Viking Energy Network Jarrow

The Viking Energy Network is a proposed cutting-edge renewable energy scheme.

It will extract heat from the River Tyne and export it to nine council-owned buildings in Jarrow, South Tyneside.

Benefits include:

• cut carbon emissions by an estimated 1,035 tonnes per year 
• save around half a million pounds in fuel costs per year

The multi-million-pound scheme will be the first of its kind in the UK.

The project has attracted a £3.5m ERDF (European Regional Development Fund) grant for its innovative approach.

South Tyneside Council has declared a climate emergency and pledged to take all necessary steps to make the Council carbon neutral by 2030. This scheme will make a huge contribution to this goal. More about the Council's response to climate change.

An energy centre will be built at Jarrow Staithes on the south bank of the River Tyne. This is a Council-owned brownfield site.

This will extract heat from the river and export it to nine council-owned buildings in Jarrow. 

How heat will be extracted from the river

A water source heat pump will: 

1. extract heat from the water
2. compress it to increase the temperature
3. then convert it into useful energy in the form of hot water

A network of insulated pipes will distribute the hot water to the various buildings.

A 1 megawatt solar farm (solar panels) will generate most of the electricity to power the heat pump. Any excess electricity from the solar farm will be used in council buildings.

The scheme should run close to carbon neutral for most of the summer.

A combined heat and power (CHP) back-up system will be used at times when the solar panels don't generate enough electricity. The system will use heat that is created during the electricity generation process. This heat would otherwise be wasted.

Renewable technologies

The energy network will use three renewable technologies, and keep use of fossil fuels to a minimum.

It would be the first to combine: 

• a river source heat pump
• a combined heat and power (CHP) back-up system
• a 1 megawatt solar farm, and
• a private wire electrical network with storage battery

Buildings

The heat from the river will be distributed to: 

• Jarrow Business Centre communal area
• Jarrow Town Hall
• Ellen Court
• Wilkinson Court
• Monastery Court
• Jarrow Focus
• Mid Tyne activities centre
• Millennium PHAB club
• Palmer Hospital

Work started in April 2021. 

Construction is due to be complete by late summer 2022.

March 2021

Work is due to get underway after the scheme gained planning permission.

Read the press release: Green Light for UK-First Renewable Energy Scheme

November 2020

The Council: 

• has drawn up detailed designs 
• has submitted a planning application
• intends to award the contract to construct the network to Colloide Engineering Systems Ltd. This comes after a competitive tender process. Read the press release: Contractor on Board for UK-first Renewable Energy Scheme 

May 2020

The Council is purchasing the system's water source heat pump early. This means we can benefit from government financial support - a Renewable Heat Incentive. This could save up to an extra £150,000 a year over 20 years (£3million).

Read the press release: Pump Procurement to Save Thousands

2019

Following a feasibility study, we have deemed the scheme to be viable.