Bristol City Leap and Vattenfall Win ‘Clean Energy Scheme Award’ at Regen’s 2024 Green Energy Awards

The judging panel commended Bristol City Leap and Vattenfall for their innovative and game-changing approach to city-scale decarbonisation. This joint venture partnership, which includes Bristol City Council and Ameresco, is a pioneering initiative set to revolutionise the energy landscape of Bristol.

Judges on the night said: “We were looking for a project that delivered at scale and provided significant carbon savings. We wanted to celebrate schemes that broke new ground and led by example to inspire a path for others to follow.”

“This was a particularly inspiring set of projects, but we have to pick a winner. We particularly valued the game-changing approach to the city-scale decarbonisation that this project enabled. The project provides an inspiring example of a public and private sector joint venture partnership approach to deliver decarbonisation at scale, delivering a heat network to tackle the challenge of decarbonising heat while also educating and funding community projects and people here in the heart of Bristol.”

Bristol City Leap is leading the charge towards a cleaner future by facilitating over £1 billion of investment into Bristol’s energy system over the next two decades. Through transformative projects and infrastructure developments, this initiative aims to significantly increase the use of renewable energy and decarbonised heat across the city.

In the first five years alone, Bristol City Leap will deliver a minimum of £424 million in a wide range of clean energy projects, including large-scale renewables the decarbonisation of thousands of homes and the expansion of Bristol’s renowned Heat Network, constructed and operated by Vattenfall Heat UK. The Heat Network, along with the deployment of over 180MW of zero-carbon energy infrastructure will make a significant contribution to the city’s ambitious goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2030.

Just last month Bristol City Leap refreshed its commitment to decarbonising Bristol after publishing its £750m five-year business plan, including a plan to create 1,000 jobs – all paying at least the Real Living Wage. The updated plan would bring the total investment in the city to £771 million by 2029.

Mark Apsey MBE, Senior Vice President for Ameresco UK and Managing Director for Bristol City Leap commented: “Bristol City Leap is a world first, game changing approach to decarbonisation that provides a scalable and replicable model for other cities to follow.

“City-scale long-term partnerships present us with an unparalleled opportunity to develop place-based energy solutions that help accelerate the transition to net zero whilst contributing significantly to society through local job creation, education, warmer homes and much needed funding to support our communities.  We are honoured to have received this prestigious award for this pioneering initiative which will have a transformative impact for residents, businesses and communities across Bristol.”

Vattenfall Heat UK, as a key partner in this endeavour, brings extensive experience and investment in large-scale heat networks from across Europe. Together with Bristol City Leap, Vattenfall Heat UK is spearheading the development of a city-wide, low-carbon heat network in Bristol. This network is already serving enough heat to supply the equivalent of more than 5000 homes and through further expansion aims to deliver heat to the equivalent of 12,000 homes in Bristol within the next five years. The network represents a significant milestone in the city’s journey towards decarbonisation.

Dom Barton, Director of Heat Networks – Bristol at Vattenfall Heat UK said: “Vattenfall has been working in partnership with Bristol City Leap for just over one year and we are so proud to have received this award as testament to the  progress we have made.

“Vattenfall’s Bristol Heat Network is building Bristol’s low carbon energy self-sufficiency and future proofing heating and hot water for residents and businesses, creating local jobs and social value in the community.”