SPONSORED FEATURE Are you paying for your neighbours energy waste? The rise of motivational tariffs in heat networks The key to making UK heat networks cheaper and more efficient is creating smarter incentives, writes Dan Cookson, senior applications engineer heat networks, at SAV Systems I n times of skyrocketing fossil fuel costs, energy shortages and looming climate targets, its no surprise that UK households are crying out for cheaper (and, ideally, greener) forms of space and water heating. This demand is accelerating a national shift from individual gas boilers to district heating networks using sources such as heat pumps, combined heat and power (CHP), waste heat, and renewable energies. Today, heat networks serve around half a million UK customers, forming the foundations of a more affordable and democratic energy landscape. Despite these bene ts, the communal 38 March 2023 www.cibsejournal.com nature of heat networks can be something of a double-edged sword. When they are performing well, all users bene t from lower costs and a smaller carbon footprint. But when there are weak links in the chain such as homes with unbalanced heating circuits, poor insulation or badly commissioned systems everyone pays the price. To complicate things further, engaging with individual customers and accessing their properties to perform upgrades can be dif cult, if not impossible. One of the key performance indicators of a heat network is the temperature of the water returning to the energy centre and every degree counts. Higher return temperatures increase heat losses, reduce plant ef ciency, shorten pipe lifespans, and raise overall running costs. Conversely, lower return temperatures improve the economy and longevity of the entire system, allowing operators to invest in upgrades and pass savings on to customers. However, while operators dictate their supply temperatures and can reduce them during lower demand, the return temperatures are determined by the individual users. In an ideal scenario, dwellings receive hot water at around 60-70C, extract as much heat as possible, and return it at a modest 30-40C. The difference