Scotland’s first 100% renewable, large-scale district heating network has been officially opened in Glenrothes.
Glasgow engineering consulting firm WSP carried out the feasibility study for the scheme which is powered by an existing biomass power station fuelled by waste wood and will against climate change and reduce fuel poverty.
Fife Council buildings are already connected to the network and once businesses and homes are connected in the coming years, they will save at least 10% compared with the cost of heating with gas boilers.
Supported by additional infrastructure, the electrical power station would have the capacity to heat 3,500 homes, making it one of the largest renewable district heating schemes in Scotland. In Glenrothes, 30% of households live in fuel poverty, higher than the Scottish figure of 25%.
The network opened by Scottish Minister for Energy, Connectivity and the Islands, Paul Wheelhouse on 25th April.
The network uses surplus heat from the biomass combined heat and power (CHP) station built five years ago by RWE to power the paper mill in Markinch. When the paper mill closed in 2015, RWE and Fife Council joined forces to protect harness the energy being generated for the benefit of the community.
WSP’s detailed feasibility study supported the business case for the scheme, which was then able to secure a grant from the Scottish Government’s Low Carbon Infrastructure Transition Programme to fund £8.6 milion of the £24 million project.
Ewan Jures, an associate in WSP’s Glasgow office, said, “Our analysis showed that building a district heating network to supply local homes and businesses would not only benefit its customers but also enhance the sustainability of the biomass power plant. The Glenrothes Energy Network is unique in that the heat generated not only benefits the community, but it also improves the overall efficiency of the plant to meet SEPA targets.
“Whilst the genesis of this new district heating system may not be typical, in that a biomass plant existed to begin with, there are undoubtedly lessons other towns could learn from Fife Council’s approach when considering innovative solutions to their community’s energy needs .”
Councillor Ross Vettraino, Fife Council’s spokesperson for the environment, said: “Fife continues leading the way in tackling climate change. Bringing this district heating scheme to Glenrothes helps us reach our goal of reducing carbon emissions by 42% by 2020. The scheme demonstrates how to tackle the Government’s long-term climate change targets at a local level and helps build confidence in modern, low carbon heat technology.
“This project is an exemplar of partnership working and what it can achieve. Thanks go to everyone involved in bringing this stage of the network to successful completion.”
