Department for business, energy and industrial strategy in the UK has launched an open consultation seeking views on policy options for regulating heat networks to protect consumers and ensure fair pricing while supporting market growth and the development of low-carbon networks.

The consultancy will provide services as follows:

• measures to increase levels of investment in the sector, such as provision of market information and support for strengthening local approaches that will help generate additional demand certainty on projects
• policy options for establishing a market framework to deliver important consumer protections, equivalent to those offered to gas and electricity customers, as the market expands
• proposals relating to the choice of a regulator, the regulatory approach, enforcement powers, and step-in arrangements
• proposals for protecting consumers including on transparency, pricing and quality of service standards
• proposals for developing technical standards and certification and accreditation processes to improve the quality, cost, and reliability of heat networks
• proposals for giving heat networks equivalent rights and powers (such as undertaker or statutory access rights) compared with other utilities
• proposals to drive decarbonization of heat networks and use of waste-heat sources

The deadline to submit the interest is May 01, 2020. You can find more information about this consultation on our business opportunity page here.