The Green Heat Network Fund is a government capital grant that helps organisations in England design and build low carbon heat networks that actually work for people and places. It backs both the commercialisation stage and the construction stage for new networks, as well as upgrades and expansion of existing networks that switch to greener heat sources such as heat pumps, waste heat and geothermal. The scheme is run by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and delivered day to day by Triple Point Heat Networks Investment Management through competitive funding rounds that run across financial years 2022 to 2028.

Public, private and third sector applicants in England who are responsible for developing or operating heat networks. Grants can cover up to but not including 50 percent of eligible commercialisation and construction costs, with awards assessed against clear technical, carbon and value for money tests.

• To qualify you must be developing or upgrading a heat network in England that will use low carbon heat sources and meet minimum heat demand and carbon performance thresholds.

• Check that you can provide match funding for at least half of eligible costs, comply with subsidy control rules, and show a clear commercial structure.

• You should also have baseline data, a credible load assessment, outline designs, land and planning paths identified, stakeholder buy in, and an early view of tariffs and consumer protections.

• If you can tick most of these, you are likely ready to progress a Green Heat Network Fund application.

• GHNF can cover up to but not including half of eligible costs. You provide the rest as match funding.

• Split your budget into commercialisation, construction and contingency, and confirm VAT early.

• As a guide, commercialisation often takes six to twelve months to reach investment ready.

• Construction can take twelve to thirty six months depending on size, planning, utilities and procurement.

• Line your programme up with a live GHNF round, allow time for stakeholder sign off and subsidy control checks, and keep a small buffer for design changes and supplier lead times.

We have successfully applied for GHNF for multiple clients and thus have built up a strong understanding of what the assessors are looking for.

The Elevate approach takes into account the full life cycle of the project, including the GHNF application. From assisting clients with their techno-economic feasibility studies, business cases to assessing whether their application will meet the schemes requirements. The focus is always on what will create the biggest difference and clearly presenting this within the application.

Having won you the grant funding, our ability to quickly mobilise, focus on key project priorities, and demonstrate effective use of money sets us apart from ‘tick box’ solutions. Our wider team can provide hands on and bespoke network optimisation and metering solutions.

No matter what your requirements are, Elevate are the go-to specialist SME engineers in the UK. Get in touch with our team today to discuss how we can position you best to both win and make the most of your GHNF funding.