Worthing heat network project using sewers reaches key milestone
It will supply heat from large rivers or sewers via a network of underground pipes
Last updated 21st Mar 2022
A project to harness Worthing’s sewers to provide heat for homes and businesses has reached a key milestone.
Senior councillors agreed to start the search for a partner to help Worthing Borough Council heat buildings using its sewers.
Approval was given during a joint strategic committee (JSC) meeting on Wednesday (March 16) and will see the search for a District Heat Network partner begin.
Any future partner will design, build, own, operate and maintain the network ‘in perpetuity’ and will be chosen by February 2023.
Heat networks supply heat from large rivers or sewers via a network of underground pipes.
These carry hot water to serve homes and businesses – like a giant central heating system.
Dan Goodchild, carbon reduction manager at Adur and Worthing Councils, said: “The project is going to reduce emissions from seven of our own buildings by 85 per cent and the whole network is expected to reduce carbon emissions by 3,000 tonnes a year.
“One tonne is equivalent to 6,000 kilometres in a diesel car so that’s a lot.
“It’s a really significant and tangible contribution to the 2045 carbon neutral target for the whole area, given that the heat network will enable organisations and developments to take low-carbon heat as it’s provided.”
The proposed heat network is among the first of its kind in England but successful projects are already in operation in Scotland and Europe.
WBC leader Kevin Jenkins (Con, Gaisford) asked if such a partner exists for the innovative project.
Officers confirmed that there are multiple companies with the ability to operate a heat network such as EON and SSE.
“There were 50 attendees at our most recent soft market testing day,” they said.
The council has been awarded more than £5.3 million in government funding for the project which would see up to 27 buildings connected.
Of this, £1.275 million is a fixed-rate loan and the council will be expected to pay back £51,000 per year from June 2025.
The funding has allowed initial surveys to be carried out and consultants RECIRC ENERGY and AECOM confirmed it will be possible to supply ‘the vast majority of the heat demand for the network’ by using heat from the sewer – through a backup gas plant would be installed in Worthing Town Hall to meet 10-15 per cent of heating demand.
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy considers the scheme to be of ‘national importance’ and Environment Secretary George Eustice was recently given a tour of some of the buildings which could be connected to the network.
Mr Eustice said: “The government is very keen to support a project like this because the biggest single challenge we have to getting to net-zero is weaning ourselves off gas boilers in homes and providing heating through other means.”
But Labour councillor Helen Silman (Heene) was ‘astonished’ that the project might not take heat from the sewer after all.
Ms Silman was referring to a report before the JSC which says an ‘alternative solution’ would be accepted by the council if it met the same targets.
During the JSC meeting, she said: “Are we really not going to insist that whichever concessionaire we engage doesn’t have to do a district heat network from the sewer?”
But officers said they did not want to be prescriptive and hoped to ‘drive further innovation’.
Executive member for digital and environmental services, Ed Crouch, said: “I don’t think it’s appropriate that we focus on the output.
“Because frankly, if someone came along with an incredible scheme that we’ve not heard of yet which is better, less carbon-intensive, quicker to deliver, cheaper, then why on earth wouldn’t we consider it?”