Pioneering energy schemes to use the sea and rivers to heat buildings

A £1.6m cash boost could soon see hundreds of homes heated using the freezing waters of the North Sea.

The scheme is one of three innovative energy projects in Scotland, all based around water source heat-pump technology, to have been awarded £1.75m from the Scottish Government.

The schemes, in Shetland, Clydebank and Glasgow, will use water source heat pump technology to extract heat from water to supply low carbon heat efficiently.

These are:

• a £1.6m loan for a large scale sea-water source heat pump scheme in Lerwick, to allow 225 more households to join the existing heat network;

• funding of £75,000 for the Queens Quay Development on the site of the former John Brown Shipyard, to develop an investment prospectus for a district heating network using a water source heat pump in the River Clyde basin; and

• funding of £75,000 for the University of Glasgow Western Campus to develop an investment grade proposal to install a water source heat pump in the River Kelvin to ensure the existing district heating network can service new buildings planned for the site of the former Western Infirmary hospital.

Star Renewable Energy, who are involved in some of the projects, have also been involved in the development of the water heat pump system at Drammen in Norway, taking water from the nearby fjord to help supply the majority of the local districts energy.

Director of Star Renewable Energy, Dave Pearson, said:  “Star welcomes the announcement today that the Scottish Government is supporting two projects to develop investment grade proposals for the deployment of Water Source Heat Pumps. Our company has been at the forefront of utilising larger heat pumps for several years" going on to say, “Drammen reduced their carbon footprint and stack emissions by over 80% by switching from gas combustion to our 90C heat pump, achieving the COP21 2050 goals stated in Paris."

For more information, help or advice please contact Andrew Davison on 0191 211 7950 or email [email protected].