1Energy has secured £21 million in government funding to build a city-wide heat network in Oxford, alongside which the company plans to invest an additional £100 million of private capital.
It is envisaged that the total investment could exceed £500 million as the network expands.
The project aims to reduce Oxford’s reliance on gas by targeting buildings with high heat usage. Once operational, the network could cut the city’s gas demand by up to 10% and reduce carbon emissions by 15,000 tonnes annually – about 2% of Oxford’s total emissions. Connected buildings could see their heating-related emissions fall by up to 81%.
Construction is planned to begin in 2026, following public consultation and planning approval. 1Energy is working closely with Oxford City Council, Oxfordshire County Council, the Zero Carbon Oxfordshire Partnership (ZCOP), Oxford Brookes University, and the University of Oxford to develop the network. Iconic, grade-one listed buildings may soon be heated with low-carbon alternatives to traditional gas boilers.
The Oxford Energy Network will support the city’s climate targets while preserving its historic architecture. It also aims to improve public health by reducing air pollution by an estimated 5% by 2030.
Beyond environmental benefits, 1Energy has set up a community benefit task group, partnering with local institutions to explore how the network can address fuel poverty, support community projects, and boost local employment.
Oxford is already known for its leadership in sustainability, hosting organisations like the Oxford Institute for Sustainable Development. Many of the city’s institutions have committed to moving away from fossil fuels and improving air quality.
Heat networks like this offer one of the most cost-effective and least disruptive ways to decarbonise heating. Using underground, water-filled pipes, they avoid the need for major retrofits and protect the visual appeal of historic city centres.
1Energy plans to invest £1 billion in similar low-carbon heat networks across the UK within the next eight years – helping national landmarks move away from gas and safeguarding against volatile energy prices.
Andrew Wettern, CEO of 1Energy, said: ‘Oxford is already at the very forefront of city decarbonisation and low carbon energy through the work of the University, and the Zero Carbon Oxfordshire Partnership and its constituent members. We are thrilled to add to this success by enabling the city to decarbonise heat through the Oxford Energy Network.
‘Oxford has more than 1500 listed buildings across the city, so the decarbonisation challenge for Oxford is much harder than many other cities. The Oxford Energy Network matches perfectly to the challenge because it will be invisible and silent, it will supply the temperatures required by these historic buildings to maintain their warmth in the winter, and it will be easier and cheaper for customers to connect to the network than to create their own low-carbon heat onsite.
‘By using the Oxford Energy Network as a model for other historical cities and towns, we can deliver heat decarbonisation in a way that preserves our heritage, across many more cities and towns at pace.’
Leave a Reply