Hackney’s poorest residents are set to save a massive £2,000 a year on their energy bills after a £8m council project to upgrade the borough’s energy systems.
The project, called the Shoreditch Heating Network, will replace gas and oil-fired heating across Hoxton’s Cranston, Wenlock Barn and Fairbank Estates with energy efficient power systems. More than 500 households will benefit from the scheme in time for winter. The boilers could reduce bills from £3,000 to just £1,000, according to contractor Vital Energi.
The scheme, which was previously stalled in 2004, will be completed by the end of the year.
Philip Glanville, councillor for Hoxton ward, said it will have a substantial impact on the cost of fuel in Hackney.
A spokesman for Hackney Homes, which manages social housing for the council, said: “In addition to the reduction in bills, the new system will allow residents to manage heat and energy consumption in their homes in a way that is suitable for their lifestyle and needs.
“The old communal system for Cranston heating was turned on from 1 September each year and turned off on 1 April. This system did not allow our residents to manage heat as and when they required it.”
This winter will be the first time that residents will be able to control their own heating. Before then, the council chose when to turn the boilers on.
The Shoreditch Heating Network will also lower costs, with potential savings of up to £1m per year across Hoxton. Mulalley, the building company which installed the system, says that it will reduce fuel poverty by permitting residents to control their own energy consumption.
A spokesman for Hackney Homes said: “The network has been designed on a web basis so other blocks in the area can be added to the system.” Despite this, there is no indication that the scheme will be rolled out across the borough.
The Shoreditch Heat Network has already been shortlisted for ‘Renewable Energy Project of the Year’ for its commitment to reduce carbon emissions by 55%.
