Aberdeen councillors have unanimously backed plans to expand the country’s leading heat network into the south of the city – offering hundreds of homes savings on their energy bills.
The combined heat and power scheme is expected to deliver low cost, low carbon energy to at least 350 homes in Torry as well as a primary school, swimming pool, community centre and various commercial properties in the East Tullos Industrial estate.
The existing combined heat and power system has reduced the city’s carbon emissions and saved the average electrically heated home up to £18 a week on energy bills – therefore helping thousands of residents climb out of fuel poverty.
Aberdeen Heat and Power (AHP) has grown substantially since the initiative began in 2002 and currently provides for 2,361 flats in 33 multi-story blocks and two sheltered housing blocks in Seaton, Tillydrone, Hazlehead and Stockethill and 13 public buildings.
Councillor Jean Morrison, deputy convenor of the city’s Housing Committee, said: “Aberdeen is fortunate to have the country’s leading heat network which allows us to create a more environmentally friendly, sustainable city, to spur economic growth through infrastructural investment and commercial opportunities and, most crucially, to address fuel poverty which has been a persistent challenge across Scotland for decades.
“Our plans for the future could see the heat network, supplied by the proposed Energy for Waste plant in East Tullos, offer sustainable heat to business and homes across the entire Torry area and eventually connect into a citywide network.
“By developing the infrastructure to include commercial premises, the scheme will also be able to generate substantial revenue which can be used for continuous investment in the system.”
Council officials will now develop a brief for the scope of works and an initial assessment of how the designs could be extended within the Torry area and more widely across the city as well as continue with a procurement process for a technical design consultancy service.
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