A major groundbreaking green scheme to heat homes and businesses – powered by the River Leven – could be launched at Lomondgate.
Strathleven Regeneration CIC (SRCIC), which has been regenerating the former J&B bottling plant and associated land off the A82, have ambitions to create the revolutionary heating system.
Vital Energi is taking forward the vision and is responsible for the £250million Queen’s Quay regeneration project in Clydebank which will be the first water source heat pump scheme of its kind in Scotland.
The cutting edge project would see water extracted from the Leven and pumped along insulated pipes to deliver hot water to occupants of Strathleven Regeneration-owned sites and surrounding housing areas.
Networks can vary in size and length, from carrying heat just a few hundred metres between homes and flats, to several kilometres supplying entire communities.
Vale of Leven Industrial Estate and adjacent social housing could also benefit from cheap energy, realised by the scheme, following a feasibility study.
The ambitious idea is the brainchild of Strathleven Regeneration CIC’s project director Steven Szostak.
He said innovation is the guiding principle and he told how he wants to be able to offer low cost green heat to businesses, along with bigger energy discounts to residents in the social housing that surrounds their land.
He commented: “This is our first step in assisting the Scottish Government to achieve its demanding low carbon targets and this will be the first time anywhere combined technology will be used in this way.
“It is also significant that the River Leven will form a major part of this idea.
“The second step will be the feasibility of boring for geothermal heat in collaboration with the low carbon infrastructure transition programme.”
The Scottish Government scheme aims to support Scotland’s transition to a low-carbon economy and provides a range of support, from expert advice to financial support to assist the development and delivery of private, public and community low-carbon projects across the country.
An assignment lasting 22 weeks will allow Vital Energi and partner Star Renewable of Glasgow to build on the expertise it employed when delivering the Queen’s Quay District Heating system in Clydebank.
SRCIC is behind the multimillion pound site which was launched to transform the location of the former bottling plant.
Much of the 100 acres features housing, retail and commercial space.
One of the site’s earliest tenants was BBC Scotland, which has built production facilities where River City is filmed.
In 2017, an independent economic impact assessment found that the project has created more than 700 full-time jobs and generated £365m for the region’s economy since 2007.
Scott Lutton, of Vital Energi, said:“There is no doubt river sourced heat pumps can become a key part of the “race to zero” commitment of the Scottish Government.
“It is great to work with a property developer with such a strong commitment to community benefit and the low carbon agenda.”
