Thames partners with local council in "first-of-its-kind" renewable heat scheme

Thames Water and Kingston Council have partnered to pursue a "first-of-its-kind" renewable heating scheme, that could become a model for similar schemes across the country.

Excess heat recovered from the sewage treatment process at Thames’ Hogsmill works (pictured) will be used to heat more than 2,000 homes in Kingston’s largest council estate, Cambridge Road.

Up to 4GWh of low-carbon heat a year could be supplied via a sealed pipe network to a district heating system at the estate. This, according to Thames, is expected to save 105 kilotonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions over 30 years. The aim is also to expand the network to include public and commercial buildings in Kingston town centre.

Thames said it expected the scheme to be a model for similar ones elsewhere in the UK, potentially reducing millions of tonnes of carbon emissions.

The partnership is part of Thames Water’s plan to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2030 and Kingston Council’s ambition to be carbon neutral by 2038.