Plans to power London landmarks with Thames heat

"Under the plans, a water source heat pump will take heat from the River Thames and transport it through a network of underground pipes around the area, giving buildings the chance to switch to low-carbon heating without affecting their external appearance. The developer - Hemiko - says the Waterloo and South Bank Heat Network will be locally operated, helping to cut bills and reducing reliance on imported energy and supply chains."

"There are few things that say 'London' quite like the River Thames does, so knowing that water from the Thames could soon heat some of the capital's iconic buildings is such a wonderful, quintessentially London story. Our strategy is to develop heat networks in the most heat-dense area, where the customers want and need to link together and get access to the locally available waste heat."

Hemiko will develop a £72.7 million Waterloo and South Bank Heat Network using a river-source heat pump to draw heat from the River Thames and distribute it via underground pipes. The locally operated network aims to enable landmark buildings and surrounding properties to switch to low-carbon heating without altering external appearances, reduce bills, lower reliance on imported energy and supply chains, and cut nitrogen oxide emissions by up to 72% over time. The government provided a £15.6 million grant to initiate construction. Initial work will build core infrastructure and connect an initial cluster, with plans to expand to additional buildings and homes.

Read at www.bbc.com