Work continues on extensive, flagship project to provide low carbon heating to town centre, with underground pipes now fully installed
Solihull Council and Vital Energi have marked a significant milestone in the construction of a new, low carbon energy network for the town centre. The pipework for the entire network – spanning more than 5km in total – has now been fully installed.
Cllr Andy Mackiewicz (Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Planning, Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council), Cllr Karen Grinsell (Leader of Solihull Council) and Dave Pardoe (Contracts Manager, Vital Energi) in front of the recently installed air source heat pumps. Photo courtesy of Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council.
What’s more, air source heat pumps (ASHPs) have also been installed at the state-of-the-art new Energy Centre in Tudor Grange Park, with other key infrastructure in development.
Once completed, the new heating network will supply sustainable energy, heating and hot water to a range of buildings in the town centre. Indeed, first phase customers should be connected to the network in coming weeks. These include the Core Theatre, Solihull College & University Centre, Tudor Grange Academy and Tudor Grange Leisure Centre.
The entire network will be operational by spring 2026.
Supported by a loan worth £9.6m from the National Wealth Fund, the heat network project is part of a wider strategy to reduce carbon emissions across the region and strengthen Solihull’s energy resilience for decades to come.
Cllr Karen Grinsell, Leader of Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council, says: ‘This project is a clear demonstration of our commitment to cutting carbon emissions, enhancing energy efficiency, and investing in a sustainable future for our town centre. It’s extremely encouraging to see the rapid progress on the ground – with over 5km of pipework already laid and heat pumps installed at our new Energy Centre, we are well on our way to realising this bold vision.’
Cllr Andy Mackiewicz, Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Planning at Solihull Council, adds: ‘Heating is the biggest contributor to the UK’s carbon footprint. By shifting to a networked low carbon energy solution, we’re tackling this issue on a wider scale making it more practical and cost effective for multiple buildings to benefit. The air source heat pumps at the heart of our Energy Centre will play a major role in delivering cleaner energy where it’s needed most.’
Andrew Wightman, Regional Director at Vital Energi, says: ‘The new district energy network in Solihull will bring significant benefits to those who connect to it. As we move forward with the scheme, our collaborative partnership with Solihull Council continues to thrive. The team has worked tirelessly to bring this complex section of the network to completion, and I would like to extend a huge congratulations to everyone involved. Their dedication has been outstanding, and I look forward to seeing the construction of the project continue as we move forward with the next phases of the low carbon energy project.’
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