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Planning permission has been granted for a state-of-the-art new carbon-capture facility at Lingley Mere business park in Warrington.

The project, Mersey Biochar, will lock away thousands of tonnes of carbon a year into biochar, a versatile product with a range of uses from improving soil quality to decarbonising the construction industry. Led by climate-action organisations Severn Wye Energy Agency and Pure Leapfrog, a consortium of experts is behind the project which will be hosted by United Utilities at Lingley Mere business park. Construction is due to begin in November, with the unit supplied by PyroCore and the facility built by energy specialists Vital Energi.

Capturing carbon and other greenhouse gases will be critical for the UK’s plans to meet net zero by 2050 and the facility promises to make an important contribution to the country’s carbon-capture potential.

Vital Energi’s Associate Design Manager Rob Greenwood, says:

‘We are delighted to be part of the consortium which will deliver this innovative new project. With the UK set to continue using oil and gas in the short term, carbon capture has the potential to play a huge part in the UK’s transition from fossil fuels to a net zero economy and this project can demonstrate an innovative new application for an existing, trusted technology.’

Mersey Biochar will capture carbon from green waste or ‘biomass’, in this case a byproduct of local forestry management, which would otherwise release its carbon back into the atmosphere as it decays. The carbon is locked in through a process called pyrolysis, which heats the biomass in a virtually oxygen-free environment without the noise or fumes commonly associated with other types of burning. The resulting biochar stores the carbon for centuries and every tonne produced can remove up to 3.6 tonnes of CO2 from the atmosphere. The facility is expected to produce 700 tonnes of biochar each year.

Research into the viability of the process was funded by the UK government’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero which then made a further £5m available to scale-up the concept as part of the Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage Scheme.

Planning permission was secured by integrated planning, design, environment, engineering and safety consultancy Mabbett & Associates Ltd, with no objections to the proposals.

The approval of planning permission for the Warrington site is just the start of this exciting project. The vision for the site is that nothing will go to waste; once the facility’s carbon-capture capabilities are proven, the heat generated by the process is intended to be redirected to heat and power United Utilities’ buildings – part of the company’s long-term sustainability goals.

As United Utilities’ Bioresources and Green Energy Director, Tom Lissett, explains:

‘We are excited to host this innovative technology which opens up the opportunity to decarbonise our office heating requirements at Lingley Mere by capturing and using the heat which is created during the pyrolysis process. It is an important step forward for us in our journey to decarbonising our head office in Warrington.’

Mersey Biochar is funded by the UK’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero through their Direct Air Capture and Greenhouse Gas Removal innovation programme, established to find new and inventive ways of reducing UK carbon emissions.

Our apprentices have had a fantastic 2023, picking up bursaries and awards and the latest to make a splash at the national level is Megan Bradley, who has been named as one of the three finalists at the ACR & Heat Pumps Trainee of the Year Awards. 

Meg, who works as an Intermediate Electrical Engineer within our Heat Pumps Team, has been shortlisted in the Project Engineer category and will now travel to the Emirates Old Trafford Cricket Ground for an awards luncheon where they will reveal the national winner. 

This is the 7^th annual ACR Trainee Awards, and in 2023 they have been expanded to embrace heat pumps as a sector, highlighting their increasing importance to the UK’s energy mix. 

We’d like to wish Megan, and all her fellow finalists every success. 

We are delighted to have been appointed to deliver a new project for Newport City Homes which will see us install 7.5km of district heating pipework to replace the original heat network which was installed in the early 1970’s.

The existing system experienced a series of leaks in early 2023 which saw significant disruption to heating and hot water supplies. The association pledged to carry out a full review of the performance of the district heating system at the time and has now announced a substantial programme of pipe replacement work to improve performance for the local community.

Sonia Furzland, Executive Director of Operations at Newport City Homes, said: “We’re pleased to announce this substantial investment in the Duffryn district heating system to upgrade the pipework and improve heating and hot water performance to more than 1,000 customers.

“We’d like to thank our customers for the substantial support and patience during the leaks we experienced earlier this year, and over the last few months as we have carried out this urgent review. We hope this gives the community assurance that we are taking action in response to the issues we have seen.”

