Cardiff Council is exploring an innovative district heating project that could provide energy to some of the city’s most disadvantaged communities as part of the One Planet Cardiff vision for the capital.
Cabinet Member for the Environment, Cllr Ashley Govier said: "Central to this vision is working with industry experts Viridor and E.ON on the feasibility of a district heating scheme.
"There is scope at the Viridor Trident Park site to produce heat for consumption in homes and businesses and significantly increase the energy efficiency of the plant, providing lower cost, lower carbon energy to users in local wards.
"With spiralling energy prices and fuel poverty high on the agenda, establishing a significant heat network in Cardiff has the opportunity to not only embed the latest infrastructure to boost the economy within the city but also assist some of our most disadvantaged communities struggling with heat poverty."
District heating is a key part of the One Planet Cardiff vision that outlines our aspirations in relation to energy, waste, air, water and transport. "These areas impact council-wide and we will work together as a council to deliver this vision," he added.
"District heating involves the use of cutting edge technology and this will permeate all we do but we will also encourage through an education package a step change in people’s behaviour to reduce householders’ heating needs and their costs.
"We will explore all opportunities to bring together all the support available to assist residents and businesses to act in more sustainable ways, centred around this significant heat project. There is a lot of support available through different initiatives, but it is not always clear to people what these opportunities are. We will therefore work with a number of partners to join up different programmes and publicise all the support available to help people act in cost effective and sustainable way. We will do this through an energy advice network that will involve assistance and advice for key sustainable measures such as solar panelling, retrofitting and rainwater harvesting and this existing heat network opportunity.
"This is just part of a significant agenda for Cardiff and in these tough financial times, addressing the challenges facing the environment will require the joint effort of a number of partners.
"It is easy to tick boxes and saying all the right things but this is action not words with this administration taking the bold step of exploring and taking forward two major energy projects. This work to become a One Planet Cardiff will not only ensure the long term sustainability of the capital but deliver financial benefits to individuals, improve our competitive position and safeguard the quality of life for future generations."