E.ON to provide low carbon energy for Monkerton development
E.ON, the energy supplier behind the Cranbrook and Skypark developments, has been chosen as the district heating provider for the new Monkerton residential and commercial development on the outskirts of Exeter, it was announced today.
As part of landmark agreement with Devon County Council, East Devon District Council, and Exeter City Council, as well as property developers Persimmon Homes, Barratt Homes, Linden Homes, Bloor Homes and landowners Eagle One and Pater Salter, E.ON will develop a £30 million, 10,000sq ft Energy Centre and district heating network which will provide a sustainable and cost-effective source of heat and hot water to homes and businesses across this major new development designed to serve the growing population of the greater Exeter area.
About 2,800 homes to the west of the M5 will be served through the first phase of residential development alongside Exeter Science Park to the east of the M5 – plus other community facilities and commercial developments. This high efficiency energy solution could provide an estimated 7,000 tonnes of CO2 savings per year, the equivalent of removing more than 2,400 cars from the road1.
Jeremy Bungey, Head of Community Energy at E.ON, said: “This agreement with our local authority and developer partners is a vote of confidence not only in district heating as an efficient and cost-effective method of better serving our customers and lowering carbon emissions at home and at work, but also in the success we’ve delivered at our Cranbrook and Skypark developments.
“Work on the new Community Energy Centre serving Monkerton is more proof of E.ON’s continuing investment in cleaner energy sources across the UK. Not only will it provide local homes and businesses with a sustainable source of heating and hot water but will also continue to support Exeter and East Devon’s vision of becoming one of the UK’s leaders in decentralised energy.”
The agreement has been made possible by the tireless work of the Exeter and East Devon Low Carbon Task Force (LCTF), which has driven the process, working with partners to reach this historic milestone. John Rigby, chair of LCTF said: “Today’s announcement is absolute proof of the success that can be seen in bringing together councils, developers and energy companies to the benefit of all our futures. This is yet another multi-million pound investment into the green economy in the Exeter and East Devon area.”
Paul Diviani, the Leader of East Devon District Council, added: “I am delighted that this second network has been secured. The fact that it will serve new development in both Exeter and East Devon exemplifies the partnership working in the area. Alongside the new homes it is particularly fitting that it will serve the Exeter Science Park which will become the home of a new environmental futures cluster, further demonstrating our credentials in terms of pioneering low carbon development.
Cllr Pete Edwards, Leader of Exeter City Council, said: "This is an important step in delivering on our ambition to position Exeter at the forefront of decarbonising the economy with decentralised heating and energy networks. We want to thank all partners who have come together in this endeavour to achieve this district heating solution. We are leading by example and others are now taking note of what is being achieved at the greater Exeter area."
Cllr Andrew Leadbetter, Devon County Council Cabinet Member for Economy and Growth, said: “We know that our work to move towards a low carbon economy offers the potential to drive significant business investment and we want to ensure that Devon, and the wider South West, remains at the forefront of this growth in the sector. This announcement sends out a clear signal that Devon is serious about finding innovative solutions to make this a reality.”
Simon Perks, Managing Director South West at Persimmon Homes and lead for the developers welcomed the deal, adding: “We have been very pleased with the success of our sales at Cranbrook which have pioneered district heating and we are enthusiastic about rolling these facilities out to our site at Monkerton which is now getting under way. We will be able to deliver excellent quality homes with sustainability built in.”
The Energy Centre, to be located within the Monkerton development next to the M5 motorway, will house a 3 megawatt combined heat and power engine as well as a 500kw biomass boiler which will provide heat and hot water 24 hours a day. It will also provide low carbon electricity to the nearby Exeter Science Park with any surplus electricity being fed back into the national grid.
Allied with the neighbouring Cranbrook and Skypark developments – also powered by an E.ON district heating scheme – East Devon will be one of the largest low carbon communities in the UK to deliver Combined Heat and Power (CHP) to all residents of these developments.
