Gateshead Council is a leading UK local authority in delivering heat networks. The council recently secured a Heat Networks Investment Project (HNIP) grant of almost £6m to enable the Gateshead Energy Company to install 5.5km of new heating pipes to the east of the town centre, potentially supplying heat to around 1,250 new houses and other buildings. The funding will also help to install a 6MW water source heat pump, which will extract heat from the water in underground mine workings 150 metres beneath Gateshead town centre. This could form the largest minewater heating scheme in the world and the council is working with relevant partners to ensure the success of the project. Detailed feasibility studies are being carried out for other potential projects with funding being sought to further explore other heat network areas. In October 2020 the Cabinet approved work to commence on a solar energy farm, and an agreement has just been signed to progress feasibility studies for an agricultural project heated from minewater.
