Scotland’s first deep geothermal district heating network given Scottish Government backing.
Ross Developments & Renewables Ltd (RDRL) announces that the Scottish Government has allocated £1.8m of grant funding to support the creation of Scotland’s first low carbon, renewable deep geothermal district heating network at The HALO Kilmarnock development in the West of Scotland.
Ken Ross O.B.E., CEO of RDRL, said:
“We are delighted to acknowledge the support and financial backing we have received from the Scottish Government through the Government’s Low Carbon Infrastructure Transition Programme and the European Regional Development Fund for Scotland's first deep (2 kilometres) geothermal district heating network which we are installing at the HALO Kilmarnock.”
This innovative technology will generate sustainable heat for the redevelopment of the former Johnnie Walker bottling plant in Kilmarnock. The HALO Kilmarnock community-led regeneration project will deliver a mixed-use development which will include an Innovation and Enterprise Centre, key worker and social rental housing, live work units, an urban park and a water based leisure facility. When completed over 1,800 jobs will be created on the site. Funding for the development overall has been received from the Scottish Government, UK Government, East Ayrshire Council, Diageo and private sector investors.
This deep geothermal district heating network will supply sustainable, renewable heat for the entire HALO development, including its key worker and social rental housing, addressing fuel poverty in the process by providing heat at below market price.
The lead developers will be The HALO Kilmarnock, Ltd in partnership with entrepreneur, Marie Macklin of Macklin Enterprise Partnerships, the Klin Group, Ross Developments & Renewables Ltd (RDRL), East Ayrshire Council and Diageo plc.
The £1.8m of grant funding support for the deep geothermal single well is being provided by the Scottish Government Low Carbon Infrastructure Transition Programme (LCITP) and was announced by the Scottish Government’s Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Jobs and Fair Work, Keith Brown MSP. The well is scheduled to be drilled and installed in the first half of 2018.
RDRL has developed this innovative renewable energy district heating scheme that produces decarbonised heat by employing a Geon Energy deep geothermal single well (DGSW) with the technical support of Arup. The process, which enables the delivery of an efficient, renewable and sustainable heating supply, involves drilling a single geothermal well to a depth of 2km. Water heated by the surrounding rock is drawn up from depth using a small pump. The heat is then transferred to water in the heating system. (Click here to watch ‘how it works’ video).
Ken Ross added:
"We need new technology to enable us to meet our climate change objectives, but it is also a major contributor towards Scotland and the UK’s innovation, jobs and growth agenda. The HALO Kilmarnock will be the first District Heating Network to employ a deep well solution to provide geothermal heat.
“I am proud to be leading this team to deliver what will be a truly innovative heating solution at an exemplar development where people can live, work, learn and play and where sustainable standards will be the norm.
Dr Ryan Law, Director of Geon Energy Ltd, said:
“The use of geothermal energy represents a step change in producing low cost heat in a sustainable way. It’s tremendously exciting that Scotland is leading the way on this innovative approach to energy production.”
Brian Paterson, Sustainability and Engineering Director, at RDRL, said:
“Scotland has the know-how, ability and ambition to lead the world in developing the technologies required to tackle climate change.”