New planned heat network - What do you think
Posted by epic2504@reddit | miltonkeynes | View on Reddit | 14 comments
Hi everyone,
We’re a small reserach team from the University of Oxford currently working on a research project about how heating might change in the UK over the next years (we focus on things like heat networks, district heating, etc.).
As part of this, we’ve been looking into the project planned for Milton Keynes by 1Energy. It is still in development but you will find information under its name: "Milton Keynes Energy Network".
What we realised quite quickly is that most of the available information about these projects is very technical or policy-driven, but not really how people locally feel about it.
Researching other projects by 1Energy in different places around the UK led us to the fact that most of you will probably not be familiar with it. The developer really is no to keen on communication even though it does affect quite a lot of you and it will initally be funded from the UK Government’s Green Heat Network Fund.
We still appreciate your input.
We wanted to ask directly: what’s your take on this kind of project?
- Were you even aware of the Milton Keynes Energy Network?
- How do you feel about your current heating setup (especially if you’re on gas)?
- Would you ever consider switching to something like a heat network?
- Or is it more of a “if it’s not broken, don’t fix it” situation?
And more generally:
- What would put you off straight away? (e.g. people in oxford are already bothered by upcoming roadworks, people from derby mentioned cost and reliability, etc....)
- Do you feel heard?
- Do you feel like you are a part of going "carbon-neutral", or do think you actually suffer more from beeing dragged along
- If switching to any tech more “green” cost a bit more upfront/in total, would that even be something you’d consider...or not really?
We’re genuinely interested in people’s experiences, concerns, or just gut reactions; not looking for anything formal.
We are of the firm believe that change can only work if it is openly communicated and the people want to be a part of it.
A problem that these heatnetworks face is, that they are only worth it if they work on large scales. The developer needs many households to be ready to jump on for it to be financially viable.
Thanks a lot for your help!
Novida@reddit
Would love to talk to y'all about this with regards to datacenter waste heat
epic2504@reddit (OP)
This is actually something we are already simulating/implementing!
Novida@reddit
Want to discuss? Need engineers?
DeadPlank@reddit
I had no idea this was happening in MK. I also thought heat networks were mainly used for infrastructure like hospitals or public buildings, not for heating homes?
And more generally:
SnooDogs6068@reddit
Never heard of it.
I probably wouldnt switch. Im in a 1920's solid wall end of terrace and rely on my wood stove to heat my home over winter.
£60 sweep
£200-300 wood
Sorted Oct-March with a few hours of gas heating in the morning and evening to dry towels and warm outer rooms
Now, help with insulation and that opinion might change.
EyeAware3519@reddit
Never heard of this but I think building new houses and fitting them all with gas boilers and no solar panels in 2026 is absolutely insane.
JamieTimee@reddit
Just bought a new build in Northampton without solar panels, it's not an MK thing
EyeAware3519@reddit
Both can be bad.
Pericombobulator@reddit
Does anybody want to buy a monorail?
Still-Improvement-32@reddit
I am aware of it but thier communication with the public is practically non existant. So with little information I've no real view other than scepticism because I don't trust the city council. I already have an ashp so not relevant. Also I've only heard about big public buildings being connected so gives the impression of no direct benefit to home heating.
spareslant@reddit
No links about the research project were given. Who is involved in this project?
How much public/private partnership is there?
Who is going to be a beneficiary out of this? Cost of living is increasing every month, how is it going to benefit people?
I am all in for green, but why is it a burden on public purse? Normal people has not polluted the environment. It's the big corporate industry who created products and made them available to public to consume. After sometime they know, this is harmful in general, they didn't stop it. Neither governments did anything. They kept on milking profit.
And now suddenly the onus of fixing the climate is onto people not the toxic big industries.
zcapr17@reddit
No, not this scheme, but I am aware of the Thameswey district heating network (central MK) as I'm on it.
I feel the current Thameswey district heating network is fairly average cost-wise and fairly average environmentally.
Already on one, but if the Milton Keynes Energy Network were to offer better value for money, and it was actually feasible to deliver to my apartment block, then I'd consider it.
No, I'm all for new green energy solutions, but they have to make financial sense. The imminent legalisation of plug-in "balcony" solar is something I'm likely to get onboard with for example, as break-even may be as little as 2-3 year.
The financials need to be very clear; what will it cost and what will it save? If the costs or benefits are not clear then that'd put me off.
Nope
part of it.
Yes, still consider it, but it has to be net financial saving over the long term, at most ten years.
Substantial_Steak723@reddit
Well, asking is one thing but history of heat networks that made it to radio 4 ought be a warning as councils look to squeeze the f..k out of people, basically misuse and bullying tactics.
Drakes landing!? started well,.great outlay and closed down a few years ago as too expensive to maintain despite all the positive results, that was primarily geothermal, backed up with solar, electric and gas as it was Canada and harsh winters.
I wouldn't trust a council with this for more reasons than I've listed.
Heavy insulation and air tightness checks, solar panels, mini split asap for zonal use both winter and summer, designed where possible low level pergola style to protect cars from excessive heat (batteries overheat, directly switchable charging vehicle to grid, balcony solar, and the ability to buy watts in UK wind farms like you can a lottery ticket, so that energy stays in the hands of people rather than be a tax.payer commodity that is sold from u Dee their feet like the big sell offs of the 1980's.
How does a heat network deal with bill defaulters? (energy poverty gets worse annually)
Who would own this network and who would fund it? ..because how much debt burden are PFI's to the public purse 👎👎👎🤦
Geothermal is the only way I'd even take a second look, but if it had iffy management overseeing maintenance contracting then you can go .... yourself
error_9873@reddit
I'd never heard of it, and their website says they have over 50 heat networks over the years, but then their "our networks" page only lists 6, of which none are completed.
I'll remain very sceptical until I see proven results and cheaper costs.
No doubt they are in receipt of large sums of funding from government, so if like to see proven financial numbers before I'll believe it's the wonder solution they make it out to be.
I'd question whether a central source of heat is the way to go, when ground and air source heat pumps are so efficient now - how do they size these things for peak demand? Heat loss in the pipes must drop efficiency a lot.
I'd not switch to anything that was higher cost personally, green or not.