Energy Training Academy expands, with Scotland’s first district-heating education centre

Scotland’s first dedicated district-heating education centre has been established at the Energy Training Academy (ETA) in Edinburgh.

A purpose-built conference and events facility, the heat-network suite is a dedicated area which will be used to help educate people on the benefits of district-heat networks.

Located on the second floor of the academy, the suite can accommodate more than 60 people.  It complements the gas and renewables industry training already available at the education centre.

In conjunction with primary sponsors Vattenfall Heat UK (part of Swedish energy company Vattenfall AB), London-based integrated-facilities-management specialists OCS and heat-network experts SAV Systems, the suite focuses on district-heating networks throughout Scotland.

The academy is close to Shawfair, Midlothian’s newest town, with more than 3,000 homes and one million square feet of commercial space on the south-east side of Edinburgh.

Midlothian Energy Ltd (MEL), a joint venture between Midlothian Council and Vattenfall Heat UK, is installing a district-heating network at Shawfair, bringing low-carbon heat to the area. MEL is delivering the heating, saving over 2,500 tonnes of CO2 per year.

Heat that would otherwise be wasted will be captured by MEL, from Millerhill Recycling and Energy Recovery Centre, then transported via a network of underground pipes to provide a low-carbon source of heating and hot water for properties.

Welcoming the launch of the new suite, academy co-founder Andrew Lamond said: “It’s going to be a really exciting space – the first of its kind in Scotland.

“The space is designed to bring people together and accelerate the uptake of district-heating Networks across Scotland. We want to host events and workshops that bring local authorities together with academics, contractors and manufacturers.

“Heat networks aren’t new in Scotland, but a lot of people don’t know much (if anything) about them. This space within the academy is designed to educate policy makers, home owners, town planners and the key stakeholders on the benefits and opportunities within district heating.

“Eventually, we’d like to have a live feed from the waste-to-energy centre at Millerhill that shows, in real time, how much energy is being generated. It’s the ideal way for getting all the partners in the Vattenfall supply chain a presence in Midlothian and sharing their message about the journey they have been on.

“We will be engaging with local authorities, various stakeholders from town planners to school pupils, homeowners and tenants to help them learn how this all works. The suite will be a flexible space allowing us to hold product launches, business-networking events and employability events for schools.

He added: “District heating is going to play a big part in Scotland’s decarbonisation plans as evidenced by the local heat and energy-efficiency strategies commissioned by the local authorities. It’s going to be an alternative to air-source heat pumps and gas boilers, and particularly handy for areas with high-rise flats and built-up areas where heat pumps are not realistic. It’s estimated that as many as 40 per cent of Scottish homes could be on a heat network by 2045.

“Consequently, there is going to be an increasing demand for skilled engineers in district-heat networks and the plan is to deliver the appropriate training at the academy to upskill the next wave of engineers in this sector.”

www.theenergytrainingacademy.com

Pictured left-right: Ben Carter, account director, Vattenfall, OCS operations manager Martin Abercromby, ETA co-founder Andrew Lamond, Simon Kerr, SAV head of heat networks (Scotland & NI) and Midlothian Council head of development, Fiona Clandillon.