District Heating
Inverness 1 September 2015
Peter Marshall (Strategy & Policy Manager)
Lessons from Denmark
Early attempts in Perth & Kinross
Local Development Plan
Current Activity
What Next?
The Unanswered Questions
Heat planning in existence on a formal basis for forty years. (first around 100 years ago)
Current policy approach to district heating was established following the oil crises of 1973/74
The national consensus and direction extends to providing central support on assumptions to be used in assessing heat planning projects and providing guidance to local authorities on how to prepare mandatory and holistic energy plans.
Lessons from Denmark
The tradition of municipal-owned or community-owned energy companies gives Denmark a different starting point than Scotland
It should also be noted that when this push started in the early 1980s the entire Danish energy sector was in Public ownership.
The production, network and distribution companies are set up as not for profit organisations
Lessons from Denmark
Legislation allows for compulsory connection but seldom required
Connecting individual homes, as opposed to higher density properties such as apartments, increases costs and reduces the competitiveness
Does Scotland need an acceptance of higher density development?
The principle here seems to be to start small in a number of places and then connect these smaller schemes
Lessons from Denmark
Lessons from Denmark
Early attempts in Perth & Kinross
2001 - Binn Farm surplice heat from anaerobic digestion plant attempt to get developer of nearby strategic site 4 miles to north to develop heat network
Failed – Lack of imagination / flexibility by developer and timing of proposals post planning application
2008- Proposed district heat network to serve new Secondary School and regeneration of Muirton (400 houses)
Failed due to inability of PPP partner and housing association to reach agreement
Heat Map
Commissioned by us in partnership with Fife Council and the Scottish Government helps to identify district heating opportunities in Perth and Kinross.
Provides starting point to inform district heating policies in the Local Development Plan and develop a Local Energy Plan
April 22, 2023
www.pkc.gov.uk/heatmap
The Local Development Plan
Sustainable Construction Policy backed up by Supplementary Guidance
Site specific requirement for 5 key strategic sites round Perth Core Area to investigate the potential for district heating (6,500-9,000 houses)
LDP2 needs to strengthen strategic approach and widen the site specific requirements to smaller sites particularly off gas network
The Local Development Plan
At time of Adopting LDP 1 proposals lodged for a 20MW forest residue biomass plant
Too much reliance placed by developers on this providing their solution – proposal now unlikely to go ahead due to changes in the renewable heat incentive
Danish message start small individual schemes and link up
Cross TAY Link RoadLinking Strategic Development Sites
Estimated Cost £88MPhasing 20-22
Luncarty 500+ houses
Scone 800+ houses
Relieves traffic pressure and air quality on Bridgend and Atholl Street
3000+ houses
3000+ houses
1500+ houses
Current Activity
River Tay Renewable Heat Exchange Network
12MW Peak Demand Heat2MW Peak Demand Cooling
ServesFood and Drink Park8 Council Buildings1537 Homes
Next Step – Further feasibility work
Current Activity
Perth West Wood Biomass combined heat and power proposal
Large estate with significant forestry assets
Interested in running plant but perhaps not network
Potential to link to Business Park and 5 Schools
Wants to run joint feasibility study with Council
Officer support but want to draw in other strategic sites and main areas of fuel poverty to look at a comprehensive network
Current Activity
Planning permission for 114 ha of unheated and heated polytunnels and Binn Farm Eco Park
Heat generated from the existing and proposed recycling, waste management and heat recovery processes– landfill gas, the anaerobic digestion plant and an energy from waste facility
Phase Development Timescale Heat usePhase 1 1 ha for research facility (probably a
fairly small glasshouse-type structure) with lab and heated growing space
2014-5 1 MW
Phase 2 8-12 blocks of 0.25 ha heated poly houses (land take t.b.c. depending on density of cover of the poly houses)
2015-6 2-3 MW
Phase 3 Development of the unheated poly tunnel systems
2016-21 Nil
Phase 4 20-40 blocks of 0.25 ha heated poly houses
2017-22 5-10 MW
Current Activity
It was evident various services in Council were working on related projects and not always sharing information - Inter departmental group established to co-ordinate activity
LDP 2 underway strengthening approach to District Heating
Supplementary Guidance on Renewables being prepared identifying strategic opportunities from new or more joined up activity across renewable and low carbon technologies
City Plan promoting carbon neutral development
Strategic Planned energyNational Planning Framework
Scottish Planning Policy
Strategic Development Plans
LDP/Renewables SG
Local Energy Plan
Master plan and projects “Local Development Plans should: Use heat mapping to identify
opportunities Give policy support for developing
of heat networks Identify where heat networks would
be appropriate” (SPP, 2015)
We are here
What Next?
Request to Executive Officer Team to develop strategic framework for energy
A proposed Energy Plan identifying priority actions to plan strategic energy networks and clearly defined outcomes
Progress feasibility work in association with strategic site owners
Unanswered questions
The Scottish Government needs to research whether the greatest carbon savings can be achieved with heat networks and buildings which fall short of passive status
Funding model and who owns and runs the plant, network and distribution companies?
What is the Council’s attitude to risk?
Can we exclude gas networks in new development with district heat networks?
Unanswered questions
How we get developer buy in?
How do we get public buy in?• Public need to expect / demand heat
networks from developers• Need to understand and trust
technology• Accept that plant is environmentally
acceptable and compatible with adjacent land uses
Questions
For me or my colleagues