AQW 17172/17-22 Written question to the Minister for the Economy
To ask the Minister for the Economy whether her Department has undertaken any work in regards to the feasibility of district heating networks.
Asked by Stewart Dickson MLA on 13 April 2021
- Answered
- Written
- Tabled
- 13 April 2021
- Answer due by
- 28 April 2021
- Answered
- 22 April 20219 days after tabling
- Department
- Department for the Economy
- Priority question
- No
Answer
The feasibility of district heat networks is being considered as part of my Department’s new Energy Strategy, with the draft Energy Strategy policy options consultation issued on 31 March, and a final Energy Strategy due to be published by the end of the year.
District heat networks operate by distributing heat for space heating and hot water, through insulated pipes from a central source to a number of buildings in a local area. Where the heat source uses renewable energy or waste heat, then such an approach may be one of a number of potential options to decarbonise heat in Northern Ireland.
My Department is currently engaging with The Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) on a National Comprehensive Assessment (NCA) of the potential for efficient heating and cooling in the UK, with a focus on the use of district heating networks, which is due to be published next month.