University awarded £80,000 funding to undertake low-carbon heat study 

Date: Thursday 29th June, 2023

Wrexham Glyndwr University (WGU) has been awarded funding to undertake a study, which aims to determine the feasibility of developing a low-carbon heat network on campus. 

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has provided £80,000 of Heat Networks Delivery Unit (HNDU) funding to the North Wales institution as part of its latest round of grants to help public sector organisations in Wales make the switch to sustainable energy sources. 

WGU will use the funding to carry out a detailed feasibility study, which will appraise the technical and economic viability of developing a low-carbon heat network at the university’s Plas Coch campus in Wrexham and neighbouring businesses.  

Paul Moran, Capital Projects Manager at WGU, said the funding would be “crucial” in supporting the institution to play its part in helping meet the Welsh Government’s aim of achieving a carbon neutral public sector by 2030 and net zero by 2050.  

He said: “We are extremely pleased to have been awarded this funding by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero – and feel it’s a great opportunity for us at the university to move closer to reducing our carbon emissions using low-carbon heat technologies. 

“We have already made significant progress with some excellent results, and the achievement of being net zero is a core part of our strategy, and we believe that this study will support the collective responsibility being placed on all Welsh public sector bodies to achieve the Welsh Government’s carbon reduction ambition. 

“I’d like to thank the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero for awarding us this funding – and help us on our way to achieving crucial net zero status.” 

Among the Government department’s priorities are ensuring the UK is on track to meet its legally binding Net Zero commitments, as well as improve the energy efficiency of UK homes, business and public sector buildings.