District heat at the Queen’s Quay regeneration project in Clydebank will be supplied by a large-scale water source heat pump, engineer Vital Energi has announced. The £15 million  project will provide heat for homes, businesses and public buildings including West College Scotland, Clydebank Leisure Centre, the Town Hall and Clydebank Library. 

The  scheme will initially see two 2.5MW water source heat pumps installed, which will take heat from the river Clyde and use it to provide heating and hot water for the surrounding development. The heat will be pumped through 2.5km of district heating pipe connecting local homes, businesses and public buildings.

Scott Lutton, operations manager for Vital Energi said, “While there have been small open water source heat pumps in the past, this is by far the largest to date.  .. we hope that, when complete, it will prove an inspiration to other local authorities who want to reduce their carbon emissions.”

Councillor Iain McLaren, Convener of Infrastructure, Regeneration and Economic Development said: “The district heating network will have a hugely positive impact on Queens Quay and Clydebank as a whole and we are delighted to welcome Vital Energi on board to help us deliver it.

“The Council aim to expand the network to include areas of Clydebank and Dalmuir and to address fuel poverty by providing affordable heat to local residents. ”

West Dunbartonshire Council will meet 60% of the cost of the system with the Scottish Government funding £6 million through the European Regional Development Fund via the Low Carbon Infrastructure Transition Program (LCITP).