Amberside Advisors appointed as Lead Advisor to London Borough of Hounslow’s upcoming Strategic Energy Partnership

Amberside Advisors has been appointed to support the London Borough of Hounslow in securing a partner for Phase 1 of its District Heating plans, as well as its ambitious authority-wide Strategic Energy Partnership (SEP). Both projects are major initiatives aimed at accelerating the borough’s transition to Net Zero, through collaborative partnership with the private sector.

The SEP will bring together a range of energy and other infrastructure opportunities, including solar PV, building retrofit, electric vehicle infrastructure, and other low-carbon solutions. At its core, the programme is designed to establish a long-term partnership that can unlock investment, enable delivery at scale, and support Hounslow’s wider environmental and economic ambitions.

Hounslow successfully secured over £10.55 m from the Green Heat Network Fund earlier this year, to catalyse delivery and unlock further private investment. The grant funding will be leveraged to engage a heat network development partner to deliver the phase 1 network in the borough.  

At full vision, the heat network is expected to span approximately 68.5 km, delivering around 484 GWh of low-carbon heat annually, with an estimated capital value of c.£417 million.

The network is looking to utilise waste heat from Thames Water’s Mogden Sewage Treatment Works as a primary low-carbon source, with potential for further expansion across the borough and beyond.

Supporting a market-ready, investable programme

Amberside Advisors will act as both financial and commercial advisor, supporting Hounslow in shaping the overall structure of the SEP programme and bringing it to market.

This will include early-stage work to define the optimal commercial approach, followed by market engagement and procurement support to secure the right long-term delivery partner.

The appointment reflects Amberside Advisors’ extensive experience in the heat and energy space, alongside strong relationships with private sector investors and a considered approach to structuring complex programmes, all of which positions the team well to support Hounslow in creating a compelling and investable proposition.

A growing model for local authorities

The programme reflects a growing trend among local authorities to adopt more integrated, market-facing approaches to delivering decarbonisation and place-based investment programmes.

Strategic Energy Partnerships are becoming an increasingly important route for local authorities seeking to deliver net zero ambitions at scale. By combining multiple assets and interventions into a single programme, they offer the potential to attract lower-cost capital, improve coordination, and accelerate delivery.

In London, this approach aligns with the London Infrastructure Framework, which emphasises coordinated, cross-borough and place-based infrastructure planning to unlock investment and support long-term delivery across the capital.

Looking ahead

Natasha Schlichtkrull, Associate at Amberside Advisors, said:

“We are seeing growing interest from both local authorities and private sector partners in Strategic Energy Partnerships, as a way to deliver net zero ambitions and commitments at scale. This is an important opportunity to support Hounslow in shaping a programme that brings together multiple asset groups into a single, investable proposition for the market. Hounslow has been working towards this point for several years, and the team is very excited to have been chosen to help prepare for – and reach this important milestone for the borough.”

Councillor Salman Shaheen, Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport and Public Realm at Hounslow Council, said:

 "The Strategic Energy Partnership and Heat Network Development Partnership represent major steps in delivering Hounslow's net zero ambitions. By bringing together a range of energy infrastructure opportunities, we aim to attract investment, accelerate delivery and create long-term benefits for residents, businesses and communities across the borough. We look forward to working with Amberside Advisors as we take these projects forward."