Lambeth Heat Networks and COMMUNITY Heating
Lambeth Councils Aging and Inefficient Heat Networks and Community Heating Systems:
- Lambeth has failed to upgraded or improve many of the heating systems for decades.
- Poor planned preventative maintenance has added to the problem and increased outages, leaving residents without heating and hot water for days and weeks at a time.
- Lambeth has added additional properties and estates to already overloaded and aging systems increasing inefficiences, breakdowns, energy loss and costs to residents through sky rocketing bills
- Residents usage is unmetered and they are forced to pay for heating even when they don't use it.
- Residents have no way of managing their energy usage and decreasing their bills
WHy are residents being hit the hardest?
Residents are being forced to pay for their energy through aging and inefficient heating systems that have been badly maintained and conceived.
Here are some of the main issues:
Here are some of the main issues:
- Residents are force to pay for heating they don't use
- Usage is unmetered in many cases despite Lambeth carrying out feasibilty studies over a decade ago
- Residents and leaseholder were forced into energy supplier changes without proper consultation
- Residents were not notified of the huge price changes in advance.
- Residents have no say and are gas-lighted with their complaints and concerns are raised
- When and where repayment plans are discussed with Lambeth this results in residents having to pay more and a reasonable payment plan is not offered, even if their energy use is unmetered.
- Residents are threatened with legal action and eviction even if the have raised their payment struggles, concerns and inability to pay their hiked service charges, which are being treated as rent areas in order to secure eviction.
- Many residents have challenged the exorbitant cost increases and in somecases incorrect billing without answer or redress.
- Where meters are in use many of the residents bills are still estimated
- Residents pay for Lambeth's failures and inability to plan.
ENERGY FOR ALL
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We are all entitled to energy for heating, washing, lighting, cooking, connectivity, and medical needs. Let's get the money back from the fossil fuel giants who are profiting from our unpayable bills!
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SOME BACKGROUND ON HEAT NETWORKS
For more about Heat Networks see more about heatworks on HeatTrust.org. For detailed reports about a previous issue over heat networks in Lambeth, see a report into Myatts Gield on Fuel Poverty Action.
Heat networks – often loosely referred to as “district heating” – are like central heating for a whole block of flats, a whole estate and sometimes a whole area. Heat is produced centrally and distributed as hot water, through pipes.
Heat networks are promoted by the government as “green” because they can be converted to use heat pumps instead of expensive gas. They can work well. But when they work badly they cost the earth, using even more gas than individual boilers.
Residents are trapped in a monopoly without legal protections or rights and are suffering a huge injustice compared to people with other kinds of heating provision.
Heat networks – often loosely referred to as “district heating” – are like central heating for a whole block of flats, a whole estate and sometimes a whole area. Heat is produced centrally and distributed as hot water, through pipes.
Heat networks are promoted by the government as “green” because they can be converted to use heat pumps instead of expensive gas. They can work well. But when they work badly they cost the earth, using even more gas than individual boilers.
Residents are trapped in a monopoly without legal protections or rights and are suffering a huge injustice compared to people with other kinds of heating provision.
- Tenants cannot switch to another heating system or another supplier and cannot even cut down their costs by not using heat or hot water.
- Except for metering and billing there are no regulations governing this industry. Though legislation is now pending it is likely to take years to come into force.
- There are no price caps for tenants. The government’s energy support plan in 2022 covered almost all households except those on communal heating (heat networks), which they deemed to be commercial businesses. In 2023 the government accepted we should also benefit from government discounts like other households. But the discounts have to be applied for and they go to the heat provider. Experience in Lambeth shows that the end user (tenant) may get no help when it is needed.
What ARe Heat NEtworks and How should they opperate
Heat networks, also known as district heating systems, offer several advantages over individual heating solutions in terms of cost and efficiency:
Cost Savings
Heat networks can provide significant cost savings compared to individual heating systems:
Improved Efficiency
While individual gas boilers typically operate at around 84% efficiency, heat networks have the potential for much higher efficiency:
Economies of Scale
Heat networks benefit from economies of scale:
Potential for Further Improvements
There is significant potential to enhance the cost-effectiveness and efficiency of heat networks:
While heat networks show great promise, it's important to note that their performance can vary widely. Proper design, operation, and maintenance are crucial to realizing their full potential for cost savings and efficiency gains over individual heating solutions.
Cost Savings
Heat networks can provide significant cost savings compared to individual heating systems:
- A recent study in The Hague found that district heating is nearly 30% cheaper than individual heat pumps, even when considering all social costs.
- Buildings connected to district heating networks could see their heating costs halved compared to those using individual heat pumps.
- The collective efficiency of heat networks reduces strain on electricity grids, leading to further cost savings.
Improved Efficiency
While individual gas boilers typically operate at around 84% efficiency, heat networks have the potential for much higher efficiency:
- The best performing heat networks can achieve 65-70% efficiency.
- However, many existing heat networks in the UK currently operate at only 35-45% efficiency, indicating significant room for improvement.
- When optimized, heat networks can use significantly less energy than homes heated by individual gas boilers. A one-bedroom apartment on a high-performing heat network can have 70% lower annual energy costs compared to one with an individual gas boiler.
Economies of Scale
Heat networks benefit from economies of scale:
- They require lower production capacity and can use cheaper fuels compared to individual heating solutions.
- The efficiency gains from centralized heat production can offset the heat losses in distribution pipes and establishment costs of the grid.
- Heat networks can take advantage of surplus heat from nearby industry, which is not possible with individual heating solutions.
Potential for Further Improvements
There is significant potential to enhance the cost-effectiveness and efficiency of heat networks:
- Improving performance by just 10% within a 50-property development can result in total annual savings of £9,612, while a 20% enhancement can save as much as £16,121.
- As heat networks expand, both the cost of heat provision and connection costs are expected to decrease[1].
- Innovations like Heat Highways can harvest waste heat from various sources, providing a secure, clean, and low-cost energy source.
While heat networks show great promise, it's important to note that their performance can vary widely. Proper design, operation, and maintenance are crucial to realizing their full potential for cost savings and efficiency gains over individual heating solutions.
ABOUt Lambeth Tenants Heat Campaign
The Lambeth Tenants Heat Campaign is a group formed by tenants and residents of several housing estates in the London borough of Lambeth. The tenants have come together to protest and campaign against the massive 350% increase in service charges, specifically in heating charges imposed by Lambeth Council. Which is exacerbated further for those living with and on inefficient and unmetered communal heating networks.
Fuel For Thought, from fuel poverty to climate justicE
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Fuel Poverty ActionFuel Poverty Action campaigns to protect people from fuel poverty. We challenge rip-off energy companies and unfair policies that leave people to endure cold homes. We take action for warm, well-insulated homes and clean and affordable energy, under the control of people and communities, not private companies.
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