Cabinet receives update on Caerau Heat Scheme

Bridgend County Borough Council’s Cabinet have voted to take forward plans for a set of small-scale low-carbon heat demonstrator projects in Caerau.

It follows a six months options appraisal into the project after a report outlined the challenges of using mine water for an expanded scheme, including increasing costs for investigation work.

The project’s proposals now involve delivering a smaller mine water heating scheme for Caerau Primary School and a district heat scheme for at least 70 homes on the Tudor Estate.

Homes on the Tudor Estate which take part in the scheme would be connected to a district heat pump while a private connection would supply electricity from the wind farm at Llynfi Afan Renewable Energy Park, providing low-cost, low-carbon power.

If approved by the Welsh European Funding Office and the Coal Authority, work on the £9.7m fully-funded demonstrator model could start later this year.

This is a very exciting project - the heat scheme is all about helping to address fuel poverty and supporting the development of a new energy industry, developing skills within the low-carbon agenda.

It aims to see heat extracted from renewable sources with heating costs potentially being reduced by about 10% compared to using a traditional gas boiler.

The council’s Cabinet Member for Communities Stuart Baldwin

The local authority which is overseeing the project, is working closely on the scheme alongside partners such as Welsh Government, British Geological Survey, Natural Resources Wales, Cardiff University, Energy Systems Catapult and the Coal Authority as well as Valleys to Coast Housing.