聽Investment Management, said: 鈥淥ne of the aims of HNIP is to deliver affordable and dependable low-carbon聽heat, and so the announcement of the first HNIP-funded聽heat聽networks聽in Wales is a significant milestone.
"The projects will deliver significant benefit to both consumers and the environment and will demonstrate the role聽heat聽network聽schemes can play in meeting carbon targets by reducing emissions from buildings.鈥