Work to upgrade the Duffryn district heating system is expected to begin in Autumn 2023 and take a number of months.

The Duffryn heating system is supported by over seven kilometres of pipework which runs underneath the ground. This includes underneath main roads, NCH homes and privately owned homes, and it was originally put in place during the 1970s. Work will take place in planned phases to minimise disruption of supply to the community.

Ashley Walsh (Managing Director of Heat Networks) at Vital Energi added:

“For nearly 50 years this scheme has provided heating and hot water to the people of Duffryn and this upgrade will safeguard this essential service for decades to come, making the heat network more reliable and more efficient.  We are delighted to be delivering 7.5km of pipework on the project and also look forwards to working with the local community on some exciting community engagement projects.”

Partners from Peel NRE, Vital Energi, and Ener-Vate, came together to mark the start of the ground works at the land off Great Howard Street.

The new energy centre will be home to one of the UK’s largest two stage water source heat pumps, taking heat from the water in the nearby Leeds/Liverpool Canal where it is fed into the 3MW heat pump and used to heat the surrounding homes and businesses via a 6 km (3km flow/3km return) district heating network, before being released out into Trafalgar Docks.

In addition to the new energy centre, Vital Energi will be extending the district heating system throughout the area.  Phase 1 saw Vital Energi install 2km of highly insulated district heating pipework which included a technically challenging section 5.5m below Liverpool’s Great Howard street.

The new expansion will add an extra 1.2 km of district heating pipework which will run throughout Trafalgar & Central Docks and bring low-carbon heating and hot water to more residents and businesses.

The district heating network will provide low carbon heat and hot water for up to 6,700 homes and 1.3 million square feet of commercial space at Peel’s Liverpool Waters development as well as wider domestic and commercial buildings across Liverpool. This initial phase of the project could supply 20GWh of heat every year, reducing the reliance on fossil fuels and saving 2,000 tonnes of carbon emissions every year, with planning permission in place to expand the project to supply around 45GWh.

Myles Kitcher, Managing Director, Peel NRE said: “Emissions from heat are the single biggest contributor to UK carbon emissions, accounting for around a third of the nation’s carbon footprint. Finding alternative low-carbon sources of heat will be vital if we’re to stay on track to achieve net zero by 2050. This ambitious project has the potential to provide enough low carbon heat for over a fifth of the homes in Liverpool, cementing the city at the heart of the region’s decarbonisation journey.”

Chris Capes, Director for Development at Liverpool Waters said: “Liverpool Waters strives for excellence in terms of sustainability and climate resilience. Part of our approach involves a focus on building efficiency and the implementation of ambitious site-wide strategies.  This new energy centre, part of the wider Mersey Heat network, will help to bring low-carbon heating and hot water to residents and commercial customers across Liverpool Waters. This is a critical step on our journey to delivering the sustainable regeneration of Liverpool’s northern docklands.”

Vital Energi have completed the installation of over 600 solar panels on the roof of Robin Park Leisure Centre to support Wigan Council generate energy, lower carbon emissions and deliver significant energy savings.

The 240kW roof-mounted solar PV array, and all associated works, will reduce energy consumption by an estimated 36 per cent (241,831kWh), saving around 51 tonnes of carbon every year.

This work is being done as part of the Unlocking Clean Energy in Greater Manchester project, the Council, working in partnership with Energy Systems Catapult & the European Regional Development Fund.

Regional Manager at Vital Energi, Simon Jones, said: “Wigan Council have a strong commitment to reducing their carbon emissions and have set a target of reaching net zero by 2038.  This project will be another definitive step on their decarbonisation journey and, by reducing the leisure centre’s emissions by over a third, this project demonstrates the role renewable energy can have in helping local authorities to decarbonise their estate.”

Councillor Chris Ready, portfolio holder for communities and neighbourhoods, said: “Leisure centres use a lot of energy, so I am delighted that we have been able to make this investment at Robin Park, joining the LSV and Leigh and Howe Bridge leisure centres.

“Our leisure centres are so key to ensuring the physical and mental wellbeing of our residents, and I am delighted that we have been able to make these key improvements to ensure they are better for the planet too.”

It’s been another fantastic night for our Net Zero Apprentices, with Aidan Whetham scooping two of the top honours at this year’s BESA Industry Awards 2023.

