The government is attempting to ramp up its renewable heat strategy and is pushing England’s waterways to businesses as a way to decarbonise heating and cut operating costs.
Energy Secretary Ed Davey yesterday launched a new waterways heat map as part of Decc’s existing national heat map, and put the onus on businesses and local councils, saying the tool provided “the keys they need to unlock the enormous potential of our waterways.”
Davey launched the map at Battersea Power station, which is looking into installing heat pumps and re-using the old power station infrastructure to connect it to the Thames.
Davey’s department suggested up to 1 million homes and businesses could use the water-soured heatpumps connected to England’s waterways.
The map includes residential, commercial, industrial, public buildings and total heat demand. It also gives details of water conditions, potential heat capacity and the level of heat demand in England. The aim is to reduce the cost and time of individual feasibility studies.
Decc said it was working with the Environment Agency to make obtaining permits easier, with an industry led and government funded code of practice due to launch later this year.
See the heat map here.
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