New Silvertown community to be powered by E.ON's ectogrid tech

Silvertown is being transformed into the vibrant new heart of the Royal Docks, with the restoration of the Millennium Mills, and the development of a new community featuring around 6,500 new homes. The locale will be powered by ectogrid, E.ON's latest heating and cooling solution. Based on heat pump technology, ectogrid is a low-carbon energy sharing network designed for city districts. It was inspired by ectotherms – cold-blooded animals such as snakes and lizards, which regulate their body temperature using external sources. The energy grid provides heating and cooling to homes and businesses by first tapping energy sources available locally, from air, water or the ground. Each property connected to the system then sends its excess heating or cooling to other buildings as needed, maximising use. E.ON estimates that by using ectogrid at Silvertown in place of traditional gas boilers, emissions will be 88% lower, saving about 4,000 tonnes of CO2 a year. The innovative technology won a Cop28 Energy Transition Changemakers award for energy efficiency.

The Guardian (18/03/2025)