How Vital Energi’s transformative energy solutions are minimizing Westminster’s carbon footprint 

With two generations of experience in delivering sustainable and viable energy generation, distribution, and consumption management projects, Vital Energi (Vital) works with numerous sectors to provide multi-technology solutions. Over the last 30 years, the company has seen many changes in the industry and continues to lead the way by implementing the latest technologies for its customers. Its agile approach, experience, and capabilities allow Vital to design flexible, resilient, and future-proof energy schemes across cities in the UK. Mike Cooke, Managing Director, reflects on the company’s origins and purpose. 

“Vital was established in 2000 through the visionary leadership and professional partnership of Gary Fielding and Ian Whitelock,” he begins. “In August 2025, we will celebrate our 25th anniversary, making this year a great time to reflect on our journey thus far. Over the past decade, we have witnessed a sudden shift and increasing awareness regarding the impact of climate change and the urgent need to operate in an environmentally responsible manner. We have seen a huge focus emerge in recent years with measuring and reducing carbon emissions, namely with heat and power generation. Our growth as a business is shaped around meeting the needs of the energy generation, distribution, storage, and conservation of our customers. Vital are privately owned and benefit from the ongoing support of Corran Capital, which invested in Vital just over a year ago. Corran Capital is dedicated to fostering the growth of clean energy. As such, Corran form part of our group board and participates in shaping our business and growth,” he adds. 

Mike goes on to discuss the extensive range of solutions and services Vital offers, which are crucial to various sectors. “We are agile and recognize energy generation, storage, distribution, and conservation are constantly moving targets. The decarbonization of the UK will require multiple forms of energy sources, and a key focus is the electrification of heat and, where appropriate, reducing energy consumption. Our solutions and services are tailored to all the sectors we engage with, including healthcare, education, local authorities, and the private sector, encompassing commercial, industrial, and even mixed-use developments. Across each of these sectors, our role is to support the development and design of projects, provide funding and financing for construction, operation, maintenance, and the lifecycle of the assets. Many of these projects incorporate generation assets such as heating and cooling plants, or energy storage assets such as thermal storage vessels and battery storage alongside emerging technologies which enable the use of phase change materials (PCMs). 

“At Vital Energi,, we often use private wire networks to distribute electricity, and heating and cooling networks to replace gas infrastructure, which is commonly linked to carbon emissions. Our approach to energy conservation focuses on reducing a customer’s energy demand before considering how much energy they require for generation. This requires us to consider a wide range of energy conservation measures, from LED lighting and lighting control systems to a fabric-first approach that entails reengineering existing building structures, including new windows, doors, roofs, and insulation. To further improve energy efficiency, we enhance mechanical and electrical systems by replacing new motors in equipment, pumps, and fans, and improving electrical harmonics to ensure voltage is optimized within buildings. 

Pioneering schemes 

“Overall, we strive to provide creative solutions that foster collaboration with our customers. Our goal is to deliver comprehensive end-to-end solutions that are perfectly suited and tailored to our customers’ needs,” he elaborates. 

Several significant schemes across the UK have benefitted from Vital’s versatility and expertise. Mike is keen to discuss the company’s involvement in the low carbon heat network in Westminster and its impact on London’s carbon footprint. “Affectionately referred to as the SWAN partnership, the South Westminster Area Network is a tremendous project aimed at generating £1 billion in heat network revenues. Recently, we secured the first stepping-stone to this project with a successful £21 million application to the Green Heat Network Fund, which was announced by the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero alongside Triple Point, the organization facilitating the grant process. The match funding grant will enable the pioneering schemes that are currently planned in both the north area of the network near Strand and the south area around Pimlico and Westminster. Ultimately, the project is expected to create over 500 jobs and reduce carbon emissions in the SWAN area by approximately 75,000 tons per year, massively improving air quality while serving more than 170 buildings. This represents a standout opportunity for heat networks, where we are partnering Hemiko and utilizing the CVC DIF VII fund to support the development of the project.”

Ambitious target 

Another significant development for Vital is a £250 million framework partnership with London Gatwick Airport, encompassing multiple projects. “The overarching goal of this initiative is to achieve Net Zero for London Gatwick Airport by 2030. This is a highly ambitious target, and realistic budgets have been established for all project work, which comprises 55 different projects spanning both landside and airside operations. Estimates show the completion of this project will require a collective workforce of over 1500 people over the next five years. It is a truly transformative opportunity that will reduce energy consumption and eventually electrify heat, ensuring that the airport has no dependency on gas going forward, which is a crucial aspect of the Net Zero transition. We are well into the design phases of this exciting project, collaborating closely with the London Gatwick Airport team. The process has been intense yet enjoyable, with some interesting targets to meet in the coming weeks and months as we prepare for construction at the end of the year,” Mike informs. 

Nonetheless, opportunities for growth also lie beyond these exciting projects, as Mike points out. “Over the past year, town and city heat networks have seen notable growth. For example, we have been developing the network in Solihull, which features a Combined Heat and Power (CHP) system, heat pumps, heat network and a private wire network designed to service customers around Solihull’s Tudor Grange Energy Centre. There is an increasing number of large-scale opportunities in towns and cities that require significant investment to lay the necessary infrastructure and provide customers with low- or zero-carbon heat.” 

Unique opportunity 

As Vital continues to grow and expand its asset portfolio, ensuring it has a talented workforce is both essential and challenging. Mike shares insights into the company’s staffing strategy. “Resources across the green energy sector as a whole are indeed difficult to find. For most, this sector represents a new employment opportunity that is not currently typically included in traditional training or career paths. As a result, many people discover the green energy sector later in their careers. At present, we see a unique opportunity to employ those who possess transferable skills and knowledge from other construction and built environment sectors. Additionally, we are committed too and operate a very successful apprentice, graduate, and postgraduate program. This year, we plan to recruit more than 50 new apprentices, graduates and early careers, which is expected to increase our headcount to more than 900 employees. Many of these new team members will be new to the green energy segment and have a strong desire to protect our planet for future generations, which aligns with our purpose. They will work across various areas of our business, from marketing, finance and human resources to engineering, design, construction, operation and maintenance. 

“Furthermore, we have established several alliances with colleges and universities, where we share resources or encourage our staff to take placements to gain qualifications. We are committed to developing our people and upskilling them to meet the needs of our industry, recognizing that we cannot simply find candidates off the shelf to work in our company. Instead, we are focused on working to onboard our team members in a way that ensures their skills are matched with our needs.”  

vitalenergi.co.uk