In the UK, Veolia UK Ltd, part of global resource management company Veolia Group has announced that it Europe’s decarbonising energy leader, Veolia, is extending low-carbon heat supply to a further 1,618 residential properties across six apartment blocks in Bermondsey, using energy supplied from the 35 MWe South East London Combined Heat and Power (SELCHP) facility.
Working with property real estate company Greystar’s Bermondsey Project development, the 25-year contract will help lower carbon emissions through a new district heating network.
The aim is to save an estimated 1,524 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions a year compared to natural gas-derived heat supplies.
The new Bermondsey district heating scheme marks another important step in decarbonising domestic heat, as almost a third of the final energy consumed in the UK is used as heat in the domestic, commercial, and public sectors.
District heating networks that harness the heat from the waste-fed electricity generation process represent an efficient, affordable, and decarbonising alternative to provide households with cleaner energy.
Due to start operating in May 2026, this infrastructure project aims to provide the heat with around a 60 percent renewable content due to the biogenic component of the waste treated at SELCHP.
As this system represents a low-carbon solution compared to alternative supplies, it will also help to advance London’s ongoing commitment to combat climate change by lowering its carbon footprint.
Trends such as urbanization, energy transition, and digitization require a forward-thinking approach to infrastructure. The connection to decarbonised South East London Combined Heat and Power (SELCHP) heat network aligns with Greystar’s net zero and infrastructure ambitions, whilst also providing value to our Bermondsey residents with locally generated, low-carbon heat, said Philip Hirst, Director, Sustainability, Greystar.
Hot water from SELCHP
Veolia will design, construct, and commission the Bermondsey network and be responsible for operation, maintenance, and lifecycle replacement.
The system will be supplied with hot water from SELCHP, fed into the system at 75 oC, to distribute heat in the connected buildings and meet the thermal demands at each location.
To ensure system resilience, the network will include an additional facility housing a backup boiler installation.
This latest heat network will further advance the progress to reach the important net-zero goals that protect the environment and lower climate change. It is fully in line with GreenUp, Veolia’s strategic program to accelerate the company’s ecological transformation. Locally sourced energy, derived from previously untapped resources such as waste, is becoming a true driver of regional growth, John Abraham, Chief Operating Officer, Industrial, Water & Energy UK, Ireland & Nordics.
Glocal experience
Veolia’s specialist network team delivers optimised, commercially viable, and technically robust solutions gained through the experience of designing and installing thousands of kilometers of networks across many prestigious and technically demanding projects.
In the UK, Veolia currently manages the energy plant and networks across more than 50 sites and operates over 120 community heating schemes. These distribute low-carbon or renewable heat from combined heat and power (CHP) plants, waste wood biomass, and Energy Recovery Facilities (ERF).
In Southwark, we’re committed to tackling the climate emergency, and reducing carbon emissions from buildings is a key theme in our climate strategy as we work towards becoming a carbon-neutral borough. This ambitious project will provide thousands of residents with cleaner energy sourced locally in south-east London, making positive use of waste generated in Southwark and the wider area while reducing the borough’s carbon footprint in the process, said Cllr John Batteson, Cabinet Member for Climate Emergency, Jobs & Business at Southwark Council.
Globally, the company currently operates around 600 district heating networks covering 7,000 km of heat mains.
Veolia’s engineering solutions can make a real and lasting difference, help break the reliance on fossil fuels, deliver the essential energy to support communities, and address the issues of energy price volatility. By combining its expertise in waste management and local energy solutions, Veolia maximises synergies to harness the full potential of local resources for the benefit of both residents and the planet. This will make a significant difference to the people it serves, delivers increased energy security and resilience, and will help advance sustainability in London, said John Abraham.
HermeticaBlack – specialists in the development and management of energy and infrastructure assets – advised on the commercial structure and the delivery of the connection. Jones Day provided legal advice.
