The Peel Group and district heat network specialist Ener-Vate have opened the Mersey Heat Energy Centre, which houses one of the UK’s largest two-stage water source heat pumps provided by Star Refrigeration. Harnessing heat from the nearby Leeds and Liverpool Canal and distributing it through the 6km district heating network, the system supplies surrounding homes and businesses with low carbon heat and hot water.
The project and network received £7.5 million in funding from the Heat Networks Investment Project (HNIP). It will deliver heating and hot water to residential, commercial, and public buildings at the Liverpool Waters development and across the city.
No. 8, No. 10, and No. 12 Princes Dock were the first commercial office buildings in Liverpool to connect their heating and hot water supply to the Mersey Heat network and Energy Centre. The Titanic Hotel, Tobacco Warehouse and Torus Housing’s Hartley Locks scheme are now also connected to the network. The Cunard Building, George’s Dock Building and Museum of Liverpool will connect as part of Mersey Heat’s southerly expansion.
The heat network will also serve Peel Waters’ wider regeneration plans for its growing Liverpool Waters District.
The new Energy Centre will deliver 20GWh of heat every year, which will serve up to 6,700 homes and 1.3 million square feet of commercial space. There is planning permission in place to expand the project to supply around 45GWh.