DH benefits title

District heating is a technology that allows the distribution of heat generated centrally to be provided to residences and public buildings in a broader area. It is a clean, energy efficient and flexible technology that has the potentail to reduce carbon emissions when replacing individual carbon intensive heating systems in urban areas.

The vast majority of district heating plants are CHP plants, utilising heat co-generated with electricity that would otherwise be wasted. Renewable energy sources have also been applied to district heating through biomass boilers and even the electricity generated from wind turbines.

The graph below shows the uptake of district heating throughout Europe.

District heating benefits

In the UK only a tiny percentage of buildings are heated using district heating. This can be attributed to the high capital costs associated with installing such schemes. However, as the number of wind turbines in the UK increases there is perhaps the potential to utilise the surplus electricity to power district hrating schemes in towns around the UK. This is the basis of our project as we investigate the option of a district heating scheme in the town of Kirwall usisng the surplus electricity available from the wind turbines on the main land of Orkney.

BENEFITS FOR KIRKWALL

  • Wind energy that would otherwise have been wasted due to the island's low interconnectivity capacity with the mainland will now be utilised.
  • The scheme may be a relief to fuel poverty for the island, where the rates are amongst the highest in the U.K. according to the Orkney city council, and it will make Kirkwall's habitats less reliant on oil.
  • Installation causes minimal disturbances to the residents and requires few alterations in their homes and their already existing heating system.
    • kirkwall
  • Money that would otherwise be spent on heating oil will now stay within the local enonomy.
  • The construction and operation of such a scheme will significantly contribute to job creation in the local community and can also be an interesting technological site for visitors and tourists.
  • Emission free heating source that will improve the building's energy efficiency and allow the local council to match the emission targets that have been agreed.

References:

  • REHAU. District heating and heat networks CPD.