In the recent episode of inspiratia's 'Energy Transition Today' podcast, Amberside Advisors' Associate Director Lorcan McAlindon joined Maya Chavvakula to discuss the realities of developing and delivering data centre projects in the UK.

The Euroheat & Power Congress in Kraków was a reminder of just how quickly the district energy sector is evolving. One of the clearest messages from the conference was that heat decarbonisation has moved beyond pilot projects and into large-scale delivery programmes. Across Europe, governments and municipalities are committing significant funding to support network modernisation, fuel switching and low-carbon heat generation. The business case for decarbonisation is strength

As a lot of the UK’s earlier waste infrastructure was delivered through PFI / PPP structures, which are coming towards the end of their original concession, asset owners are now facing challenging decisions.

If heat recovery is embedded into design, planning and reporting frameworks now, the UK can unlock a significant new source of low-carbon heat.

Across Europe, district heating plays very different roles in national energy systems. Differences in market penetration, fuel mix, ownership and funding models help explain why some countries are close to full decarbonisation while others face substantial delivery and investment challenges.

Data centres, producing consistent waste heat, offer a key opportunity for decarbonising homes and businesses. Early planning, co-location, and modular design can unlock investment, improve efficiency, and turn waste heat into a sustainable urban energy resource.

Read a summary of key insights from the ‘Turning up the Heat: London Borough’s role in shaping the heat transition’ - the most recent event in the Steer and Amberside Advisors' series London Borough Knowledge Exchange (LBKE)

Read Steer latest global insight report exploring the forces transforming how we move, power, and connect the world.

Biomethane has moved from being a niche renewable technology to one of the UK’s most scalable and immediate decarbonisation tools. Following insights from Green Gas Day 2025, this piece explores the sector’s shifting policy landscape, growing feedstock base, and emerging carbon-removal and transport opportunities.

While energy policy and planning is devolved to Scottish Government, these policies also positively impact the sector in Scotland, which is set to play an outsized role in the UK’s pathway to net zero.

Whether it is low-carbon heat networks, energy from waste, or integrated energy systems, a recurring challenge has emerged: translating Techno-Economic Models (TEMs) into robust, decision-ready Financial Models (FMs).

Commercial due diligence focuses on whether future assumptions are credible, and whether the business can deliver the growth implied in valuation models.

At Amberside Advisors, we know a financial model is only as good as the thinking behind it. Over the last two decades our team has reviewed, rebuilt, and audited over a thousand of models, and while Excel might be central to financial modelling, our work goes far beyond the formulas.

Yesterday’s Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) saw Chancellor Rachel Reeves set out spending priorities and constraints for both capital and day-to-day spending until 2029.

At Amberside Advisors, we specialise in providing commercial and financial advisory services, leveraging bespoke financial models that empower clients to navigate this growing market of district heating with confidence.

As the UK scales up housing and infrastructure delivery under its net zero commitments, heat networks are likely to emerge as a critical enabler.

Find out how EV charging can improve the business case for local decarbonisation projects.

How can local authorities mitigate the impact of the upcoming emissions trading scheme, with limited budgets and competing priorities.

Welcome to the first article in our series exploring the multifaceted world of the Energy from Waste, where Viet Ngyuen sets the stage.

Energy transition projects aim to replace traditional fossil fuels with more sustainable and renewable energy sources. Among the various...