The UK wastes around 300 TWh of as heat when generating electricity from natural gas, which is larger than the 240 TWh of gas that we use to heat our homes and hot water. With homes responsible for 15% of CO2 emission there is a significant green prize to be won.
Just under 1 million people are already connected to heat networks, which are mostly community-based schemes in flats and high-density housing. For industrial users Slough power station provides heat to its neighbouring industrial estate and there are a few other similar examples.
The good news is that the government is getting serious about heat networks, there are trials planned in 15 cities. Ofgem has been appointed as the heat regulator and is getting more active with new regulations planned later this year.
On the continent there are already many extensive heat networks. Some include transmission scale pipes covering large distances, which are based on large diameter pipes can transmit high temperature water with low losses due to the low surface area to volume ratio.
There could be a role for heat transmission in the UK, imagine that a new nuclear station at Sizewell pumps heat into North London rather than the North Sea.
New housing estates are prime candidates for local heat networks, rather than fitting a gas boiler we could be putting a heat exchanger and hot water tank, with solar panels and a battery this could be a near zero carbon home.
Wouldn’t it be great if there were heat pipes running along every street and when it is time to replace the boiler, we just plumb ourselves in?
