>District heat networks supply heat to homes and businesses through pipes carrying hot water. They have great potential to deliver CO2 emissions reductions and cost benefits through the use of low carbon heat, waste heat (from power stations, industry and other sources), combined heat and power  and large-scale heat pump deployment.

The ETI’s project will assess innovative solutions to reduce the capital and total lifetime costs of heat network pipes, and to reduce any disruption caused during their installation.

The Request for Proposals (RfP) announced today (11 December) is focused on identifying innovative solutions. These may include advanced installation approaches; tunnelling, drilling and excavation techniques; alternative pipework and insulation materials; jointing techniques; pipe routing and novel system designs; planning; sub-surface detection technologies; plus other areas to be proposed.

It is expected that the project team selected will need to be made up of a number of organisations with experience and insight into district heat network delivery.<