Monday, September 29, 2025

News: E.ON looking to invest more than £500m across the Lower Don Valley

By

Plans have been submitted that show how E.ON's Don Valley heat network will bring low carbon heating to a key economic site in Rotherham.

Rothbiz reported last year on proposals to add around 11km to expand the 8km pipe network that is powered by E.ON’s Blackburn Meadows renewable energy plant which uses biomass to provide a source of heating to connected buildings.

Heat networks are a more efficient and more cost-effective way of providing heat to built-up areas by producing and distributing heat from a central source instead of individual boilers in each property.

Already providing heat to businesses, including IKEA UK, Forgemasters' and Ice Sheffield and Sheffield Arena, the plans show a route south of the current network extending from Sheffield Arena to take in Tinsley's industrial estates and Sheffield Business Park before crossing the Parkway to connect to the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham.

The pilot phase extension will see a Capital Expenditure Investment (CAPEX) of around £40m in Sheffield and Rotherham and the application adds: "E.ON’s ambition is to invest more than £500m across the Lower Don Valley to deliver at scale and pace to provide low carbon, cost effective heat to buildings within this area and the creation of new local jobs totalling circa. 2355 by 2036."

Advertisement
There is likely to be some disruption on the local highway network during the construction phase due to the need to dig up sections of road to be able to install the pipe network. This will result in short term impacts such as lane closures, road closures and diversion of traffic.

The proposed pipe network also includes above-ground heat pipes that span two bridges, and one underpass between Sheffield and Rotherham.

For the Europa Link Underpass beneath the Parkway the proposal involves fully enclosing the pipework, concealing the exposed heat pipes and minimizing their visual impact.

From the Parkway, pipes would take the network down Poplar Way to the Morrisons roundabout, onto Highfield Spring and Brunel Way, stopping outside Rolls-Royce's Advanced Blade Casting facility with plans showing the potential for a "future expansion connection."

Blackburn Meadows generates 30MW of electrical energy and up to 25MW of thermal energy to power the equivalent of 69,0005 homes and businesses.

E.ON hopes to start construction on the pilot phase in 2027.

In 2023 Rotherham Energy Limited secured £25m to build a new Rotherham Energy Network eminating from the £150m biomass power station at Templeborough.

E.ON website

Images: E.ON

0 comments:

Members:
Supported by:
More news...

  © Blogger template Newspaper III by Ourblogtemplates.com 2008

Back to TOP