The significant role that Community Heating schemes can play in delivering long term low and zero carbon communities was recognised in today’s statement from Minister of State for Housing John Healy.

Following on from the Government’s Low Carbon Transition Plan that was published yesterday, and re-confirming the government's policy that all new homes will be zero carbon from 2016, the Minister confirmed support for community heating networks that can be connected to eco-towns and zero-carbon housing schemes as a practical approach to cutting emissions in new build developments.

The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) has a Carbon Challenge programme which aims to accelerate the home building industry's response to climate change by building homes that reach level 6 of the Code for Sustainable Homes. To facilitate this, the Low Carbon Community Heating Initiative Fund, announced in the 2009 budget set aside £21m in funding for low-carbon community heating schemes, allowing at least 10 communities to benefit from cleaner, locally produced energy helping deliver savings of 20,000 tonnes of CO2 and result in lower bills for consumers

Jane Forshaw, Head of Environmental Policy, HCA - comments on Vital Energi's involvement in the Low Carbon Heating Initiative Fund:

" The Homes and Communities Agency has been running a low carbon infrastructure process and Vital Energi has given enormous support by providing imagination coupled with practicality. Their work is helping to drive forward cost effective solutions to low carbon heat and power at scale. We all need to work hard at ensuring infrastructure for future house buidling delivers the optimum outcome in terms of reduced carbon and reduced fuel bills for customers "

The Minister announced the first schemes that will be supported under this initiative will be Exeter, Nottingham, Milton Keynes, Southampton, Birmingham and Newcastle.