Aidan, who is in the 2^nd year of his Building Services Engineering Technician apprenticeship claimed the BSE Technician/Project Engineer Apprentice category and was then named as the overall BESA National Apprentice of the Year Award.

Held in London this year, the BESA awards are one of the most prestigious in the industry and recognise outstanding achievements in the field of building services, celebrating exceptional apprentices and their talents.

Jenny Jackson, Vital Energi’s Resource Manager commented, “This was a wonderful night.  Being around so many talented apprentices in one place is a great advertisement for the building services industry and can’t help but make you feel optimistic about our Net Zero future.

“I’m delighted for Aidan as, not only does he excel in his apprenticeship, but has also become a STEM ambassador, speaking in schools and attending recruitment events.  He’s having a real impact on improving the profile of the industry and raising awareness of careers in engineering which is a valuable contribution.”

Ibrahim Qadir, another of Vital Energi’s Net Zero Apprentices also made it to the BESA awards finals having previously been awarded the Ken Dale Travel Bursary to visit foreign countries and investigate the opportunities for artificial intelligence in buildings.

Rounding off a fantastic night for our apprentices, Harvey Hudson, who was named CIBSE Apprentice of the Year, returned to speak on a panel at the CIBSE Young Engineers Awards, discussing the importance of apprenticeships.

Congratulations to all our Net Zero Apprentices who have made 2023 another memorable year!

We are delighted to congratulate two of our Net Zero apprentices who have been announced as finalists in this year’s BESA National Apprentice of the Year awards.

Aidan Whetham and Ibrahim Qadir  have both been announced as the only apprentices from their regions to be shortlisted in the national awards.

Jenny Jackson, Vital Energi’s Resources Manager explains, “These awards are extremely prestigious and very competitive, so we are delighted that both Ibrahim and Aidan have made the 8-person shortlist and we wish them, and all the other talented finalists, every success.”

Both Apprentices have enrolled on Vital Energi’s Net Zero Apprenticeship  and are currently taking their Building Services Technician Apprenticeship in partnership with the City of Liverpool College.

Jenny Jackson continues, “The Net Zero sector faces a severe skills gap and our apprenticeship programme was designed to find, support, develop and retain the talented and enthusiastic individuals who will lead us to our net zero targets.  We certainly feel that Ibrahim and Aidan will make a huge contribution to the green energy sector over the course of their careers and we’re delighted their hard work and dedication have been recognised by BESA.

Both apprentices will now head down to an awards ceremony in London in early October where the winner of the National Technical/Project Engineer of the year will be announced.

Leeds City Council and Vital Energi were delighted to welcome Lord Callanan, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Energy Efficiency and Green Finance), to the award-winning Leeds PIPES heat network on Thursday (3rd August) to learn more about how it has transformed the city’s carbon emissions and plans for its expansion.

The Minister visited several landmarks and connections on the network including the Recycling & Energy Recovery Facility (RERF), Cross Green energy centre and St James’s Hospital where he met members from the NHS Estates and Facilities team. Lord Callanan also visited Shakespeare Towers to meet residents connected to the Heat Network.

By using heat recovered from non-recyclable waste at the Recycling and Energy Recovery Facility (RERF) and distributing it throughout the city via a 26.5km district heating network, the Leeds PIPES project is helping just under 2,000 homes, businesses, and 12 non-residential buildings, including the Town Hall, Leeds Playhouse and Museum. The network has enabled these buildings to move away from costly heating systems, providing them with affordable, reliable, and low-carbon heat and hot water.

Last year, the network of insulated underground pipes supplied 22,029 megawatt-hours of heating in total and helped reduce the city’s carbon footprint by 3,975 tonnes.

Work is currently underway at St James’s University Hospital, the latest major connection to the network.

Craige Richardson, Executive Director of Estates and Facilities at Leeds Teaching Hospitals, said: “We were delighted to show Lord Callanan the changes we are making to the Trust estate to ensure we meet the NHS 2040 net zero target. We recognise that if we are to provide the best possible care to our patients and improve their quality of life, we need to reduce our environmental impact. Decarbonising our estate is a key priority for the Trust and the connection to Leeds PIPES is taking us closer to achieving this”.

