Although may experts are focusing on energy alternatives and greener technologies such as carbon capture, one study has shown that heat capture techniques alone could meet 5% of the U.K.’s future requirements.

The report, from the University of Southampton and the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), claims that over 10 million tonnes of carbon dioxide could be saved every year if the waste heat from the country’s power stations could be captured and diverted to offices and homes.

This forms part of a new way of thinking called combined heat and power (CHP) schemes, which is a theory based on homes and offices being provided with heat and power from a localised power plant. The key is to have homes and businesses near enough power sources to make use of the central heat and power facility.

Many of the U.K. biggest power stations, such as Kingsnorth and Drax, are near populated areas and if the waste heat were to be captured from their energy making process, it could be used to heat local communities.

And producing heat accounts for nearly half of the U.K’s energy requirements.

The problem with many power stations is that they are woefully inefficient. They currently return an efficiency rating of only 35%, which in practice means that for every 1,000 mega watts of electricity the average power station produces, some 2,000 mega watts of heat goes up into the atmosphere via the cooling towers.

If this waste heat were to be captured, then it would make the power stations nearer 80% efficient and allow the heat captured to be used elsewhere. The report did acknowledge that all power stations could not be used in such a way (many, including nuclear facilities, are sited away from heavily populated areas), but there were enough near conurbations to make a significant difference.

The report also acknowledged that a great deal of investment would be needed in terms of the heat capture technology and the piping needed to distribute the heat.

But with a ten million carbon dioxide saving in the offing, the government might well decide to take the plan forward.

Guest Article by Neil Camp

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