Introduction: Currently, we do not provide heat recovery equipment to National Grid sites as there had been no need for us to install such equipment. Moving forwards, it has been noted that some of our older and larger sites are very energy inefficient. With technology becoming widely available to address the issue of energy efficiency, we are looking to trial some equipment that takes advantage of the secondary effects of Electricity Transmission. When a transformer is in service, is produces heat. This heat is often extracted from the transformer in order to keep the operating temperature below a certain level, and the heat is usually expelled. For those systems where cooling is not an issue, we leave the transformer to perform its duty and focus on another secondary effect – noise. Within the noise enclosure, there is usually a warm environment as the heat has been contained. It is this part of the system we want to exploit, using air source heat pumps, to help minimise the electrical & environmental impacts of the older substations.

Objectives:

The objectives of this project are to be able to provide National Grid Electricity Transmission’s management & policy team an effective demonstration of heat recovery for use in future schemes. This will give options to the business to implement cost saving solutions, giving a pass through saving cost to the end consumer.

Expected Benefits:

• Installation of Heat Recovery system at Melksham

• Installation of Heat Recovery system at Bishops Wood

• Installation of Heat Recovery system at Rainhill

• Commissioning of system at Melksham

• Commissioning of system at Bishops Wood

• Commissioning of system at Rainhill

• Performance monitoring of all 3 systems (in electrical terms).