District heating could require large state investment

Network may require national ownership similar to gas, water and electricity, senior civil servant hints

One district heating project is in Dublin city centre, where waste heat will be used from the Poolbeg incinerator to heat local homes. Picture: Rollingnews.ie

A major barrier to rolling out district heating in Ireland will be the large capital funding required, according to a senior civil servant.

Kevin Brady, principal officer at Department of Environment, Climate and Communications, told the Irish District Energy Association’s conference that ownership of the district heating network would have to be considered shortly, hinting that state ownership would be the way to go, as is the case for our gas, water and electricity networks.