Green Heat Technology
A Decarbonised Economy
Scotland’s declaration of a Climate Emergency and ambitious target to meet net zero emissions by 2045 has set the country on a path of transition to a decarbonised economy. This will lead to growth in a number of ‘green’ industries, and provide opportunities across Scotland in many skilled roles.
In December 2020, Skills Development Scotland published the Climate Emergency Skills Action Plan which sets out the Scottish Government’s key actions and priorities to ensure the workforce is prepared to deliver this transition to net-zero.
Back to Basics
Decarbonising heat is about reducing our reliance on fossil fuels to provide us with heating and hot water in our new and existing buildings. There are a number of technologies available as alternatives to gas boilers and other ‘traditional’ heating systems.
Heat Pumps
Heat Pumps move heat from outside a building to inside, this can be heat from the ground, water or the air – even if these sources don’t feel that warm. Heat pumps run on electricity, which if this is generated from renewable sources makes heat pumps a much more climate friendly option than a gas boiler or other fossil fuelled heating system.
You can find out more about this technology in the videos below or check out the in-depth guide to heat pumps on the Energy Saving Trust website
Heat Networks
Heat networks provide a low carbon heating solution for more densely populated areas where there are many buildings and homes in a small area, where individual heat pumps may not be a viable option, due to space or other technical considerations. Heat networks, sometimes called district heating, takes heat from a central source and distribute this to a number of buildings through insulated pipework.
Solar Thermal
Solar thermal technology can provide hot water by using the sun to warm up liquid in tubes on a collector panel which is mounted on the roof of buildings. Generally, this technology will only provide a contribution to the year-round hot water demand, and very little to the space heating demand, so will need to be combined with other heating and supplementary hot water systems. You can find out more about solar thermal technology from Energy Saving Trust.
Geothermal Energy
Geothermal energy is the natural heat stored within the Earth. It can be used for water and space heating and may also be used to generate electricity.
In 2013 Socttish Government commissioned AECOM, in partnership with the British Geological Survey (BGS), to study the potential for deep geothermal energy in Scotland. Following the study, three geothermal energy sources with significant potential were identified:
abandoned mineworkings
hot sedimentary aquifers, which are bodies of permeable rock that can conduct significant quantities of groundwater
hot dry rocks , which in Scotland are likely to exist in high heat production granites such as those in East Grampian and to the north of Inverness
In 2016 Scottish Government developed regulatory guidance to help promote awareness of the regulatory framework for deep geothermal projects in Scotland.
You can find out more about geothermal energy using the below resources: