Draft:Heat Highways

Heat Highways, also known as Heat Transmission Highways are large-scale or supersized Heat Networks. In essence, Heat Highways are used as the transmission line to transport heated water over long distances in insulated pipework.

These will typically harvest waste heat from commercial and industrial processes such as wastewater treatment plants, datacentres, hyrdrogen plants and power stations. This heated water will be transported from a regional or rural setting into large population centres such as towns or cities.

Heat Highways may also have thermal storage facilities. These facilities could include pit storage and disused mines. However thermal storage may also occur in largescale thermal storage tanks. Typically these tanks will be filled with heated water when electricity demand and hence electricity prices are low and the stored heated water can be discharged in times of high electricity prices. This type of grid balancing will be used as part of a symbiotic energy system and forms part of a wider green heat grid.

The highways can accept heat from any process, such as heat produced from renewable technologies, heat produced as a by-product or even heat produced from combusting fossil fuels. This makes them totally energy agnostic and futureproof, and in essence the heat transported by heat highways will only get greener over time as more renewable technologies are installed and the more waste heat is introduced.

History
Heat Highways were originally developed as not for profit transmission companies set-up as a joint venture by Danish councils and District Heating Companies as a method ensuring a reliable, low-cost and low-carbon supply of heat to consumers.

There are a number of existing Heat Highways in Denmark. Notably, TVIS, CTR and VEKS.

TVIS
Trekantområdets Varmetransmissionsselskab I/S (TVIS) is a collaboration across municipal boundaries, district heating companies and local businesses, which for almost 40 years has ensured a high security of supply of district heating by utilising local energy resources as efficiently and environmentally friendly as possible.

VEKS
Vestegnens Kraftvarmeselskab I/S (VEKS), was established in 1984 to utilise surplus heat from CHP plants, waste incineration and large industrial companies. Much less fuel is used when utilising the surplus heat with VEKS' transmission system.

VEKS' supply area is connected to its sister company CTR in Copenhagen and to Vestforbrænding. The combined system is one of Europe's largest district heating transmission systems.

VEKS comprises three business areas: Transmission, production and distribution

CTR
Centralkommunernes Transmissionsselskab I/S (CTR) has since it was established in 1984 been responsible for environmentally friendly district heating supply in the metropolitan area. Five municipalities - Frederiksberg, Gentofte, Gladsaxe, Copenhagen and Tårnby have together created a Heat Transmission Highway to supply local District Heat Networks.

Areas of Responsibility
Heat Highways are typically owned by a Heat Transmission Company whose main purpose is by economies of scale to provide low-cost heat to consumers. The Heat Transmission companies will be responsible for:


 * Production – Either by sourcing heat or by producing heat themselves.


 * Storage – Balancing the electricity grid by storing excess or waste electricity as thermal heat. Or sourcing naturally stored heat, such as geothermal or mine heat.


 * Transmission – Transmitting the heat from areas of low demand but high supply to areas of high demand with low or no supply.


 * Operational, Maintenance and Upkeep – Operating, maintaining and monitoring the Heat Highway.


 * Distribution – Some Heat Highways may also distribute heat to consumers, either industrial, commercial or residential. However, typically Communal or District Heat Networks will be in charge of delivering heat to consumers.