A not-for-profit company which supplies low-cost heating to more than 3,400 homes around Aberdeen has been singled out for praise in a new report.
Aberdeen Heat and Power (AHP) was held up as a shining example of the potential of heat networks in Scotland’s cities.
The Scottish Renewables (SR) report says the Scottish Government’s Heat Networks Bill could lead to the equivalent of 460,000 homes being heated sustainably by 2030, cutting carbon emissions from heat by 10%.
SR has identified 46 potential heat network projects – a system for distributing heat generated in a centralised location through insulated pipes – across Scotland’s cities. It is believed these could deliver 600 gigawatt-hours of heat annually – enough for 45,000 households – over the next few years.
AHP was established by Aberdeen City Council in 2002 and serves 48 blocks of multi-storey flats in Stockethill, Tillydrone, Seaton, Cairncry and Hazelhead, as well as 18 public buildings.
The firm says fuel costs have been reduced by up to half for some tenants, while its combined heat and power schemes have cut carbon emissions by 45%.
Chief executive Ian Davidson said: “With effective policies to de-risk investment in long-lived pipework and associated infrastructure, the Scottish Government could encourage the construction of new networks in urban centres, where they are most efficient, significantly reducing carbon emissions and lifting many families out of fuel poverty. “
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