Case Study
Delivering Reliable, Low-Carbon Heating in Worthing: A Case Study
About the project
Worthing is a large seaside town in West Sussex, England, situated on the south coast at the foot of the South Downs. It is a diverse urban area, combining residential, commercial, and public buildings, making it an ideal location for a comprehensive heat decarbonisation initiative.
Worthing, like many UK towns, faces significant challenges in achieving Net Zero targets primarily due to its reliance on fossil fuels for heating buildings. Data indicates that buildings are the largest source of emissions in Worthing (around 67%), followed by transport. The borough’s diverse mix of residential, commercial, and public buildings, many with individual gas boilers, presents a complex landscape for decarbonisation.
The Worthing Heat Network project was initiated by Worthing Borough Council’s strong commitment to its net-zero ambitions (carbon neutral by 2030, net-zero borough by 2045).
The overarching objective for the Worthing Heat Network, which is being developed by Hemiko, is to decarbonise heating and hot water for every building in Worthing by 2050, fundamentally transforming the town’s energy landscape.
Objectives and goals
The Worthing Heat Network aims to:
- Establish a robust, future-proof district heat network that can evolve with technology and integrate diverse heat sources.
- Significantly reduce the borough’s carbon emissions from heating, contributing directly to Worthing Borough Council’s net-zero targets (carbon neutral council by 2030, net-zero borough by 2045)
- Provide reliable, affordable, and sustainable heating to both public and private sector buildings, as well as residential properties.
- Stimulate local economic growth through job creation and investment in green infrastructure.
- Improve local air quality by reducing the number of individual fossil fuel boilers.
As part of the project, the Council have set out the following goals:
- 3,000 tonnes CO2e reduction annually from Phase 1 connections
- Offer a connection to every building to the network by 2050
- Attract £500m financial investment into the project by 2050
- Create 40 jobs in phase 1 and up to 500 jobs by 2050
- Monitor the total amount of clean heat supplied by the network
- Monitor customer satisfaction with heat supply reliability, cost, and service.
Partnerships
Recognising the significant challenge posed by building emissions, the Council proactively commissioned feasibility studies and energy mapping to identify the most impactful decarbonisation pathways for heating.
This strategic groundwork led to the identification of a large-scale heat network as the optimal solution.
The Council then actively sought a strategic partner, leading to the competitive tender process that resulted in the formation of the public-private partnership with Hemiko in 2023.
Later that year, the Council successfully applied for and secured £7m from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero’s Heat Networks Investment Project (HNIP).
This grant funding was instrumental to unlocking an initial £40m private investment from Hemiko (part of a potential £500m).
Together with Hemiko, the Council launched the commencement of construction for Phase 1 of the heat network in July 2024 and are expecting to make the initial connections to the operational heat network of anchor public buildings such as Worthing Town Hall and Worthing Hospital in Summer 2025.
Worthing Borough Council have also collaborated with local businesses and contractors, community and building owners, as well as PSDS/Salix, who were essential to providing grant funding for retrofit works on all the council buildings and hospital.
Success to Date
The construction of the Worthing Heat Network is progressing well, and the scheme is firmly on track to meet its long-term goals:
- The project has successfully moved from planning to physical implementation
- Construction jobs are now active
- The long-term partnership with Hemiko ensures sustained investment and operational expertise
- Initial connections to anchor public buildings will soon begin
The project has garnered national attention as a leading example of ambitious, town-wide heat decarbonisation. Its successful public-private partnership and securing of substantial government funding provide a replicable blueprint for other municipalities struggling with similar net-zero heating challenges.
Key Takeaways from the Council:
- Ambition Drives Action: Setting a bold, town-wide decarbonisation target (every building by 2050) was key to mobilising the necessary resources and partnerships.
- Partnerships are Paramount: The public-private collaboration between Worthing Borough Council and Hemiko, supported by government funding, is the cornerstone of financing and delivering such a complex, long-term project.
- Holistic, Scalable Solutions: Instead of fragmented approaches, a centralised, scalable heat network offers the most effective pathway to deep, systemic heating decarbonisation across an entire urban area.
Next Steps
The immediate next step is the successful commissioning and operational launch of Phase 1, ensuring the anchor public buildings receive reliable, low-carbon heat as planned.
The core future activity is the continuous expansion of the network. This involves identifying and connecting further public buildings, as well as engaging and connecting commercial and, crucially, residential properties throughout Worthing, moving towards the 2050 target of heating every building.
Photos, links, and references
With thanks to Worthing Borough Council and Hemiko for providing this case study, including the images and diagrams.