The Bristol heat network 

As part of Bristol City Leap, we are building a citywide, low carbon heat network.  

A heat network is an underground pipe system that supplies heating and hot water to buildings that are connected to the network. Find out more below. The development of the heat network will provide low carbon, reliable heat to the community while creating jobs and delivering social value. The decarbonisation of heat is a crucial step in achieving Bristol’s goal to become a carbon-neutral city by 2030. 

Vattenfall is working with Bristol City Leap as the company responsible for expanding the existing heat network, developing new network areas and ultimately interconnecting them to create a single Bristol heat network. 

Within five years, the equivalent of 12,000 homes will be supplied with low carbon heat in Bristol through investment into high-quality, long-term energy infrastructure across the city. 

Vattenfall is one of Europe’s largest generators and retailers of electricity and heating and has been in the UK for more than 15 years, making a key contribution towards enabling the UK to reach net zero.  

We are working to deliver an integrated and inclusive service that delivers reliable heating and hot water to our customers at a cost that is fair. Find out more information about Vattenfall’s commitments as part of Bristol City Leap below, and discover more about our heat network tariffs by clicking here. 

Vattenfall is engaging with delivery partners, the Bristol community, national government and the supply chain to increase the pace and scale required to support Bristol’s journey to carbon neutrality. 

Hear more about what Vattenfall is doing in Bristol here: 

What are heat networks? 

Heat networks (sometimes referred to as ‘district heating’ or ‘communal heating’) provide heating and hot water to multiple properties rather than each property having to generate its own.  

The heating and hot water is distributed by an underground pipe system to the buildings that are connected to the network. These individual homes and buildings still control the heating and hot water in their home, just as they would if they had their own heating system.  

It is a more efficient and low carbon way of providing heating and hot water to homes and businesses, especially if energy is generated using renewable or low carbon heat sources.  

So far in Bristol, Vattenfall use the floating harbour to generate 3MW of low carbon heat through an award-winning water source heat pump at Castle Park Energy Centre. This is England’s largest harbour-based water source heat pump and provides heating and hot water to 2,500 homes through the Bristol heat network.  

By 2030, Vattenfall’s goal is that buildings in Bristol will be heated by a combination of water source and air source heat pumps, electric boilers, thermal storage and waste heat from industrial processes. 

Watch this video to find out how the Bristol heat network works here:

Networks areas

The Bristol heat network currently supplies the equivalent of almost 6,000 homes with heating and hot water. This is set to increase to the equivalent of 12,000 homes, connecting new commercial or residential developments and some existing buildings on the network route by 2030. 

Vattenfall has nine heat network areas planned for Bristol and is currently serving customers in Redcliffe, Old Market and Bedminster. A new network area is under construction in Temple, with plans progressing to build in areas such as Frome.  

Network areas are shown in the map below.  

Project updates 

To find out more about activity happening in your area, click the relevant heat network area for Frequently Asked Questions.  

Bedminster heat network 

Vattenfall is expanding the Bedminster heat network. For more information, please view the FAQs here. 

Redcliffe heat network 

Vattenfall is upgrading the Redcliffe heat network. For more information, please view the FAQs here.

Why we need heat networks 

In response to the climate emergency, Bristol has committed to becoming a carbon neutral city. Heat networks help us decarbonise how we heat our homes and businesses in urban areas by ultimately replacing fossil fuels with low carbon sources.  

By 2030, Vattenfall will heat Bristol using a combination of water source and air source heat pumps, electric boilers, thermal storage and waste heat from industrial processes. 

Learn more about why we need heat networks here, or watch the video below.  

Heat network commitments 

Vattenfall has contractual commitments as part of Bristol City Leap, including: 

By 2030 Vattenfall will phase out all existing gas-fired assets on the Bristol heat network and only build and operate low carbon, permanent energy centres.

Vattenfall will provide reliable heating and hot water to our customers at a cost that is fair. In the event of an outage, heat will be restored to customers as quickly as possible. In all cases, we will meet or, where possible, exceed the minimum requirements under the Heat Trust scheme and any future regulation. 

In Bristol, Vattenfall delivers heating and hot water on bulk supply. This means the heat network serves to the building boundary only, and the building (the customer), which could be social housing, an office complex or a residential block, onward charges the individual tenants or residents. This is referred to as a third-party billing provider.   

For bulk supply customers, Vattenfall’s service standards meet those of Heat Trust, which is an independent, non-profit consumer champion for heat networks that holds suppliers to account for the benefit of everyone involved. To formally register a heat network with Heat Trust requires direct customers, which Vattenfall doesn’t currently have in Bristol.  

Outside of Bristol, where Vattenfall has direct customers connected to heat networks, they voluntarily registers their heat networks with Heat Trust, demonstrating their commitment to these standards of service.  

Ofgem have been appointed as the statutory heat network regulator, which is set to formally start in 2025. This will provide the same level of customer protection as other utilities like gas and electricity, enhancing the maturity of the heat network sector as a utility in the UK. Vattenfall is set up to provide a level of service that’s already compliant with this regulation, and they will work closely with bulk supply customers to prepare for forthcoming regulation and encourage them to uphold customer protection standards. 

Vattenfall is committed to maintaining a fair, transparent and clear pricing structure for Bristol heat network customers.  

The heat network tariff for the current year is published on Our Heat Network Tariffs page. As part of our tariff review process, future heat charges are communicated in writing to customers in advance. For customers that are billed by a third party and where Vattenfall is not the direct heat supplier, future charges are communicated by the billing provider. 

Connect to the Bristol heat network 

If you’re planning a new development in a heat network area or have an existing building that would benefit from connecting, email the Vattenfall business development team at bristolbusdev@vattenfall.com. 

For more information on connecting to the Bristol heat network, visit Vattenfall’s website here.