Southwark council has published detailed proposals to capture heat which is normally released into the environment from the South East London Combined Heat and Power Plant (SELCHP) in Deptford. This would be piped it directly to the boiler houses that serve 3,000 homes across seven estates in the borough.
While many similar schemes are currently in operation in continental Europe, there are only a handful of district heating schemes in the UK which use heat from an incinerator, such as those in operation in Sheffield and Nottingham. If approved, the Southwark scheme will be the first in London.
Opened in 1994, the SELCHP plant produces both heat and power but up until now the heat has not been utilised. Southwark expects to use around 25-30% of the heat, with the potential to grow the scheme and use more in future.
Veolia
Southwark is negotiating the district heating scheme with its waste contractor Veolia, with which it signed a 665 million PFI deal in February 2008 (see letsrecycle.com story) . Under the PFI deal, Veolia developed an integrated waste management facility on the Old Kent Road which had a planning condition attached requiring the company to try to work with Southwark council to use heat from SELCHP to heat local homes. SELCHP is also 49% owned by Veolia.
Southwark will not be required to make any up-front financial contribution to the project but would instead sign a long-term contract to buy the heat at a guaranteed lower price than can be secured from the conventional energy market.
Cllr Barrie Hargrove, Southwarks cabinet member for environment and recycling, said: This is an exciting and pioneering project which has the potential to provide cheap and renewable energy to thousands of homes across Southwark.
Were making good progress in our negotiations with Veolia Environmental Services and Im pleased to say that weve agreed the proposed route for the schemes pipe work which now avoids Southwark Park altogether.
If given the green light, not only will this scheme deliver savings to local taxpayers but it would also help the environment by cutting up to 10,000 tonnes of carbon a year.
Pipes
If approved, pipes would be laid underground from the Selchp plant and then run along Silwood Street, across Rotherhithe New Road into and through the Abbeyfield Estate; along Raymouth Road (with a spur up to Maydew); then through the Biscuit Factory site adjacent to the railway line and out onto Clements Road, terminating in the boiler house on Clements Road.
Properties on the Rouell Road, Keetons, Four Squares, Pedworth, Abbeyfield, Silverlock and Tissington estates would directly benefit from the project.
The council said a previous proposed route which took in part of Southwark Park had now been dropped after listening to the concerns of local people.
Subject to further negotiations, the council hopes to agree a contract with Veolia this spring or summer, with the scheme becoming operational in 2013.
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