Findings from evaluation research into the administration,
delivery and impacts of the Green Heat Network Fund transition
scheme and main scheme.
Green Heat Network Fund (GHNF):
interim evaluation report
Green Heat Network Fund (GHNF):
interim evaluation report annexes
Evaluation of the Green Heat
Network Fund transition scheme
Details
These report details the findings of the independent evaluation
research for the Green Heat Network Fund (GHNF) transition scheme and main
scheme.
The Green Heat Network Fund
(GHNF) opened to
applicants in March 2022. It supports the commercialisation and
construction of new low and zero carbon heat networks, and the
retrofitting and expansion of existing heat networks.
The GHNF Transition Scheme was
a short-term scheme which ran in 2021 to 2022. The Transition
Scheme was delivered to act as an enabler for the Main Scheme,
and provide a pipeline of construction ready projects after the
conclusion of the Heat Networks Investment Project (HNIP) which was the
scheme predecessor.
The transition scheme evaluation covers process and impact
evaluation results.
The main scheme interim evaluation presents the interim process
and impact evaluation of the GHNF, covering funding Rounds 1
to 6. It assesses how the scheme has been delivered, the emerging
impacts on heat network deployment, and the effectiveness of
commercialisation and construction funding. The report explores
how GHNF has supported
low-carbon heat networks, the challenges faced by applicants, and
the scheme's contribution to market transformations. It also
examines the scheme's performance against its core benefits
targets and provides insights to inform future funding rounds.
The report also includes a policy response, which reflects on the
evaluation findings, provides further context and highlights
where changes have been made to GHNF delivery since the
reports were written.
The evaluation was commissioned by the Department for Energy
Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) and
undertaken by a consortium of RSM UK and partners.
