District Heating

Peel NRE is looking to develop, build and operate low carbon heat networks across the country on both Peel L&P and third-party developments.

While the transition to low carbon electricity generation is well under way, for the UK to meet its binding climate change targets more progress is needed to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from the heating sector.

Peel NRE sees significant opportunity for the development of district heating networks to make rapid progress in the transition to low carbon heating.

As proof of our commitment to this sector, we have developed a district heating business within the group and as such we are now developing heat networks at a number of our strategic waters developments including Liverpool Waters – one of the North West’s largest regeneration and investments schemes.

District heating uses low carbon technology to generate heat at a centralised energy centre. Pumps circulate the hot water via underground pipes supplying residential and commercial customers, forming the district heating network.

Liverpool Waters is a Peel L&P mixed use development project on land owned by Peel L&P on the waterfront in Liverpool. Working in partnership with Liverpool City Council, the UK Government and other stakeholders, Liverpool Waters secured outline planning permission in 2013, with approximately 2,000,000m2 of development floorspace including 9,000 residential units, 315,000m2 of business space and 53,000m2 of hotel and conference facilities.

Mersey Heat Limited is an energy supply company (ESCo) owned by Peel NRE as part of Peel L&P. Mersey Heat will be retailing heat energy to the domestic and commercial occupiers of the buildings within Liverpool Waters.

The district heating network development involves connecting various buildings within the development, including some which are yet to be constructed, to a centralised heating source.

Mersey Heat has entered into a Design, Build, Operate and Maintain (DBOM) contract with Vital Energi for the first phase of delivery.

The first phase of the project has now been installed; this part of the network is centred on the Princes Dock area of the site.

The second phase will see metres of network installed to connect a cluster of buildings around Stanley Dock owned by Cross Harbour Properties. This includes the Titanic Hotel and Stanley Tobacco Warehouse development and will lead onto the final phase of the network to connect the remaining developments at Liverpool Waters as they are built.

Reduced costs for heating and hot water infrastructure provision - all HIUs and underground distribution pipes will be supplied by Mersey Heat

Reduced electrical capacity requirements and reinforcement costs, if the alternative generation technology is electrical

Opportunity to optimise building fabric design taking into account the system’s low carbon credentials

Reduced size plant room is required as generation plant is located off site

One-off connection fee for heating and hot water, paid when the building is ready to connect

Technical support to M&E contractors on secondary heating systems design

Fully integrates with existing building management systems

Tailored welcome packs and round the clock customer service provided by Mersey Heat, ensures users understand the system from the moment they move in

Instant, independently controllable heat and hot water

Accurate bills, remotely read and metered utilising the latest energy monitoring technology

Flexible tariffs to suit customers requirements

A price promise: as the heat customers are unable to switch supplier, the heat price carries a ‘price promise’ ensuring customers will not pay any more than if they were connected to a traditional heat source

No boiler replacement costs - replacement of HIUs is the responsibility of Mersey Heat

No maintenance costs for generation plant - Mersey Heat will take care of it

Complete peace of mind, no boiler to fail, repair or replace

Increased storage space, no hot water storage required

For more information about District Heat Networks, please fill in our enquiry form.

If you’d like to find out more about our projects visit District Heating | Ener-Vate