A new company is to provide jobs to accelerate the expansion of low and net-zero carbon heating and cooling to local communities across the country - with Newcastle one of the first on their list.

Bring Energy creates sustainable, long-term heating and cooling networks for UK cities. They deliver city-scale networks and operate the UK’s largest portfolio of heating and cooling systems.

The company will manage, operate, and upgrade the largest portfolio of heating and cooling projects in the UK and work in partnership will local authorities and developers to meet the UK’s targets for decarbonisation, whilst creating local jobs.

Its city scale concessions are Newcastle; Birmingham; Coventry; Leicester; The Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and Stratford City; Excel Centre; Battersea; Nine Elms, London;  Southampton; St James Quarter, and Edinburgh.

Heat networks (also known as district heating) supply heat from a central source to consumers, via a network of underground pipes carrying hot water. This avoids the need for individual boilers or electric heaters in every building.

Bring Energy will focus on accelerating the delivery of sustainable city-scale heating and cooling, optimising its existing networks and decarbonising its portfolio – starting with a large-scale water source heat pump installation recovering wasted heat from cooling processes at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

The November 2023 Energy Security Bill provided provisions for the expansion of heat networks in the UK, including the powers for the government to implement heat network zoning in England and to make heat networks the first option for heat supply in new buildings.

Richard Burrell, Executive Chairman, of Bring Energy, said: “We want to bring low-carbon heating and cooling to cities across the UK and work with local authorities, developers, and communities to accelerate the growth of city-scale networks.

“Heat networks could provide 20% of UK heat by 2050, up from around 3% today, and are critical to enhancing energy security and achieving net zero."