Heat Infrastructure Development Project - Solution Development, Analysis and Selection Report

Abstract:

The primary objective of the Project is to identify and then assess innovative solutions that would deliver a step change reduction in the capital cost of district heat network (DHN) infrastructure deployment and contribute to overall lifecycle cost reduction. In particular, this will focus on the upfront costs associated with heat network pipes and their installation, for the purposes of connecting to existing buildings.

This report summarises the process and results for the solution development, analysis and selection phase of ETI’s Heat Infrastructure Development (HID) project. The primary objective of this project is to identify and then assess innovative solutions with the potential to deliver a substantial step change reduction in the capital cost,and contribute to overall lifecycle cost reduction,of District HeatingNetworks (DHNs)

Stage 1 of the project is complete. It comprised a number of research and engagement activities to provide a solid foundation to this project. This included analysing key stakeholder requirements for DHNs, a literature review and horizon scanning of potential innovative solutions, aninvestigation ofthe differences in practice between the UK and leading countries where district heating is more established,the generation of an Excel-based model of current DHN costs and an analysis of these costs. This informationwas used to prioritise a set of five challenges to which solutions would be identified during Stage 2 of the project. It was also used to develop a set of quantitative and qualitative evaluation criteria for the assessment of each solution and an accompanying solution template to capture and present this information in a common format.

The five prioritised Challenges which have focussed activity in Stage 2 are as follows:

• Challenge 1 -System Design Architecture
• Challenge 2 -Civil Engineering CAPEX
• Challenge 3 -Pipes and Connections CAPEX
• Challenge 4 -Internal Connections CAPEX
• Challenge 5 -New Network Income

• The approach to solution development
• Solutions identified which address the challenges above
• The evaluation of solutions against the key criterion of DHN cost saving and the supporting qualitative and quantitative criteria
• The interaction of alternative solutions and how they can be applied to maximise the system level CAPEX saving
• The solutions selected for route mapping in Stage 3 and the selection rationale

Publication Year:

2017

Publisher:

ETI

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5286/UKERC.EDC.000656

Author(s):

AECOM Ltd