Pipes being laid to provide low-carbon heating in new town

THE first pipes in a heating network for a ‘new town’ in Midlothian have been laid – to provide an anticipated 3,000 homes with ‘low-carbon heating’.

Along with the 3,000 homes (an initial target), other elements of the Shawfair ‘new town’ – such as education facilities and retail – are also expected to benefit from the heating system, which is to comprise a starting 4km of pipework.

Says Midlothian Council, here: “This initial phase will supply 3,000 homes, education and retail properties at Shawfair Town, saving over 2,500 tonnes of CO2 per year, the equivalent of taking 1,200 cars off the road.”

Shawfair is already being served by a rail station, on the Borders rail line. The heating comes from the nearby Millerhill Reycing and Energy Recovery Centre. Some 650 homes have been built so far.

As explained here, the centre diverts non-hazardous waste from households and businesses from landfill and instead converts it into heat and power.

Adds the council: “Vattenfall Heat UK (part of Swedish energy company Vattenfall AB) and Midlothian Council are working together under a joint venture known as Midlothian Energy Limited and have employed Scottish company, FES Group, to deliver the low-carbon heating, which will provide around 3,000 homes, education and retail properties at Shawfair Town, a development overseen by Shawfair LLP, in the north of the Midlothian Council area.”

The heating system is expected to be online by March next year.

And the council continues: “The project will benefit from up to £7.3m from the Scottish Government’s Low Carbon Infrastructure Transformation Programme.”

Picture credit: Vattenfall / Midlothian Council

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