19:40, 14^th May 2012

Sheffield could use steel mills to add 20MW of heat to the district heating network

Following research, engineers have released a statement declaring that the excess heat from steel plants near Sheffield could be used to heat homes and businesses in the city, an innovation that could have a considerable impact on the city’s CO2 emissions.

Experts from the engineering faculty at Sheffield University have identified significant potential for steel plants to be connected to Sheffields existing district heating network to boost the heat input by around 20MW.

‘It actually costs the steel plants to reduce the temperature of the flue gas and to cool the water used during steel manufacture,’ said Prof Jim Swithenbank, who played a key role in developing the first phase of Sheffield’s district heating system in the late 1970s.

‘Recovering this heat and transferring it to the district heating network reduces the cost of heat production, improves energy efficiency and is beneficial to the environment, making a win-win situation for the steelworks and the city.’

Already the city houses the largest district energy installation in the UK which is powered by an energy recovery incinerator used to burn non recyclable waste produced in the city. The current facility produces around 21MW of electricity every year, which goes to power 22,000 homes along with 60MW of heat that is distributed as super heated steam via the underground district heating pipes.

Read more on this story here.

 09:45, 11^th May 2012

Prime Minister offers praise for Sleaford district heating project

UK Prime Minister David Cameron has heralded a renewable energy plant in Lincolnshire as an example of how the UK is at the “forefront of a green energy revolution”, in a speech on Friday April 27^th.

Giving a report on green growth, the Prime Minister cited the Sleaford project as one of many forward thinking operations in the UK which, altogether, total more than £350 million of investment.

Construction of the Sleaford renewable energy plant is due to commence within the next week or so, and represents an investment of £155 million into local energy infrastructure and provision. As part of the project, local community buildings in Sleaford will receive free heat and five engineering apprenticeships will be created. The project will also generate £200,000, which will be given to the local community for a grants fund.

Mr Cameron also stressed in his speech the importance of local authorities finding support and solutions to planning issues in order for the UK to meets its potential for renewable energy. In his speech he commented:

"Britain has gone from virtually no capacity for renewables, to seeing them provide almost 10 per cent of our total electricity needs last year. And we've added more capacity for renewables in the last two years than at any time in the last decade."

The plant will be constructed in the village of Kirkby-la-Thorpe and is being developed by Eco2 (Lincs) Ltd.

09:30, 11^th May 2012

UKDEA welcomes new members RK Civil Engineers

The UK District Energy Association (UKDEA) has this week welcomed its newest associate member, district energy project management company RK Civil Engineers.

RK Civil Engineers was incorporated in 2000, being founded on a combined 40 years experience in the pipeline/utilities contracting industry, including; water, gas, electric, telecommunications and general civil engineering. They are able to offer a full turnkey solution to all utilities streetworks/cross-country projects, from initial feasibility studies through route planning, final design to a total construction package, including GPS as-laid records on completion.

Their clients include the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, Four Season Hotels, Mid Lothian Council, Enviroenergy, Dalkia, Veolia, Vital Energi and Aqua Mechanical. They join several other commercial organisations involved in the UKDEA and help to extend the UKDEA’s depth and breadth of district energy expertise.

16:10, 2^nd May 2012

UKDEA welcomes newest member Evinox Limited

Today the UKDEA have welcomed their newest associate member, Evinox Limited, to the association. Evinox Limited join the City and County of Swansea, Hampshire County Council and Inpal Energy as the latest additions to the associations ever growing membership.

 The addition of these new members brings the total number of full and associate members of the organisation to 23, with 12 full members and 11 associates. The association has been going from strength to strength over the past 12 months, with attendance at major conferences, personal meetings with Greg Barker and extensive input into policies, strategies and consultations affecting the district energy industry.