PNDC plan UK-first Heating and Cooling Innovation Facility in Glasgow
Opening in 2023, a new PNDC facility at Inchinnan will host world-leading test and demonstration facilities for low-carbon thermal (heating and cooling) systems, the electrification of high-power transport systems, and cross-cutting hydrogen applications.
Since opening in 2013, PNDC (one of the University of Strathclyde’s industry-facing innovation centres) has established itself as a unique energy systems research, demonstration and deployment facility in the field of electrical networks and smart grid R&D solutions.
Now undergoing a phase of significant expansion, the site at Inchinnan will be the cornerstone of PNDC’s expansion into heat, transport and whole systems innovation. This forms a key part of a wider University of Strathclyde initiative focused on developing a unique and state-of-the-art whole systems and manufacturing hub to accelerate the decarbonisation of heat and transport, which will also include lightweighting and manufacturing facilities.
Research and development activities at the new PNDC thermal facility will concentrate primarily on accelerating and de-risking novel low-carbon heating solutions, both at large scale (e.g. zero-carbon CHP, district heating schemes, hydrogen-for-heating) and at smaller scales, addressing domestic/small commercial scale markets (e.g. heat pumps, hydrogen boilers, solar thermal). Particular focus will also be placed on the integration of novel low-carbon heating technologies into the wider energy system, their control and scheduling, and the impact of consumer behaviour on technology deployment.
The new facility will also play a key part in PNDC’s ongoing role in the Whole Energy Systems Accelerator (WESA) – a world-first energy innovation testing and evaluation facility, developed in partnership with the Energy Systems Catapult’s Living Lab.
PNDC will be presenting their plans for the thermal facility at the upcoming HeatSource event, hosted by BE-ST on November 17th. For more information please contact pndc@strath.ac.uk.