By Robert Sansom, Imperial College Presented at 'UK Energy System in Transition: Technology, Infrastructure and Investment'; an event organised by the UK Energy Research Centre, ClimateXChange and the Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Innovation, on Tuesday 1 April 2014, 14.00-17.00, in Edinburgh, United Kingdom.

1. 1
Click to add title
Decarbonising heat: networks, pumps
or pipes?
Robert Sansom – Imperial College
UK energy system in transition:
Technology, infrastructure & investment
Edinburgh - 1st April 2014

2. 2
Click to add titleTowards decarbonising heat
Maximising the opportunities for Scotland
Four key challenges:
• Decarbonising heat
• Diversifying sources of heat
• Reducing pressure on household
energy bills
• Seizing the economic opportunities

3. 3
Click to add titleDecarbonising heat
Total final energy consumption in Scotland 2011
Source: DECC. (2013). Total final energy consumption statistics (Sub-national): 2011.
Heat
Electricity
Transport
Heat accounts for
47% of total CO2
emissions.

4. 4
Click to add titleSources of domestic heat
Source: Scottish condition survey using 2012 data.
Heat
Electricity
Transport

5. 5
Click to add titleHalf hourly heat demand
Heat

6. 6
Click to add titleImpact of temperature on UK gas demand
Heat is very
temperature
sensitive

7. 7
Click to add titleUK daily temperature annual duration curves

8. 8
Click to add titleFuture heat demand
High Government Intervention and Uptake scenario
• Very aggressive energy efficiency
improvements
• Significant electrification (>50%) of
heat using heat pumps
• Modest development of district
heating
• No storage heating
TWh
Domestic

9. 9
Click to add titleImpact on Scottish electricity infrastructure

10. 10
Click to add titleComparison of low carbon heat technologies
0
1
2
3
4
5
Running cost
Deployment
Performance
Optionality
Investment cost
Flexibility
Network impact
Heat output
Heat pumps District heating Electric storage heaters
5 = Good
1 = Poor

11. 11
Click to add titleSummary and conclusions
• Decarbonising heat is essential to meet Scotland’s 2050 CO2target.
• A transformation of Scotland’s heat sector is required.
• There is considerable uncertainty in terms of costs, performance and
deployment of heat technologies.
• A “whole systems” approach is essential.
• Heat storage provides substantial opportunities to support intermittent and
inflexible generation.
• Consumer engagement is crucial to deliver:
 reductions in heat demand.
 selection of heating technology.

12. 12
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Thank you
…any questions
r.sansom10@imperial.ac.uk