The Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has appointed a consortium led by Gemserv to deliver the Heat Network Efficiency Scheme (HNES).
The HNES is a grant funding scheme for existing district heating networks and communal heating systems that is expected to offer £30m of capital grants to part-fund the installation of targeted and cost-effective performance improvement measures.
A statement has said that the scheme is also set to provide up to £2m of revenue funding for projects to carry out optimisation studies, identifying costed and cost-effective performance improvement measures.
The scheme is intended to launch in February 2023 and run until March 2025 with multiple funding rounds, the first of which is set to close towards the end of March 2023. As per the HNES Demonstrator, it is expected that the scheme will be open to public, private and third sector applicants.
Gemserv is set to lead the delivery consortium alongside Ramboll, Turner & Townsend and Lux Nova.
Louise Singleton, principal consultant at Gemserv, said: “We are delighted to be appointed as the Delivery Partner for HNES. Gemserv’s experience managing the HNES Demonstrator, as well as the Heat Networks Investment Programme and Green Heat Network Fund as part of the Triple Point consortium, means we’re well placed to continue supporting BEIS in delivering their Heat Network Transformation Programme.
“We look forward to continuing to work with Ramboll and welcome Turner and Townsend and Lux Nova into the partnership, to support existing heat networks to improve both their performance and customer experience.”
Further details will be made available in December 2022 when BEIS plan to publish the scheme guidance and begin to hold engagement events.