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Scotland’s first deep geothermal district heating network given backing.

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Fiona Fitzgerald Fiona Fitzgerald Former UKIMEA Press Office,London
18 September 2017

Ross Developments & Renewables Ltd (RDRL) has announced that the Scottish Government has allocated £1.8 million 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. 

The delivery of heat to the network will be from a deep geothermal single well (DGSW) which has been developed by Geon Energy Ltd –  a joint venture between Geothermal Engineering Ltd and Arup. 

The DGSW is a single geothermal well that is drilled to a depth of two kilometres. 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.   

 

Infographic showing how geothermal energy works Infographic showing how geothermal energy works

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 £1.8 million 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.

 
“

It is fantastic that the Scottish Government is giving such strong support to the development of sustainable low carbon energy projects in Scotland. There is a substantial geothermal resource beneath our feet and we look forward to developing the first deep geothermal system in Scotland. ” Matthew Free Dr Matthew Free Director

This short video shows how the delivery of heat to a network from a deep geothermal single well (DGSW) works
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