New plans for two major extensions to the award-winning network—which would enable dozens more buildings to connect—have also been published by the local authority and discussed by senior members in recent weeks.

The four latest buildings, including the first private-sector residential developers, which have confirmed their intention to connect to the network within the next 12 months are:

• Spinner’s Yard around Mabgate, developed by Rise Homes
• Leonardo and Thoresby buildings on Gt George Street, developed by McLaren on behalf of Arrow Leonardo
• The redevelopment of Leeds Technology Campus on Cookridge Street, developed by Metropolitan & District Securities
• Leeds Conservatoire on Quarry Hill

Separately, senior councillors have recently approved an application for up to £20 million of grant funding that, if successful, would enable two major new extensions to the existing network.

The first new extension would see another 600m (0.4 miles) of pipes laid from Little Queen Street to Wellington Street. A second new extension, located in the South Bank of the city centre, would see approximately 7 km (4.3 miles) of low carbon heat network being installed from Clarence Road to Sweet Street and eventually connecting to the existing Leeds PIPES infrastructure. Subject to funding and final approval, construction of the extensions could begin as soon as 2024 with works completing in 2026.

Work to develop the detailed project plans and business cases required to secure funding for and construct the new extensions is currently underway, after the council successfully secured £154,000 of grant funding from the government’s Heat Network Development Unit earlier this year.

Buildings and developments located near the underground pipe infrastructure can choose to connect at any time and the council is currently in discussions with around 40 potential customers. A new website for the Leeds PIPES project was recently launched to help raise awareness of the many different benefits for residents, developers, and building managers.

We are delighted that the hard work and achievements of our Net Zero Apprenticeships have been recognised after the programme was shortlisted in the Training Initiative of the Year category at this year’s Heating & Ventilation Awards.

This category is dedicated to recognising new training initiatives within the heating and ventilation industry and successful entrants must detail the high levels of planning and implementation, demonstrate the positive impacts of the programme and show evidence of increased profits or productivity.

The Net Zero Apprenticeships initiative, which is heading into its third year, will now go forwards to be judged by a team of industry experts, with the winner being announced in a ceremony at the London Hilton Metropole Hotel in late November.

So far, the Net Zero Apprenticeship programme has seen us recruit 21 candidates in two years, with a further 6 apprentices signed up for the 2023/24.  Jenny Jackson, Vital Energi’s Resources Manager explained, “Being shortlisted in this category is a big honour as it not only recognises the outstanding achievements of our apprentices, but also the investment Vital Energi have made in the future of the UK’s low-carbon workforce.”

If you’d like to learn more about our Net Zero apprenticeships, click here.

Vital Energi are delighted to be working with local Parkinson’s support community, Northern Lights, and as well as taking part in their walking football tournament on Friday 28^th July, they have committed to sponsoring their team for the next five years.

Based in the North West, Northern Lights is a self-funded, voluntary organisation which offers support and help to people with Parkinson’s disease – a brain disorder that causes unintended or uncontrollable movements, such as shaking, stiffness, and difficulty with balance and coordination – and aims to put a smile on their faces by introducing them to the joys of walking football.

A great way to stay fit and potentially relieve some of the symptoms of Parkinson’s, walking football also allows participants to learn new skills and make friends with those in a similar situation.

Northern Lights FC currently have 15 players, many of whom used to play football professionally, and are hoping this number will grow. As well as sponsoring the team for the next five years, over 20 members of the Vital Energi team took part in a walking football tournament on Friday 28th July at Witton Country Park, where five teams battled it out – Vital Energi’s C team were crowned the overall winners.

Project Engineer, Asif Asvat, played a key role in organising the Vital players, as well as playing in the tournament.

“I thoroughly enjoyed taking part in the tournament, playing alongside members of the Northern Lights community, and believe it is incredibly important for companies to get involved in initiatives to raise awareness of Parkinson’s,” said Asif.

“Playing alongside colleagues in the football match allowed us to see each other in a different light and strengthened the bonds we share beyond our professional roles. The spirit of camaraderie that flourished on the field translates into better collaboration and understanding back in the office, and I can’t wait for the next initiative.”

Find out more about Northern Lights by clicking here.