Heat Network Efficiency Scheme (HNES)

Eligibility recorded

HNES is open to applicants who are responsible for operating or managing existing district heat networks or communal heating systems in England and Wales. This includes: Public sector organisations including NHS Trusts, Universities and Other Government Departments. Private sector organisations that are registered companies and submit annual accounts. Third sector organisations such as registered charities, community investment companies and other such organisations that are officially registered and submit annual accounts. Successful applicants will be the recipients of grant funding and will be responsible for ensuring that grant funds are deployed in accordance with funding award, i.e. procuring or mobilising third-parties to deliver the funded activities. Applicants must be legal entities, with authority to sign-off investment decisions for the heat network they are responsible for and instruct delivery of funded works. Consultants cannot submit applications on behalf of their clients, but they can support in the development of the application form and supporting evidence. Individuals cannot apply to HNES. Potential applicants that are unsure whether their projects meet the HNES eligibility criteria should contact hnes@talan.com . Grant application assessment and award will prioritise projects which: Support a higher proportion of residential “customers in need” (as aligned with HNES Objective 2). For the purposes of HNES, this is defined as: “Dwellings supplied heat/energy by a heat network, in which a resident or residents are considered financially vulnerable and will therefore benefit significantly from reduced costs for heating or service improvements through HNES support. This includes any of the following categories (or equivalent) of status or accommodation type: social housing; low-income housing; customers in fuel poverty; extra care housing; low-income care homes and supported housing ”. Where applications do not include support for residential “customers in need”, or where this support (alongside evidence of how customer detriment will be improved) is not satisfactorily addressed, HNES reserves the right to reject the application. Deliver benefits which can demonstrate improvements to networks where baseline performance metrics are considered particularly poor, and/or can deliver a significant performance improvement over the baseline performance (as aligned with HNES Objective 1). Networks that do not support residential "customers in need”, including non-residential heat networks such as hospital or university campuses or those supplying commercial buildings, are still able to apply. However, applicants with a high proportion of residential “customers in need” will be prioritised. HNES will fund capital measures across the network categories outlines below, where the measures directly contribute to achieving the HNES objectives: Energy centre / plant room Primary / secondary distribution network Tertiary network Works that are not eligible include, but are not limited to, the replacement of primary plant; changes to or replacement of pipework or heat emitters within the tertiary network; and installation of meters and metering equipment where this is a requirement under the Heat Networks Metering and Billing Regulations.

Recorded geography: United Kingdom

Applicant types