Got net-zero news, project updates, or product launches to share? Climate Minister Hails Vital Energi’s Leeds PIPES Heat Network as “Shining Example” of Net-Zero Innovation
Welcome to Net Zero News, where we bring you the latest developments driving the UK’s transition to a net-zero future. Net Zero News can reveal that Climate Minister Katie White OBE MP has praised the pioneering work of Vital Energi and Leeds City Council on the Leeds PIPES Heat Network, calling it a “shining example of local leadership and innovation” on the path to net zero.
In a significant step towards the UK’s climate goals, the Minister toured key sites across Leeds including the Cross Green Energy Centre, which captures excess heat from the city’s Recycling and Energy Recovery Facility (RERF) and redistributes it through the 30 km network to heat thousands of homes and businesses sustainably.
A model for low-carbon heating
Delivered in partnership between Vital Energi and Leeds City Council, the Leeds PIPES network has expanded over seven years to connect more than 4,100 homes and businesses, cutting carbon emissions and energy costs while generating hundreds of skilled jobs in the local green economy.
During her visit, White was accompanied by Alex Sobel MP for Leeds Central and Headingley, senior council officials, and key members of the Vital Energi team including CEO Ian Whitelock, Managing Director Mike Cooke, and Marketing & Communications Director Abby Whitelock.
White commented:
“Leeds PIPES is a shining example of how local leadership and innovation can deliver real progress on the path to net zero. This pioneering heat network, delivered by the council and Vital Energi, is not only cutting the emissions of home and commercial heating, but also creating hundreds of good jobs for local people and driving investment into the community.”
Delivering measurable benefits
Buildings connected to the network including Leeds Civic Hall and Leeds Beckett University have already reduced annual emissions by around 500 tonnes of CO₂ and achieved energy savings of approximately £250,000 per year.
At the heart of the network, the Cross Green Energy Centre showcases advanced heat recovery technologies that transform waste energy into usable, low-temperature hot water for distribution across the city. This model demonstrates how urban areas can achieve large-scale decarbonisation while lowering energy bills for residents and institutions alike.
Driving jobs, skills, and investment
Mike Cooke, Managing Director of Vital Energi, emphasised that the project’s benefits go beyond energy and emissions:
“The Leeds PIPES Project is about harnessing waste heat to deliver decarbonisation but it’s also about people. Together with the council, we’ve created over 450 jobs and training pathways with local education institutions, bringing new talent into the green-energy sector and supporting local businesses.”
Cooke added that the Minister’s visit signals growing government recognition of heat networks as a cornerstone of the UK’s clean-energy future.
A benchmark for UK heat networks
The Leeds PIPES scheme stands as one of the UK’s most advanced heat networks, aligning with the Government’s mission to make Britain a clean-energy superpower and supporting local climate emergency commitments. It exemplifies how partnership-led infrastructure investment can simultaneously cut emissions, reduce costs, and build community resilience.
For more information on Vital Energi’s low-carbon heat solutions, visit vitalenergi.co.uk.
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