River Thames set to be harnessed again for £15.6m heat network
Water-source heat pumps could soon be used to harness the River Thames again to provide heating to iconic buildings on London’s South Bank including the National Theatre and King’s College London.
Heat networks investor, developer, and operator Hemiko has been granted £15.6 million from the Green Heat Network Fund for its Waterloo and South Bank Heat Network. The heat network will provide 56 GWh of heat to 12 buildings across one of London’s busiest districts in its first phase.
Hemiko will invest £72.7 million into the early stages of the Waterloo and South Bank Heat Network, creating over 200 jobs, the company said, with the first phase alone set to save 22,000 tonnes of carbon annually. The Waterloo and South Bank Heat Network will expand over time to serve more buildings in South London.
The Thames was first harnessed for water-source heat pumps at the Kingston Heights development back in 2013.
Toby Heysham, CEO, Hemiko said:
There are few things that say ‘London’ quite like the River Thames does, so knowing that water from the Thames could soon heat some of the capital’s iconic buildings is such a wonderful, quintessentially London story.”
In the Warm Homes Plan, the Government announced over £1 billion of funding to support the development of heat networks across the country. It wants to double the amount of heat demand met by heat networks over the next 10 years, meaning more than a million households would be connected to a heat network by 2035.
Toby added:
Our strategy is to develop heat networks in the most heat dense area, where the customers want and need to link together and get access to the locally available waste heat. We are offering both heat and cooling to homes and businesses in the area, using the amazing local resources and huge heat density in the area. We’re also working closely with local stakeholders to make sure the network benefits local arts, education and cultural initiatives by partnering on carbon literacy programmes that give people the knowledge and tools to reduce their carbon emissions.”
As buildings choose to connect to the network in place of their gas boilers, this will reduce the amount of NOx emissions by 72% over time, Hemiko added
Gas boilers are now identified as the biggest source of NOx pollution in Central London, according to a recent study by the University of York.
Hemiko is also developing the Old Oak & Park Royal Energy Network (OPEN), and part of the joint venture delivering the South Westminster Area Network (SWAN).
Sara Kassam, Director of Sustainability, Estates & Facilities at King’s College London, said:
“We are excited to be exploring connection to the Waterloo and South Bank Heat Network as part of our commitment to achieving net zero carbon emissions. This project aligns with our sustainability strategy and offers a tangible opportunity to reduce adverse environmental impact. By transitioning away from gas boilers and embracing low-carbon heat sourced from the River Thames, we are helping to shape a healthier, more resilient future for our university community and the wider city.”
