Could Derry Lead the Way for Northern Ireland?
Derry has the perfect profile to become Northern Ireland’s first ‘green heat hub’. As the largest city in the region, it serves as a commercial and social anchor to nearby towns such as Strabane, Eglinton, Claudy, and Limavady. The city also benefits from strong community ties and an abundance of untapped energy sources, from industrial waste heat to curtailed wind and solar power.
Rather than investing in the expansion of the gas grid, a short-term and increasingly outdated solution, Northern Ireland has an opportunity to leapfrog towards a smarter alternative: a heat highway. This would be a long-range underground network transporting clean heat from local industries, data centres, biomass, and wind-generated electricity, into Derry’s homes, schools, hospitals, and businesses.
Turning Wasted Energy into Affordable Warmth
In 2024 alone, Northern Ireland curtailed 16.9% of its solar output and an eye-watering 38.4% of onshore wind generation in December, just when people needed heating most. A heat highway could capture and convert this wasted energy into clean, low-cost heating, building a future-proof energy infrastructure that benefits everyone.
A Vision Grounded in Community
District heating is more than a technical solution, it’s a social one. It reduces carbon emissions, cuts bills, and makes heat affordable for everyone, particularly the most vulnerable. It also reflects the strong values of the people of Derry: independence, resilience, and looking out for one another.
