The government is to publish a map of areas that have the potential for efficient use of water-source heat pumps – an emerging renewable energy technology that has been installed in a project in Kingston-upon-Thames, and specified in a Docklands residential tower.
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A DECC spokesperson said the map will be based on a general heat map that the Centre for Sustainable Energy commissioned from a consultancy in 2012. The map shows areas where there is a potential for heat pumps of all kinds.
A DECC spokesperson said: “DECC officials are looking at improving the availability of data layers, for example, to show the potential for water-source heat pumps, energy from waste, recoverable heat, etc.”
The map is due to be produced within the next 12 months.
In the IoS interview, Davey discussed the use of water-source pumps at the £70m Kingston Heights mixed-use development being built by United House for NHP Leisure Developments, the first application of its type in the UK. The site, in Kingston upon Thames, is 200 metres from the banks of the Thames.
Water-source heat pumps have been specified at Dollar Bay, a residential tower in London’s Docklands, by Ian Simpson Architects and services engineer WSP
Davey called the development “game changing” in relation to Britain’s need for renewable energy, mentioning both insecurity of gas supply from Russia and political issues in the UK over soaring fuel bills. Davey visited the site in October to officially switch on the 2.3MW community heating system.
At Kingston, Mitsubishi Electric’s Ecodan water-source heat pumps are providing energy to heat hot water for radiators, showers and taps in nearly 150 homes and will do so to a 140-room hotel and conference centre to be built next year near the development.
The technology has also been specified at Dollar Bay, a residential tower in London’s Docklands by Ian Simpson Architects and services engineer WSP, where the dock water will be used as a source of energy for heating and cooling.
“Kingston Heights has shown the potential for river water to be harnessed on a large scale and a map highlighting suitable areas where it could be utilised in future would be highly beneficial.”
Jeffrey Adams, United House
The pumps work by exploiting the difference in temperature between the water and the surrounding air: water is warmer than the air in winter, but colder in the summer.
Terry Seward, secretary of trade group the Heat Pump Association, told CM the sector welcomes the idea of a national map designating potential areas for the use of water-source heat pumps.
“It’s a good idea to know where organisations can get the best return on their investment for this type of technology,” he said.
The Kingston upon Thames project could be a showcase for the technology’s effective use and boost the technology for housing projects in general, a market in which the UK has traditionally lagged behind other European countries, said the HPA’s Seward.
“The domestic UK market for water-source heat pump use has been slow compared to Europe in general. This is despite the UK market for all types of heat-source pumps, including ground and air, being worth around £300m a year.”
Jeffrey Adams, chief executive of United House, the contractor for the Kingston Heights scheme, said despite a lot of research into renewable energy sources, there has been little attention focused on rivers.
“It seems to have been overlooked for the most part,” he said. “Kingston Heights has shown the potential for river water to be harnessed on a large scale and a map highlighting suitable areas where it could be utilised in future would be highly beneficial.”
But larger projects may need some form of financial boost, he said. “Installation of similar systems on a large scale will require funding. If the government is really committed to this, then it has to put its money where its mouth is rather than expecting the private sector to come up with the cash.”
The water source can be the sea, rivers, lakes, canals and underground aquifers.
The new map will be focused on England and its release depends on the time needed to collect relevant data. However, its publication is expected “over the next year”, the DECC spokesperson said.
