One I've been watching in Liverpool......is another very viable district energy prospect for us just getting underway and now there is new evidence to support that SHR is on the docket for this one ...albeit still somewhat vague
Found this one sometime ago much earlier in the planning stages so kept it on my radar
Allow me to start from the beginning and at the same time introduce the actors/entities involved
When I first came across this regeneration project known as 'The Liverpool Waters Development' is when I also learned of the owner/developer 'The Peel Group' with more than $5B portfolio (that's actually British Pounds not dollars I just don't have that on my keyboard converts to over $8.5B CAD) which in turn has a subsidiary arm called 'Peel Energy'
Peel Energy is their entity that exclusively procures clean renewable sources of energy & builds/owns/operates district energy schemes promoting mostly wind for the past 20 years of their existence which has been huge in Scotland & the U.K but also a couple of biomass, hydro and even marine/tidal projects completed..here is their website
https://www.peelenergy.co.uk/ On July 31st the planning was far enough along to announce they will be proceeding with the district energy heat network at 'Liverpool Waters' and formed another entity to perform that function called 'Mersey Heat' here is that press release .. note the fuel source is not mentioned ... I'm sure a project of this magnitude will employ several clean energy technologies but much like several others around the world, 'mum's' the word on details until they are ready to announce ...I suppose once all the parties involved / financing have aligned
https://environmentjournal.online/articles/5bn-liverpool-regeneration-project-to-get-district-heat-network/ So today I found that 'Mersey Heat' has developed it's own website and there in lies the tell / clue that SHR could well be in the plans as per the following quote, which only reveals so far the definiitve intent to use gas-fired and remains vague when they mention the part in bold that is of interest regarding water source heat pumps
quote=] In the case of a gas CHP plant, less C02 per KWH is produced compared to traditional heating systems due to increases in efficiency associated with producing both heat and power at the same time. Efficiency is also enhanced by thermal stores which maximise heat capture and balances generation with demand. Carbon savings are further improved if a renewable heat source can be used such as water source heat pumps, which could be seamlessly added to the network at a later date. ..
In other words one could conclude that the eventuality is that 'gas-fired' will fall in to a secondary role for peak and back up just like nearly every other district heat scheme and it is very plausible that SHR will be implemented here
Here is the new website for Mersey Heat
https://www.liverpoolwaters.co.uk/