This project will explore the technical, environmental, ecological, regulatory and system-level implications of deploying large-scale water source heat pumps within the Forth River Basin, a theoretically inexhaustible resource. Bringing together local authorities, academic institutions, infrastructure operators, regulators, industry partners and environmental/ecological stakeholders, the project will address critical evidence gaps that currently limit business innovation and strategic deployment of this low-carbon heat technology at scale.
The project’s core objective is to develop a shared, place-based understanding of how sea water can be used as a sustainable heat source while protecting the environmental and ecological integrity of the Forth River Basin. It will do so by examining the interaction between water temperature monitoring and regulation, marine estate management, environmental impacts, electricity system constraints and heat network delivery. The integrated approach directly supports the FORTH2O Partnership mission to optimise water systems through interdisciplinary collaboration and actionable evidence for decision making in the Forth River Basin.
Activities will centre on structured engagement with key stakeholder organisations including: the Marine Directorate, environmental regulators, Crown Estate Scotland, electricity network operators, transport authorities, local delivery bodies, and supply chains. Through interviews, workshops and technical review sessions, the project will investigate which organisations monitor and regulate seawater temperatures; the commercial and leasing arrangements for heat extractions; the potential impacts on marine wildlife and ecosystems; and spatial constraints such as shipping and ferry routes. Technical analysis will explore maximum feasible system scale, intake and outflow considerations, large-scale thermal storage options (and impact on system performance), the implications for the electricity grid (including peak demand), load shifting, and integration of alternative electricity sources such as tidal and solar PV.
