APSE Energy Event - Sheffield - Heat networks – policies, plans, practicalities, problems and proper progress!

Date: Thursday 27 November 2025, 10:00 AM - 3:30 PM

Venue: Sheffield Town Hall, Pinstone Street, Sheffield, S1 2HH

This event is free for APSE Energy members. 

APSE Energy’s next in person event is to be held on Thursday 27^th November 2025 at Sheffield Town Hall. This is your opportunity to be brought up to date with the latest government policy on heat networks, hear from Sheffield City Council on their Advanced Zoning Programme, insights into how heat networks will be regulated in future, as well as a site visit to the Veolia Energy Recovery Facility, giving you a chance to see a heat network in practice. There will be lots to learn from the experience and expertise of the speakers, and through discussion amongst delegates.

Click here to book your place 

The full agenda for the event can be seen below:

Agenda:

9:30 am - Registration and refreshments

10:00 am - Session 1

Welcome: Phil Brennan, Head of APSE Energy

A policy context - Why the focus on heat networks? 

• Policy driving action
• Support is available
• Where will we be in 10 years time?

Ben Brown, Heat Networks Strategy Lead, Department for Energy Security & Net Zero

Sheffield’s Advanced Zoning Programme for heat networks

• A bit of context from Sheffield
• Advanced Zoning – what, where, how, why, when?
• Identifying a partner to help us progress

Kathryn Warrington, Heat Network Programme Lead, Sheffield City Council

Q&A/Discussion

11:00 - 11:15 - Break

11:15 - Session 2

Regulating heat: in the future

• What has changed and how will the network be regulated?
• The pragmatics of delivering a new heat network and making it financeable
• Aging heat networks - how do I comply?

Steve Gummer, Partner, Sharpe Pritchard

Learning from the experience of others

• The role of ADE
• Procurement, planning, regulations and more
• Positive and negative experience

Dr Nicola Gulley, Senior Researcher, Association for Decentralised Energy

Q&A/Discussion

12:15 - Lunch

13:00 - Guided walk to Veolia site

Site Visit and presentation.

A heat network in practice - Veolia Energy Recovery Facility, Bernard Road, Sheffield, S4 7YX.

Ben Thompson, Head of District Energy Operations, Veolia United Kingdom.

There will be a walk from Sheffield Town Hall to the Veolia site. The distance is 1.1 mile and will take approximately 20-25 minutes.

15:30 - Event close