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Vital Energi have won the contract to upgrade a section of the University of Liverpool’s district heating network.  The project involves replacing a 200m section of pipework connecting the University’s Quad Node to Fingals Cave and installing branches to the George Holt, Students’ Guild and Math & Oceanography buildings.

The upgrades are partly to replace ageing infrastructure, but the project also allows the 200mm pipework to be replaced by 250mm pipework, which is capable of transporting more heat along the network.

The Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has released the “Smarter Tariffs – Smarter Comparisons” report. Funded by BEIS, The Smarter Tariffs – Smarter Comparisons project developed an open-source prototype of a tool that demonstrates how individual consumers can use their smart meter data to get accurate, tailored information on the benefits of smart / time of use electricity tariffs.

Vital Energi led a consortium of experts who assessed the market (interviewing suppliers and other key stakeholders like price comparison sites and low carbon technology solution providers) and built the tool iteratively based on consumer feedback. Two thousand representative consumers completed a quantitative survey to capture their attitudes towards smart tariffs; the findings are included in the report.

You can read the report by clicking here.

The half-hourly consumption and price data recorded by smart meters enables innovative products such as export tariffs, electric vehicle tariffs, and dynamic ‘time-of-use’ tariffs that reward consumers for using energy away from peak times or when there is excess clean electricity available. One of the key challenges for consumers is understanding the potential benefits of these tariffs for them and considering them alongside other options, like traditional tariff options.

The project outputs include a working prototype under-pinned by a model which has been open sourced. This can be used as part of a tariff or energy product comparison service (such as a price comparison website), or to demonstrate low carbon technology products. The code for the tool is available to any organisation that wants to adopt it. The demonstration prototype can already implement its main functions and is ready for further development and integration to support specific market applications. While energy suppliers are currently limited in their ability to offer attractive smart tariffs, low carbon technologies are being rolled out at large scale.  As suppliers continue to develop a range of competitive smart tariffs, the tool will give consumers the information they need to switch to the best deals and integrate new products and services including energy storage, smart charging for electric vehicles, and electric heating.

Project outputs demonstrate that by simplifying the process consumers will be more likely to switch to smart tariffs and this increased demand should lead to a wider range of products from energy providers.

The consortium was led by Vital Energi and made up of Hildebrand, Prof Richard Carmichael of Imperial College London, davies + mckerr, Carbon Trust and Love experience.

The project was funded under the BEIS Energy Innovation Programme and led by BEIS’ Smart Metering Implementation Programme. The Energy Innovation Programme has been succeeded by the Net Zero Innovation Portfolio (NZIP).

Dalmarnock took another step towards its net zero targets recently when work began on the district heating system which will connect Keepmoat’s Arrolbridge development to the £6m Clyde Gateway heat network.

Vital Energi are delivering the 12-week programme of works which will see the main network, which it delivered in 2020, extended by 1km to connect 48 new homes.

Ashley Walsh, Managing Director – Heat Networks commented: “Keepmoat wanted this development to be of the highest environmental standards and have installed measures such as enhanced insulation and Solar PV panels on this development. The connection to the district heating network will further drive down the carbon emissions of the development, which will be another positive step for Dalmarnock on its net zero journey.

“It is fantastic to see much-needed homes being delivered just 3km from Glasgow town centre and this is another great addition to Dalmarnock’s green energy infrastructure.”

We’d like to congratulate University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust for winning the Decarbonisation Project of the Year award at the The Energy Management Association for the work they have been doing towards meeting their net zero targets.

Vital have worked with the Trust on a two-phase decarbonisation project which saw the refurbishment of the existing energy centre, replacement of the steam boilers and an extension of the district heating network to connect an additional 10 plantrooms.  As this de-steamed the hospital, the project also involved replacing and modifying essential pieces of infrastructure, such as the sterilisers and washers, with more energy efficient models.

Congratulations to The Diverse Heat Network on such an insightful and inspiring launch event on the evening of Wednesday 22^nd February.

As a group, they aim to promote diversity and inclusivity, encouraging collaboration and enabling change across the wider industry with partners, supply chain and beyond. We’re proud to be active members of the DHN working alongside TriplePoint, Vattenfall, Fairheat, Buro Happold, EQUANS and The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.

