Patrick Harvie visits Sheap / Energy Recovery Plant

Shetland Heat Energy and Power (SHEAP) were pleased to welcome Patrick Harvie, the minister for zero carbon buildings and representatives from the Scottish Government Heat Network Fund to their offices on Tuesday.

Discussions were held on the potential for expanding the network and on projects for bringing additional energy sources into the scheme. Following this the minister visited the Energy Recovery Plant and discussed its operation with senior staff from the councils infrastructure department.

Talks also took place with SHEAP on the implications for the Heat Networks Scotland act which is now in the final stages of being implemented and introduces statutory legislation to promote and support the further development of heat networks throughout the country. Government plans are for 18% of homes and buildings to be connected to heat networks by 2050.

The new Staney Hill housing development by Hjaltland Housing Association was discussed and SHEAP are hopeful of connecting all 300 homes to its network in due course.

Derek Leask, Executive Director of Sheap, said;

“We were really pleased to meet with the minister and it was encouraging to hear that heat networks are a key priority in zero carbon heating for homes and buildings in the future. Mr Harvie was knowledgeable on our technology and we discussed the benefits of support we had received from Danish experts through the Scottish Government’s district heating mentoring programme. We’re keen to expand our network by hopefully connecting in to the Staney Hill development and we have some very good projects in place to add to the energy sources we currently have.”

Paul Leask from HHA commented;

“The Association has been working on the Staney Hill design for a number of years now and it was always our ambition to connect the properties to the Lerwick district heating scheme. We will shortly be commencing work onsite installing the main infrastructure, which will include district heating services, and I am delighted to finally see this project up and running following the recent announcement of £20m in grant support from the Scottish Governments Housing Infrastructure Fund.” 

Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, Patrick Harvie, also added “

“Heat networks have an important role to play in addressing climate change, helping to meet our target of ensuring that more than 1 million homes and the equivalent of 50,000 non-domestic buildings are connected to climate-friendly heating systems by 2030.

“The Scottish Government recently committed £20m to the Staneyhill development through our Housing Infrastructure Fund, reflecting our determination to tackle the challenges in providing cleaner, greener homes here in Shetland and across our rural and island communities. 

“There is clearly great potential here for implementing large-scale climate-friendly heating for this new development and I look forward to seeing how these proposals develop.”

Photos - Patrick Harvey (left) Derek Leask - Sheap (right)

Patrick Harvey (left) Stuart Paton - ERP (right)

Special thanks to Brian Gray for photos