£75m Bradford Heat Network Begins Supplying Warmth From Old Gasworks
A Victorian gasworks turned heat pump network has begun operating in Bradford at a cost of £75m. It will warm courts, council buildings, a university and a college through 5km of underground pipes, and 1Energy expects emissions for its customers to fall by at least 75%.
A Victorian gasworks turned heat pump network has begun operating in Bradford at a cost of £75m. The Bradford Heat Network, on Thornton Road, will supply warmth to courts, council buildings, a university and a college.
It uses air source heat pumps to warm water. The water then runs through underground pipes to customers.
What the network does
Developer 1Energy says the network carries heat across Bradford through 5km (3 miles) of underground insulated pipes. Bradford City Hall, the courts building, the University of Bradford and Bradford College are among the sites it will serve.
The company expects customers to cut their carbon emissions by at least 75%.
Engineers can generate and store heat on site, according to John Hartley, chief executive of 1Energy. That lets them release it when the city needs it, and produce it when prices and carbon impact are low.
"This is one of the biggest air source heat pumps in the UK and it is state of the art in terms of its efficiency model," Hartley said.
He said the system can serve historic buildings and new builds. City Hall was one of the first customers, and the company is talking to firms building new developments.
Waste heat from a data centre
The project will eventually draw on waste heat from a planned 5.6-megawatt data centre on Thornton Road. Data centres produce large amounts of heat they must get rid of, which costs them money.
"We can take that heat for free," Hartley said. He said that helps the data centre shed a cost and lowers 1Energy's production cost.
Operations director Bhavya Patel said the heat would otherwise be rejected into the air. Instead, the neighbouring heating plant room can take it directly.
1Energy also says the network can add other local heat sources as it grows, such as surplus heat from businesses.
Funding and expansion
Private investors put up £55m. The government added £20m through the Green Heat Network Fund. A further £9.7m from the same fund has been secured to expand the network.
Andrew Judson, deputy leader of Bradford Council, said the scheme strengthens the city's offer to businesses and developers. He said that by reducing reliance on imported gas and improving air quality, the network "will bring lasting benefits for local people".
Judson said that as the network grows, it can support more businesses and buildings and help Bradford attract further investment.