A huge well done, and thank you, to Vital representatives Gemma Dyson, Proposals Manager, and Trainee Energy & Commercial Modeller Millie Cooney, who have been fundamental to the success of the event. Gemma opened the event and explained how the DHN came together and their plan to move forward alongside our partners across the sector, and Millie spearheaded the events working group to plan and organise the launch event, which over 100 people attended. DHN founding member and Chairman of Vital Energi, Gary Fielding, also attended alongside Veronica Hamilton, Lead Development Manager, and Mike Cooke, Managing Director North & Scotland, to support the initiative.

The evening featured an incredible line-up of speakers who shared their experiences and best practice around how we can make a meaningful impact as a collective to retain and attract talent, with diversity at the forefront.

Guests arrived at the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) in London to learn more about the DHN and hear from inspirational guest speaker, Ayo Sokale, who led a session on neurodiversity. She then answered questions from the audience, with some really insightful answers around practical things we can do in the workplace to recognise individual needs and embrace diversity by playing to peoples strengths, rather than their weaknesses.

Billy Aldridge from the newly formed “Department for Energy Security and Net Zero” (formerly BEIS), then chaired a panel of experts who discussed different ways in which we can retain and attract new talent to make our sector more diverse. A highlight for Millie was the discussion around how we continue to educate and showcase the career opportunities and behind the scenes of our industry to make our sector more visible to children and young people.

Children often aspire to work in roles that they have been exposed to and seen firsthand in their everyday lives. Heat networks by their very nature are not visible – they are buried underground! This means we have our work cut out to tell a new story to the next generation. Anna Burrows from “See it, Be It” shared her experiences from sharing videos from members of the Diverse Heat Network sharing their stories of how they got involved in this sector, to generate interest, enthusiasm and awareness in schools across the UK. The storytelling in the videos enables pupils to make a connection with the industry and understand the wide range of roles available, making our sector more visible, accessible, and inviting for all.

We’re incredibly proud to have such passionate employees leading initiatives to drive change. Learn more about the DHN and their upcoming initiatives and events here.

Vital Energi has been awarded a £3.1m contract to design and build the Energy Centre for phase 3 of Berkeley Homes North East London’s Woodberry Down development, which is located next to Finsbury Park.

Commenced in 2009, Berkeley is regenerating the neighbourhood in a 30-year project which will deliver over 5,500 mixed-tenure new homes. The development will be built over 8 phases, and will create a bustling community which is also home to 15 acres of landscaped parkland, 42 acres of open water, including a water sports and open water swimming reservoir, and the Woodberry Wetlands –a dedicated nature reserve cared for by the London Wildlife Trust.

Vital Energi will install 800kW of air source heat pumps (ASHP) on the roofs of two blocks, which will extract heat from the air and supply heating and hot water to the development. ASHPs are a low carbon heat source which will typically generate three times more energy than they use, making them 300% more efficient than traditional central heating systems.

Primary low-temperature heating system (LTHW) pipework will be installed within the Energy Centre, as well as distribution pipework which will run from the heat pump down to the energy centre, which when complete, will serve all 8 phases of the development. Three 1.5MW condensing boilers will be fitted within the new Energy Centre along with a Building Management System, as well as three 6m high 27,000 litre thermal stores.

The Energy Centre will be a double height space (9m high) located adjacent to the basement and ground floor levels, so plant deliveries will require complex engineering, including a specialist movement company and temporary works design.

Once complete, Vital Energi will operate and maintain the Energy Centre for 2 years, to ensure all equipment is maintained to a high standard, and carry out planned and reactive services of the Energy Centre.

Rob Callaghan, Managing Director of Vital Energi’s London and Southern Division, said:

“We’re delighted to be continuing our relationship by working on another of Berkeley Homes’ impressive mixed-use developments. It’s great to see an innovative regeneration project like Woodberry Down with energy conservation at its core.

“Berkeley are passionate about creating low carbon resilient homes to help tackle climate change, and we’re proud to be helping them on their journey by installing highly efficient renewable technologies such as air source heat pumps.”

Vital Energi will commence construction at the end of August.

Work has begun on the energy centre which will contribute low carbon heat to the Bristol Heat Network.  The project will be delivered by Bristol City Council and Goram Homes in partnership with Vital Energi. Once the Energy Centre is complete, a mixed-use development will be built over it with construction due to begin next year following a design competition.

