Heat Networks Roundtable

Scottish Government

Kicking off discussions, the Scottish Government’s Heat Networks Regulation team leader Malcolm Rose, outlined the legislative framework for heat networks, and the current and future regulatory environment.

His presentation included the current state of heat networks: completion of the Building Assessment Report (these include current heat source and whether the building could connect to a heat network in the future) and Heat Network Zone Guidance (supporting local authorities in their review and designation of heat networks).

He also described the work currently underway to draft the regulations for the licensing and consenting regimes. Attention was drawn to the requirement, under the Scottish Government consenting process, for a fuel poverty statement.

The following points and questions were discussed:

• there’s a funding, skills and capacity challenge for Local Authorities in working to develop their LHEES and implementation of heat networks zones.
• the requirement for a fuel poverty statement sits under the consenting regime but the licensing regime needs to have regard to capacity for fuel poverty support under the consenting regime.