There are a number of net-zero funding incentives available in the UK, including the Green Heat Network Fund (GHNF). The GHNF is a capital grant programme that opened in March 2022 to help organisations in the public, private and third sectors in England develop low- and zero-carbon heat and cooling networks. The popularity of the initial £288m fund has meant more funding is available and can be drawn down in fiscal years 2023/24 through 2026/27.

After six rounds of applications, there are five more opportunities to apply with the next round closing February 23, 2024.

“Heat networks will be vital for helping the UK reach net zero,” said Oliver Sanders, commercial HVAC director, United Kingdom & Ireland, Carrier. “Adopting heat pumps in these networks will provide highly efficient methods of heating and cooling to reduce carbon emissions.”

According to the UK Government Heat and Buildings Strategy, heat pumps and heat networks are proven scalable options for decarbonising heat and will play substantial roles in achieving net zero targets. It says deploying at least 600,000 hydronic heat pumps per year to replace fossil fuel boilers by 2028 can keep the UK on track to get to net zero.

“When you consider that only 55,000 hydronic heat pumps were sold in the UK in 2021, there is work to do in order to reach the 600,000 per year target,” said Sanders. “The GHNF provides an excellent opportunity to make up the deficit so the UK can benefit from energy-efficient district heating and lower carbon emissions. With the next round of government funding closing February 2024, we are urging organisations to submit their application and tap into this £288 million before it expires.'

Round seven of the GHNF is now open. For more information, visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/green-heat-network-fund-ghnf. For advice and assistance about heat pump system design to support GHNF applications, go to https://www.carrier.com/commercial/en/uk/.