On Friday 18th June 2021, Cllr. Nicola Beech, Cabinet Member for Climate, Ecology, Waste and Energy, Goram Homes board member Cllr. Don Alexander, and Stephen Baker, Managing Director, Goram Homes, visited the site to mark the start of the work. Cllr. Beech said:

 “The Bristol Heat Network is an integral part of our strategy for decarbonising the city and ensuring that Bristol continues to play its part in addressing the climate crisis. The council has invested over £60m in low-carbon and renewable infrastructure in recent years and we’re delighted to be working in partnership with Goram Homes on this innovative project.

“It’s exciting to be replacing old technology with greener solutions and great to be supporting businesses and public sector partners with their own efforts to decarbonise. Developing the heat networks has so many benefits for the city including the reduction in fuel poverty, cutting carbon emissions and creating thousands of jobs to support the local economy.

The 3MW water source heat pump will take water from the nearby floating harbour and use it to generate heat and hot water for local businesses and residents. Bristol’s heat network currently supplies over 1000 properties with low-carbon heat from a variety of sources across the city and continues to expand to new areas.

In 2018 Bristol City Council declared a climate emergency and pledged to make Bristol carbon neutral by 2030. Heating and hot water accounts for 40% of energy-related carbon dioxide emissions worldwide, and 19% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions come from heating our homes and workspaces. Water source heat pumps are estimated to reduce the amount of energy needed to heat a building by 80%, and the Castle Park Energy Centre will provide affordable heating with a low carbon footprint for a greener, cleaner Bristol. Cllr. Don Alexander said:

 ‘It’s great to see that work is now underway and to be able to talk about the project with people face to face. The Energy Centre at Castle Park, which will provide low-carbon heat and hot water for local businesses and residents, shows Goram Homes’ ability to deliver the kind of bold solutions that Bristol now needs.”

Goram Homes and Cllr. Don Alexander will soon be launching a series of face-to-face events to give local residents and communities a chance to find out more about our pipeline of developments. You can read a Q&A with Don here where he discusses his excitement about being able to get back out into the community.

For more information on the Bristol City Council’s heat network can be found on their Energy Service website.

As part of our celebrations for National Apprenticeship Week, we caught up with Technical Apprentice, Aidan Whetham, who is currently working on site at Torry Heat Network.

Aidan, please could you tell us a little bit more about yourself…

Hey, I’m Aidan, I’m 19 years old and I’ve been a Vital Energi apprentice since September 2022. Before that I was studying, and in my spare time I coached children aged from 18 months to 12 years in community clubs and football nursery schemes. I still enjoy watching and playing football at evenings and weekends with my friends.

What attracted you to be an apprentice at Vital Energi?

I think apprenticeships are a great way for young people to enter into the world of work, especially into the energy industry. It’s a really exciting time and I think the industry will continue to grow over the next few years and throughout my lifetime. I’ve always had an interest in learning and understanding renewables so the opportunity to become an apprentice with Vital was something I couldn’t pass up on. My dad is also a Project Manager at Vital, so I’ve heard a lot from him whilst growing up and wanted to explore my interest further and develop my knowledge and skills.

Can you tell us a bit about the project that you’re working on?

I’m currently on site on the Torry Heat Network project, which is a district heating scheme with an energy centre that is supplied by an EFW (energy from waste) plant. It will use the non-recyclable rubbish from Aberdeen City and convert it into power. During this process, steam is generated which is then converted into hot water and pumped around almost 300 homes in the Torry area of Aberdeen via a 3.7 mile network of underground pipes. We’re currently working on the civil engineering, laying more pipework in the ground as the network continues to grow at pace.

What have you learned so far from working on this project?

I didn’t understand all the moving parts within project management and delivery, and now I think I’m really developing a sound knowledge of all the aspects by being put in at the deep end (but with support). I really enjoy being hands on and going through the equipment schedule, from contacting supply chain partners and ensuring parts are on-site ready for installation, and when mechanical contractors are ready to install them.

What’s been a highlight for you whilst working on site?

The biggest highlight is watching the project unfold, from the early stages to now and beyond. It’s really rewarding to see my involvement, and the team’s hard work come to life every day during the delivery.

Is the apprenticeship what you expected it to be?

