Is the Thames Now a Source of Heat?

Why It Matters

The network demonstrates how urban river‑based heat can accelerate the UK’s decarbonisation agenda while lowering energy costs and improving air quality in dense city centres.

Key Takeaways

• £72.7 million heat network on South Bank.
• Uses river water via water‑source heat pumps.
• Cuts NOx emissions by 72 % and saves 22,000 t CO₂.
• Creates 200 jobs; supports UK heat‑network targets.
• Provides pre‑built infrastructure for future building connections.

Pulse Analysis

Heat‑networking is emerging as a cornerstone of Britain’s low‑carbon strategy, and the Thames‑based project exemplifies this shift. By leveraging water‑source heat pumps, the South Bank scheme taps the river’s relatively stable temperature to generate heat with far lower emissions than traditional gas boilers. The initiative aligns with the government’s pledge of over £1 billion in funding to double heat‑network coverage by 2035, positioning London as a testbed for scalable, city‑wide solutions.

Technically, the system circulates chilled river water through a closed‑loop, extracting thermal energy via heat‑pump technology before distributing it through insulated underground pipes. This method reduces nitrogen‑oxide output by 72 % and eliminates the need for new gas infrastructure, delivering immediate public‑health benefits in a densely populated area. The project’s early phase forecasts a carbon saving equivalent to removing 10,000 cars from the road each year, while also generating more than 200 skilled jobs in construction, engineering and operations.

Beyond the immediate environmental gains, the Thames heat network signals a broader market transformation. Pre‑building the distribution grid allows buildings to transition to renewable heat on their own schedule, mitigating the risk of stranded assets. As heat networks become cheaper than fossil‑fuel alternatives, they promise to shave up to £300 off household energy bills, supporting the UK’s affordability targets. If replicated across other river corridors and urban districts, this model could accelerate the nation’s path to net‑zero while delivering economic and health co‑benefits.

Is the Thames now a source of heat?

South Bank and other parts of the capital will soon be heated by river water · 30 January 2026 · 8:30 AM · By Sumit Bose

Heat from the River Thames could soon warm some of London’s most recognisable cultural buildings as a new £72.7 million heat network takes shape on the South Bank.

The Waterloo and South Bank Heat Network will use water‑source heat pumps to extract low‑carbon heat from the river and distribute it through underground pipes to major buildings in the area.

Organisations exploring a connection include the BFI Southbank, Southbank Centre, the National Theatre and King’s College London, signalling one of the most high‑profile heat‑network schemes yet attempted in the capital.

The project is being developed by Hemiko, which has secured £15.6 million from the Government’s Green Heat Network Fund to kick‑start construction and early infrastructure works.

The network is designed to be built ahead of demand, allowing buildings to switch from gas boilers when they are ready rather than waiting for new energy infrastructure to catch up.

Hemiko says heat networks are expected to become the cheapest way to supply heating over time, supporting the Government’s pledge to cut household energy bills by up to £300 over the next four years.

Ministers have committed more than £1 billion to heat‑network development and want to double the share of heat demand met by networks within 10 years, with more than one million homes connected by 2035.

The South Bank scheme is low‑carbon from the outset and, as buildings connect, it will cut nitrogen‑oxide emissions by 72 % over time as gas boilers are phased out. Gas boilers are currently the largest source of NOx pollution in central London, making heat networks a public‑health as well as an energy intervention.

Hemiko will invest £72.7 million in the early phases of the project, creating more than 200 jobs, with the first phase alone saving 22,000 tonnes of carbon a year – equivalent to removing 10,000 cars from the road.

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