Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero press release entitled “Families set to save money through new and upgraded heat networks”, published on 23 September 2026, what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of transporting hot water by electric barges as part of the Thames heat network project.

The effectiveness of the barge proposal included consideration of the volume of thermal energy carried by each barge, electrical energy requirements (considering barge propulsion and tidal movements), and the cost of heat delivered to customers relative to a natural gas counterfactual.

The barge proposal was assessed against the Green Heat Network Fund’s criteria for deliverability, value for money and technical feasibility. Unpressurised thermal storage is an established technology, and the applicant has substantial experience in barge transportation, already operating a fleet on the Thames for waste transportation.