It’s a lot more than I expected, but in a good way. I didn’t expect to be hitting the ground running as much as I have done. I’ve really enjoyed being part of the team and learning from experts within their field, with responsibilities from the get-go.

What’s next after your apprenticeship? Where would you like to see yourself in the next 5 years

As part of my apprenticeship, over the next 2 years, I’ll do a rotation across different departments of the business to learn more and see what I enjoy the most. After this I’ll hopefully return to permanently join an on-site team, helping with project delivery, as I feel that I’m more suited to being on the delivery side of hopefully lots of different energy projects in the future.

If you’re considering the renewable energy and heat networks industry as a career, our apprenticeship scheme is now open. Click here for more information.

Building Services Engineering apprentice and STEM ambassador, Ibrahim Qadir, along with Trainee Energy and Commercial Modeller, Millie Cooney, recently visited St. Margaret’s Church of England Academy in Aigburth, Liverpool, to support their What’s your Emergency Enterprise Day.

The aim of the day was to inspire and inform students about different career paths available across a range of industries that they may not have considered before now, and Ibrahim and Millie went along to fly the flag for the renewable energy and heat networks industry.

They held five engaging sessions across the day for year 10 students, highlighting how Vital Energi are helping organisations across the UK meet their environmental goals, and they shared some case studies from local projects too. Students also took part in a group task, where they were given a client brief and budget to develop an optimum energy solution. The duo received excellent feedback from both staff and students.

Ibrahim is a former St. Margaret’s Church of England Academy student, so we asked him some questions about the experience, why he wants to inspire the younger generation to join the industry, why he chose to become a STEM ambassador, and more.

Tell us about your visit to St. Margaret’s Church of England Academy…
Millie and I went back to my old high school to give a presentation and do some STEM activities with the students. Our intention was to not only talk about engineering, but also the sustainable solutions and practices that we implement, as a business, to achieve our environmental goals.  We began the sessions with an introduction to Vital, explaining what we do and shared some local case studies of our work, including Liverpool Waters and the University of Liverpool Quad Node. Students were then given a town, client brief, and a range of solutions all with different costs as well as heating and electricity production properties (a bit like top trumps). They were asked to design sustainable and cost-efficient solutions to meet the town’s needs. The game, which was designed by Elly in our Marketing team, helped the students grasp some of the transferable skills that engineers require such as critical thinking, teamwork and communication. The feedback from teachers and organisers was all positive, and they commented on the how engaged the students were with the presentation and task.

What did the students learn?
They learnt about the importance of implementing sustainable solutions in safeguarding the environment we live in. We highlighted the numerous pathways into engineering, such as apprenticeships and graduate schemes, explaining how broad of a term ‘engineer’ is, as it encompasses a wide range of disciplines, the roads to which are countless.

Why did you choose to visit this school?
This school was the high school I used to go to. I believed as a former student I could relate to them better and answer questions that I would have asked at that stage of my own life.

Why did you want to become a STEM ambassador?
I was given the opportunity to become a STEM ambassador and step out of my comfort zone to help inspire my own and younger generations to pursue a career in engineering. I believe that our work plays such a major role in the quality of people’s day to day life, so it is important to invest into its future.

Do you have any other STEM initiatives planned?
Yes, I have another event in March as part of the Leeds PIPES contract community engagement, which I’m really looking forward to.

If you’re considering the renewable energy and heat networks industry as a career, our apprenticeship scheme is now open. Click here for more information.

Vital Energi are proud to be active members of the Diverse Heat Network (DHN), a newly created group of organisations with a shared ambition to drive actionable change and diversity across the sector.

The group of businesses and representatives aims are:

• To encourage collaboration, share best practice and learn from and with each other through a range of initiatives, activities and resources.
• To identify parts of our sector which are not diverse and continue to attract a diverse workforce, growing our talent pool whilst developing talent we already have.
• To enable change, inspiring and influencing our partners, supply chain and the wider industry, to accelerate innovation and creative solutions.

The DHN is a collective of organisations with a shared ambition to enable change within our sector through partnership and collaboration.

Working alongside industry peers, Gary Fielding, Chairman of Vital Energi is representing as a Board Member, alongside our Proposals Manager Gemma Dyson, and Trainee Energy & Commercial Modeller Millie Cooney, who will champion our involvement across the heat network sector, and wider energy industry.

Learn more about the Diverse Heat Network