Energy minister opens new energy-saving Leeds site as government commits to “decarbonising the North”

Lord Callanan, minister for business, energy, and corporate responsibility, officially declared Cenergist’s new energy and water-saving site in Leeds open for business.

Part of Eneraqua Technologies PLC, Cenergist, is a specialist in energy and water efficiency helping Local Authorities up and down the country reduce their carbon footprint and reach their net zero goals.

Following the ceremony, the Minister visited several flagship energy-saving projects including the John Charles Leisure Centre which received £3m from the government’s Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, to see first-hand the fruits of a city-wide decarbonisation partnership between Cenergist and Leeds City Council (LCC).

Leveraging central Government funding, this partnership has successfully delivered on both the Government’s decarbonisation goals and LCC’s aim to become the first carbon-neutral city in the UK. Future plans include a focus on the remaining primary schools within LCC’s stock, and the decarbonisation of Leeds’ heritage buildings.  

Across the wider project, Cenergist will install a total of 61 heat pumps across 31 sites in Leeds which will save an annual total of 3,951 tonnes of carbon city-wide, equivalent to planting over 23,000 trees.

Speaking about the visit, Lord Callanan said: “UK emissions have already taken a dive, halving since 1990, while our economy has grown by 78 per cent. We’re decarbonising faster than any other G7 country and any organisation not working to reduce its emissions is swimming against the tide.”

Speaking about the project itself, Cenergist MD Mitesh Dhanak commented: “Heat pumps are a capable, low-carbon technology that can deliver on the Government’s net zero ambitions.

“We are very proud to be involved in this partnership which highlights just how effective central Government, a forward-looking City Council and an innovative British business can be to deliver ambitious environmental change.”

Leader of Leeds City Council, Councillor James Lewis added: “Taking bold steps to cut our emissions is not only the best thing we can do to protect ourselves and others from a changing climate but it is also the best strategy for Leeds to prosper from the economic opportunities of a greener world.”