EnergiRaven will join policymakers, industry leaders and political commentators at the New Statesman’s Politics Live event on Tuesday 30 June in London, where the future of UK energy infrastructure will be high on the agenda.
Following the recent local elections, the conversation around energy infrastructure feels more important than ever. Whatever their political outlook, people are united by a clear expectation: future energy infrastructure must be affordable, resilient, locally beneficial and built for the long term.
That is exactly the discussion EnergiRaven will be joining at Politics Live.
Simon Kerr, Head of Heat Networks, Scotland & NI at EnergiRaven, will be speaking on the 10.15 panel, “Future generation: How can the UK become a global leader in clean energy technology?”
Simon will share insights from new UK-wide public research commissioned by EnergiRaven, exploring public perceptions of heat networks and what people want to see from the energy infrastructure of the future.
Public expectations for future energy infrastructure
The survey, carried out by Diffusion, asked 2,330 people across the UK, including 500 respondents in Manchester, about heat networks, waste heat, data centres and future energy infrastructure.
The findings show strong public appetite for practical, long-term solutions that can reduce waste, improve resilience and deliver visible local benefits.
Among the key findings:
- 74% of respondents agreed that businesses such as data centres, manufacturers and water treatment facilities should be required to share excess heat, provided heat networks exist for them to do so.
- 79% supported capturing and reusing waste heat from industry to warm homes through heat networks.
- 77% supported using excess energy from renewable sources such as wind and solar to heat water for heat networks.
- 68% said they would consider switching to a heat network if one were available in their area.
- 61% selected investing in heat networks to use energy currently wasted as one of the measures government could take to protect against future energy price spikes.
- 62% said they would be more supportive of a new or expanded data centre in their area if it committed to heating nearby homes and businesses through a heat network using its waste heat.
The research suggests that while heat networks are still unfamiliar to many people, the principles behind them are widely supported: lower bills, less waste, stronger energy security, local jobs and modern shared infrastructure.
Strong support in Manchester
EnergiRaven’s survey also tested public views on the proposed Manchester Heat Highway route.
Among respondents in Manchester, 70% said they would support the development of a Heat Highway serving the Manchester area, while only 1% opposed it.
Support was linked closely to practical local benefits. Manchester respondents said they would support the proposal if it lowered energy bills, boosted the local economy, created jobs, supported regeneration and delivered long-term benefits for the region.
The findings reinforce EnergiRaven’s belief that future energy infrastructure must be planned around public value, not just technical feasibility.
Simon Kerr, Head of Heat Networks, Scotland & NI at EnergiRaven said:
“Heat networks have a major role to play in the UK’s energy future, but public support will depend on whether people can see the benefits in their own lives and communities.
“Our research shows that people want future energy infrastructure to be affordable, resilient, locally beneficial and built for the long term. That is a powerful message for policymakers, local leaders and industry.
“The Manchester Heat Highway is an example of the kind of strategic thinking we need. By planning heat as city-wide infrastructure, we can make better use of wasted energy, connect homes and businesses to cleaner heat sources and create systems that are ready for the next 50 years — not just the next funding cycle.”
From clean energy technology to long-term infrastructure
The UK has a major opportunity to become a global leader in clean energy technology. But leadership will not come from innovation alone. It will also depend on the infrastructure, regulation and delivery models that allow clean technologies to work at scale.
For EnergiRaven, that means treating heat as essential infrastructure: planned strategically, delivered locally and designed to create long-term public value.
EnergiRaven will be exhibiting at New Statesman Politics Live on Tuesday 30 June. Visitors can meet the team, explore the Manchester Heat Highway proposal and discuss the role of heat networks in the UK’s clean energy transition.
