Networks share district heat performance data to drive efficiency

Seven of the largest district heat network operators in the UK have signed up to share key performance data to improve the efficiency of heat networks.

As part of a government-funded project run by tech firm Guru Systems, the web-based data-sharing platform will enable operators to remotely diagnose inefficiencies on heat networks and access information on costed improvement measures.

As part of the scheme, Guru will also develop a data-sharing and handling policy to allow people to share information safely.

The company’s managing director Casey Cole said: “As an industry we have made great strides in the innovation of heat networks and we hope our project will enable operators to benchmark their schemes and for designers and manufacturers to access data to improve their products.”

Association for Decentralised Energy director Tim Rotheray said access to high quality data is “vital” to making existing and future networks perform at their best to deliver the “greatest reliability and value to customers”.

“This kind of innovative industry collaboration is central to creating a more local, less wasteful energy system that works for the user,” he added. “By feeding projects like this into best practice we can continue to raise industry standards and give district heating consumers even more peace of mind.”

Heat networks supply heat to a number of buildings or dwellings from heat generated at a central source and supplied through a system of insulated pipes.

In June, the Department of Energy and Climate Change announced the final winning projects as part of a competition to help stimulate innovation in heat network technologies.

Guru received just under £600,000 to develop tools which analyse big data on decentralised energy networks. The firm has estimated the software could save UK heat networks £400 million in reduced energy costs over the next 10 years.

Seven other projects were also awarded funding.