Presentation in the Renewables, Supply and Storage Theatre at EMEX, The Energy Management Exhibition on 22-23 November 2017

1. Buckinghamshire County Council
Heat Networks Outside Major Cities
The Challenges and Opportunities
Edward Barlow
Head of Energy & Resources (Interim)
Buckinghamshire County Council

2. Buckinghamshire County Council
Today’s Session
• Buckinghamshire – the Context
• Why Heat Networks?
• Our experience with Heat Networks
– Central Aylesbury
• Challenges & Opportunities
– Woodlands Development
• Challenges & Opportunities
• Balance of Issues
• Q&A

3. Buckinghamshire County Council
Buckinghamshire

4. Buckinghamshire County Council
Buckinghamshire – Changing Context
• Local plans set out ~ 50k extra
homes by 2050
• New housing need
assessment = ~100k extra
homes by 2050
• South of County = Green Belt /
AONB
• North in particular receiving
unmet housing need from
within Bucks and neighbouring
areas

5. Buckinghamshire County Council
Buckinghamshire – Changing Context

6. Buckinghamshire County Council
Why heat networks for a Council?
Supporting Clean Growth
• Reduced emissions from buildings / new developments
• Low cost heat / power to encourage business growth
Council Funding Position
• Funding significantly reduced ; demand for services increases
• Long term financial returns can help protect services
Maybe…..alleviate grid constraints?
• Can local generation reduce electricity reinforcement
requirements?

7. Buckinghamshire County Council
BCC Heat Network Experience
• Existing Town Centre
• Redevelopment underway
• Mix of ownership / tenures
Central
Aylesbury
• Proposed mixed use development
• Urban extension location
• Mix of residential and commercial
Woodlands

8. Buckinghamshire County Council
Central Aylesbury - Overview

9. Buckinghamshire County Council
Central Aylesbury – Opportunities: Redevelopment
Programme

10. Buckinghamshire County Council
Central Aylesbury – Opportunities: Redevelopment
• Increasing residential land use – new and conversions
– Improved diversity of heat demand profile
• Local Authority led programme
• Existing Council buildings in scope
• Challenge: varied and complex redevelopment timelines with
multiple developers

11. Buckinghamshire County Council
Central Aylesbury – Challenges: Dispersal of
demand

12. Buckinghamshire County Council
Central Aylesbury – Challenges: Grid Capacity

13. Buckinghamshire County Council
Central Aylesbury: Outcome
• Study not progressed beyond Master Planning stage
• Returns of <6% based on 100% private wire sale of power and all customer
sign up (target of 8%+)
• Key redevelopments progressed beyond detailed designs – connections
ruled out

14. Buckinghamshire County Council
Woodlands Development – Overview
• 1,100 homes
• 100,000 SQM
commercial /
industrial in
Local Enterprise
Zone
• Shops / Primary
School / Hotel /
Care Facilities

15. Buckinghamshire County Council
Woodlands - Opportunities
1. New Development
– Soft dig for piping construction
– Heat Interface Units – offsets boiler costs
– Heat Centre Location – greater freedom
– Demand Certainty – ‘captive’ load
2. Nearby Dairy
– Potential heat demand
– Potential heat supply source
– Potential electricity demand

16. Buckinghamshire County Council
Woodlands – Challenges: Density

17. Buckinghamshire County Council
Woodlands – Challenges
1. Uncertainty of heat demand profiles
– Industrial Manufacturing – heat processes or not?
2. Local Grid Constraints
– Private Wire approach; Load Certainty?
– Potential to Alleviate issue?
3. Does a Heat Network increase value?
– Cultural Familiarity of Schemes

18. Buckinghamshire County Council
Woodlands: Next Steps
• Study is progressing to HNDU “Stage 3 Feasibility”
• Focus on business and local centre areas
• Electricity sales key to business case – demand certainty necessary
• Lack of heat diversity future challenge
• Options for connection with dairy site

19. Buckinghamshire County Council
Balance of Issue: Certainty
Certainty of
Connection
Certainty of
Demand
Certainty of
Demand
Certainty of
Connection
Woodlands
Central Aylesbury

20. Buckinghamshire County Council
Balance of Issue: Connectivity
Low Density
Long Routes
Soft Dig
Low £ / m
Hard Dig
High £ / m
High Density
Short Routes
Woodlands
Central Aylesbury

21. Buckinghamshire County Council
Thank You
Questions?
Edward Barlow
Head of Energy and Resources
(Interim)
ebarlow@buckscc.gov.uk