Heat decarbonisation
The decarbonisation of heat is a major challenge facing the UK (and beyond) in its transition to a net zero carbon economy.
Ricardo has been providing world-leading expertise and knowledge on all aspects of heat decarbonisation, from policy development through to feasibility and implementation of low/no-carbon heating technologies.
Our key capabilities in heat decarbonisation
There are a number of options available to decarbonise heat, and at Ricardo we have developed a Heat Decarbonisation Hierarchy as a framework to outline the low carbon alternatives that we can help you to realise (see across)
As with the use of any resource, the focus should be first on reducing how much is used. In the case of heat, opportunities to improve the energy efficiency of buildings should be a priority, ensuring future low carbon heating is designed to match reduced loads. For industrial heat users, processes should be optimised and opportunities for waste heat recovery explored, with cost effective solutions being implemented first.
Following on from this, the next step is to make the transition from fossil-fuel based heating to a low carbon alternative – such as biomass, solar, heat pumps, or connection to low carbon heat networks.
For many industrial heat users, who require higher temperatures, heat pumps are less likely to be a feasible option, and therefore other opportunities such as fuel switching will need to be explored, for example the use of biofuels or hydrogen as alternative to fossil fuels.
Finally, for the most energy intensive and hard to abate sites which include high temperature processes within manufacturing, the opportunity to decarbonise lies in Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage, including Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS), which has the potential for negative emissions.

Comprehensive heat decarbonisation support

Heat pumps
Strategic advice on the role of heat pumps as part of net-zero strategies.

CHP
Design, development and quality assessment of combined heat and power (CHP) technologies.

CCUS
Leading expertise and knowledge on carbon, capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS).

Heat and cooling networks
Advice across the entire project life cycle of heat networks (including district heating and communal heating), and cooling networks.

Industrial heat decarbonisation
Expert strategies and robust scientific insights to decarbonise your industrial process heat.
Markets
This service is offered within the following sectors.
Discover our case studies
Sector perspectives on industrial decarbonisationCarbon removal technologies & policy | eBook series
Read campaignThe role of solar energy in achieving carbon removals and net zero targets
Read insightPathways to Industrial Heat Decarbonisation
Read insightHeat decarbonisation Resources
Speak to our heat decarbonisation experts
If you are considering how you can decarbonise heat and need expert support. Contact us using the form below for an informal discussion on how we can help.