Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council: Energy Network

• Location: Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council 

• Purpose: The Council wants to decarbonise their buildings, which are responsible for 56% of their emissions. The Energy Network will provide private and public consumers in Solihull Town Centre with low-carbon electricity and heat in commercial offices, council and educational buildings. This will enable Solihull to reach Net Zero Carbon emissions by 2041, future-proof local businesses and lower bills.  

• Description: The Council is working with partners to establish an Energy Network that will deliver heat, electricity and hot water to connected buildings. The energy will be produced in a new Energy Centre via low carbon methods including heat pumps. Vital Energi Ltd will construct, operate and maintain the Energy Network. Solihull Energy Ltd is a company established and owned by the Council which oversees the contracts and customer agreements.

• Funding: The funding will come from the government through the Heat Network Investment Project (HNIP), West Midlands Combined Authority and Heat Network Delivery Unit (HNDU) programmes. 

• Conservative councillor/ council lead: Cllr Andrew Mackiewicz, Cabinet member for Climate Change & Planning.

• Further links: Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council explainer.