Research and analysis

Heat network zone opportunity reports

Early indications of heat network investment opportunities at a city scale, the potential location of heat network zones and key opportunities for initial heat network development within those zones.

Documents

Heat network zone opportunity report: Birmingham

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Heat network zone opportunity report: Coventry

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Heat network zone opportunity report: Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA)

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Heat network zone opportunity report: Lancaster

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Heat network zone opportunity report: Peterborough

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Heat network zone opportunity report: Plymouth

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Heat network zone opportunity report: Sheffield

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Heat network zone opportunity report: Stoke-on-Trent

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Heat network zone opportunity report: Sunderland

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Details

Update: 2 June 2025

We published 13 heat network zoning opportunity reports for:

  • Bridlington
  • Carlisle
  • Darlington
  • Exeter
  • Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA)
  • Lancaster
  • London Borough of Barking and Dagenham (LBBD)
  • Leicester
  • Northallerton
  • Peterborough
  • Southampton
  • Stoke-on-Trent
  • Strood

These reports were based on an early iteration of the heat network national zoning model. They contain provisional information from pilot activities, so the contents – including data shown in maps, technical and economic data – are likely to change. 

No part of these reports shall be relied upon for any business decisions.  

The reports are an indicative selection of the outputs from the heat network zoning pilot, where the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) worked with 28 English local authority partners, as well as technical and modelling consultants. This pilot saw the development of a methodology for identifying where heat networks are expected to provide the lowest-cost, low-carbon heat to buildings. 

The reports are intended to showcase the potential location of heat network zones within each area, indicate the heat network investment opportunity at a town/city scale and the key opportunities for initial heat network development within each zone. 

Heat Networks and Zones Service

We are developing a new Heat Networks and Zones Service website to enable stakeholders to search for heat network opportunity areas locally or nationally throughout England.

The new service will use the most up-to-date version of the model, and include:

  • updated interactive mapping data
  • guidance
  • technical information
  • data on these areas showing heat demand, heat sources and the number of potential customers

Updates to this page

Published 14 February 2025
Last updated 2 June 2025 show all updates
  1. 13 new heat network zoning opportunity reports have been published.

  2. First published.

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