Lerwick district heating scheme Shetland Islands, UK

Abstract

District heating schemes are rare in the UK. Incineration of municipal waste has become controversial despite it being common practice in much of Europe where it is seen as good environmental practice. Currently in the UK many waste to energy recovery plants are being developed which use complex technologies that avoid the word ‘incineration’. Many produce only electricity, dumping most of the potential energy as heat. Heat is about 50% of the UK energy demand. Without most of this being met by sustainable sources such as energy recovery plants, the UK will not meet its ambitious carbon reduction commitments. Energy recovery plants have the potential to be the main catalyst to establish district heating networks in the UK. Once the networks are established other heat sources from power stations, industry and renewable sources can join in. The scheme at Lerwick in the Shetland Islands, UK, has been operating for 10 years and has been so successful that new heat sources are required if it is to go forward and eventually serve the whole town. The study looks at how the scheme was conceived, sold to the customers, developed and how it is likely to expand further.