25 April 2023
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Triple Point Heat Networks Investment Management is delighted to announce that the heat investment platform BHIVE has been extended by two years to 31st March 2025. BHIVE is a PCR-compliant Dynamic Purchasing System (“DPS”) that allows public sector heat network owners/developers to access funding and commercialisation services for their district heating schemes.
Almost 20 experienced investors and lessors have been onboarded onto the DPS, with more expected to join following this extension. Lot 1: Equity Finance covers both financial investment and commercialisation services, and is aimed at public sector users who want to access active capital (i.e. investors with the right skillsets to commercialise and deliver a district heating scheme). Lot 2: provides access to Asset Finance products.
The unprecedented scale and momentum of the UK’s district heating market supported by significant levels of public funding and helpful policy tailwinds have meant the sector has never been more investable. With the UK’s ambitious and pioneering net zero targets, heat networks will play a huge role in decarbonising domestic energy consumption. The industry represents one of the biggest growth potentials for energy networks in Europe, and today’s announcement will help to further the expansion of heat networks across the country, enabling investment potential of up to £50 billion by 2050.
The BHIVE extension will contribute to creating a heat network industry that delivers and sustains green jobs, exports and provides economic benefits whilst helping to promote the UK as one of the top global investment destinations. It will increase accessibility for funders, provide greater standardisation across the heat network market, offer flexibility to access a diverse range of skills and experience alongside funding, support the creation of a secondary investment market, and deliver value for money through a competitive process.
The announcement of this extension to the platform is further recognition by the UK Government of the importance of heat networks to decarbonise buildings. Alongside recent announcements of continued capital support for low carbon heat networks to 2028, including £220 million for the Heat Network Transformation Programme, the extension of BHIVE helps cement heat networks as a core focus for achieving net zero in the UK.
Richard Turner, Director of Amberside Advisors, said: “The UK district heating market is one of the most exciting infrastructure sectors for investors, combining huge untapped demand, strong ESG drivers and an incredibly supportive policy environment (with cross-party backing). The decision by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero to extend BHIVE, a PCR compliant procurement platform that allows public sector users to access active private capital and lease finance for district heating schemes, is further evidence of the Government’s commitment to delivering transformation of the market.”
Ken Hunnisett, Head of Public Sector at Triple Point Heat Network Investment Management, said:
“The UK’s district heating market has never been more investable, and the dizzying momentum is showing no sign of letting up. If the Heat Network Industry Council’s prediction that £50bn of private capital might be required to fuel its growth seemed abstract when it was made, it looks less so today given the scale and ambition of projects actually being delivered in our towns and cities now, barely 12 months later. It’s breathless stuff and too exciting by half.”
The BHIVE DPS is open to Contracting Authorities wanting to access funding and where relevant, commercialisation services for their heat network projects to:
- finance a new heat network,
- finance the expansion of an existing heat network, or
- facilitate the sale of part, or all, of an investment in a mature heat network - for example, where a Contracting Authority wishes to sell its stake in an operational heat network. This could also be part of a wider refinancing of the project.
The BHIVE DPS is not limited to projects receiving funding from the Heat Network Investment Project (HNIP), Green Heat Network Fund (GHNF) or from the Heat Network Delivery Unit (HNDU) – it is also open to Contracting Authorities who do not expect to receive any funding from these government schemes.
https://tp-heatnetworks.org/bhive/
