Water source heat pump projects awarded £1.75m funding

Published by Brian Coyle on

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Star Renewable Energy welcomes government support for three of their water source heat pump projects in Shetland, Clydebank and Glasgow.

The projects have been awarded funding from the Scottish government to extract warmth from rivers and sea water to provide low carbon, affordable heating to homes and businesses.

Energy Minister Fergus Ewing made the announcement at the Scottish Renewables annual conference in Edinburgh today. Announcing the scheme, Mr Ewing said: “Supporting the development of district heating and wider low carbon technologies will help maximise the economic opportunities from Scotland’s low carbon sector.

“Heat is estimated to account for over half of Scotland’s total energy use and is responsible for nearly half of Scotland’s greenhouse gas emissions, so the imperative to take action is very clear.

“Continued growth in the number of homes and businesses benefitting from connecting to low carbon, affordable warmth provided by district heating networks helps the Scottish government towards realising our ambition to increase the number of connections to district heating networks by 2020.”

Glasgow-based Star Renewable Energy is renowned for deploying a large water source heat pump for the Norwegian city of Drammen’s district heating system by harvesting heat from the freezing waters of the North Sea.

SRE Director Dave Pearson said, “Star welcomes the announcement today that the Scottish Government is supporting these 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. 

“Drammen reduced their carbon footprint and stack emissions by over 80 per cent by switching from gas combustion to our 90°C heat pump, achieving the COP21 2050 goals stated in Paris. The Scottish government commitment will be a catalyst for a similar step in Scotland as we aim for a significant decarbonisation of heating.”

The funding is being split between a large scale sea-water source heat pump scheme in Lerwick, to allow 225 more households to join the existing heat network – receiving a loan of £1.6 million; 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 – which is receiving funding of £75,000; and another £75,000 is being allocated to 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.

To find out more about Star Renewable Energy’s Water Source Heat Pumps, visit www.neatpumps.com.

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