Blaenau Gwent Council has secured more than £20,000 to strengthen the district heat network at The Works in Ebbw Vale, which supplies efficient, lower‑carbon energy via a mix of combined heat and power (CHP), renewable biomass and associated infrastructure.

Heat from a central energy centre is distributed through around 4km of pipework to key buildings on the site, including Ebbw Vale Sports Centre, Ebbw Fawr Learning Community, Coleg Gwent, the General Offices, Gwent Archives, Hybrid Units and Regain 2.

The energy centre brings together gas boilers, CHP and two biomass boilers, and already delivers the majority of heat from lower‑carbon sources.

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The Council has been awarded £20,358 through the UK Government’s Heat Network Efficiency Scheme (HNES), administered by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.

The funding will pay for a review of current performance, optimisation of operations and controls, measures to reduce costs and carbon emissions, and a detailed plan for future upgrades and decarbonisation.

Blaenau Gwent Council's Cabinet Member Neighbourhood Services and the Environment, Councillor Tommy Smith said: "We're committed to working with partners and our communities to reduce carbon emissions and move towards a more sustainable, greener Blaenau Gwent. The heat network in Ebbw Vale has been very successful, and we're delighted to secure this funding to look at how we can make it even more efficient, and cost-effective and to potentially connect more buildings to it in the future."

Round 10 of HNES is set to be among the programme's largest, with social landlords, hospitals, universities, charities and other public sector buildings sharing £15.6 million.