皇家华人

UCL supplies more than 40 of its buildings with heat and low-carbon electricity produced by its District Energy Network.

UCL鈥檚听District Energy Network听produces heat and low-carbon electricity听from a听Combined Heat and Power (CHP) system.听When听CHP engines generate听electricity,听they also generate听heat听that,听rather than being wasted听is captured and听used听to provide heating and听hot water to听UCL鈥檚听buildings. We also听use the electricity to power these buildings.听

鈥淎lthough in听the height of winter we听have to听top听up this heat with some large gas boilers, the听system saves 18%听of carbon emissions a year compared to conventional heating,鈥� says Ciaran Jebb (Sustainable UCL).听听

鈥�鈥淚t will be a major contributor to our aim for UCL to be zero-carbon by 2030.鈥澨�

The system was first installed in the 1960s,听but听it听continues to be听modified to respond to听the听need for decarbonising heat production.听Over the next听decade听UCL is seeking to听connect听to听further听low-carbon waste heat sources such as sewers and the Tube听to capture听more听heat that would otherwise go to waste.听鈥淭he upgraded听District Energy Network听will be a major contributor to our aim for UCL to be zero-carbon by 2030,鈥� says Ciaran.听听

UCL is also exploring integrating听battery storage into the听Network.听鈥淧roducing听and storing听more of our own electricity at peak times听reduces听the demand UCL places听on the national grid. This helps cut out the need for coal power stations to be fired up at times of high demand, contributing to a cleaner electricity grid for the whole country,鈥澨齛dds Ciaran.听