Using river for power for Worcester is ‘win-win’
Worcester City Council has been given £230,000 from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero to help build a case for a new underground ‘heat network’
A move to heat buildings by using power from the River Severn has been hailed as a “win-win” for the city.
Worcester City Council has been given £230,000 from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero to help build a case for a new underground ‘heat network’ which would distribute hot water to heat older buildings in Worcester city centre using power generated by the River Severn.
The move, which was backed by the city council’s environment committee on Tuesday (July 18), would help cut the council’s emissions and energy bills in the bid for Worcester become a carbon-neutral city by 2030.
Labour councillor Zoe Cookson, vice chair of the council’s environment committee, said the move was a “win-win.”
“This is a big step forward for the decarbonisation of the city, and it’s being delivered in a way which helps reduce the burden on the council taxpayer,” she said. “By cutting the city’s gas bills and reducing our reliance on fossil fuels, Worcester City Council is showing real leadership on green energy.”
Green councillor, Karen Lewing, who chairs the environment committee, said: “This is a great example of using the city council and a small amount of money, we can actually get something started that will make a real difference.”
Worcestershire LEP revealed in February the heat network could cost as much as £20 million and would heat homes and businesses in the city centre including the proposed Shrub Hill redevelopment.
The ‘heat network’ could power all of the University of Worcester’s buildings as well as those owned by Worcester City Council, Sanctuary Housing’s head office and a number of other buildings in the city centre.
The council said building the network could significantly cut the carbon footprint of publicly owned buildings such as the Guildhall, Museum and Art Gallery in Foregate Street and the Commandery, where age and condition make them unsuitable for other renewable energy sources.
Three years ago, councillors agreed to spend £10,000 on a study to find out how the River Severn could be used for power and backed a bid to the government for funding.
The approval did not come without its doubts about how potentially expensive and disruptive the scheme could prove to be.