An infrastructure project, which will deliver low carbon heat and electrical power to key businesses and public buildings, has been given the go-ahead by Government.

The PIRI project in Peterborough is one of the first national schemes to receive support from the Green Heat Network Fund.

Once complete, it will transport heat and electrical power from the Energy Recovery Facility (ERF) operated by Viridor in Fengate (owned by Peterborough City Council) direct to the city buildings via a series of underground pipes and cables. The ERF generates its own energy by taking non-recyclable household waste that would otherwise go into landfill and using a combustion process turns it into heat and electricity.

PIRI will be delivered in an initial two phases. Phase one will create the underground pipework and cables needed to deliver heat and power to key businesses in the Fengate area which is closest to the ERF. Phase two will deliver heat to key businesses and public buildings in the city centre.

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These buildings have been chosen as they are big consumers of energy. It’s anticipated that, once complete, the PIRI project will reduce the carbon consumption of these buildings by as much as 92-per-cent. This will play a big role in assisting Peterborough to become carbon zero.

A total of £14.5million of funding has just been released by the Government to turn the project into a reality. Of this, just over £900,000 will pay for further project work to prove the effectiveness of the scheme in order to secure inward investment. A further £13.5million has been pledged to help pay for the construction costs.

It is expected that the total construction costs for the project will be around £53million with the remaining money expected to come from inward investment.

Once the project is complete, it could be expanded at a later date, to other businesses and eventually homes across Peterborough.

The PIRI project began in 2020 with the assistance of UK Research and Innovation, private sector investment and the Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy’s Heat Networks Delivery Unit. In just two years, the programme delivered the Feasibility Study, Detailed Design and outline business case to prove the effectiveness of the concept which was needed to apply for further funding.