BRITAIN’S first heat-from-sewage system has scooped an energy innovation prize.
The sewage energy recovery infrastructure, which was installed at Scottish Borders College by Scottish Water Horizons and SHARC Energy Systems, won the Best Innovation award at the Scottish Green Energy Awards, hosted by Scottish Renewables.
The project, launched at the end of 2015, sees the college campus supplied with most of its heating and hot water demand, resulting in carbon savings.
The SHARC technology uses the natural warmth found in Scottish Water’s waste water network thanks to discharge from rainwater and household appliances such as dishwashers and showers.
The scheme is the first time the technology has been integrated with the public sewerage system. The heat-from-sewage project was also recognised recently in the Green Gown Awards, which rewards sustainability initiatives in the university and college sector.
Donald MacBrayne, Scottish Water Horizons business development manager said, “These awards are a real showcase for sustainable energy and it’s an honour to have been selected as the winner in this category. Innovation is at the heart of what we do in terms of developing new ways to generate energy – in this case heat – which will have a wide range of positive benefits.
“We hope that this latest recognition, added to the project’s success in the Green Gown Awards, adds to the excitement across our communities and our industry about the potential for this kind of technology and systems like the Scottish Borders College heat from sewage network.”
Russ Burton, chief operating officer at SHARC Energy Systems added, “On behalf of the team at SHARC, I am absolutely thrilled to have won the innovation category at the Scottish Green Energy Awards.
“It is a privilege for SHARC to have been involved in developing the Borders installation, in partnership with Scottish Water Horizons.
“The work we have done with Scottish Water Horizons and Borders College is a real demonstration of how collaboration and shared vison can generate an outstanding outcome for all stakeholders of a process.
“To have been included in the innovations category of the Scottish Green Energy Awards alongside some of the other exciting renewable energy projects being driven forward by Scotland’s appetite and enthusiasm for green energy activity, was very flattering.
“It is a testament to all the hard work from the teams at SHARC, Scottish Water Horizons and Borders College and we look forward to building on these achievements over the next few months.”
