For years, Londoners have complained about the heat in the London Underground. But now, they will be thankful for it. Thanks to a new design scheme, the excess heat will be used to warm houses in the winter.
This is part of the UK’s larger objective of cutting greenhouse gas emissions. Instead of burning fossil fuel to warm houses, residents will be able to utilize wasted heat, which will not have any emissions.
This will be the first time that this kind of technology is implemented in the world.
Heating Uses A Lot Of Electricity
It’s no secret that generating heat requires a lot of electricity, and the energy sector is a major contributor of greenhouse gases. Reducing the amount of electricity needed is one way to lower the sector’s carbon footprint.
The average domestic gas consumption per UK household was 12,400 kWh. While not all houses can receive the London Underground heat, every household that does will help out considerably.
District Heating
District heating is a design choice that utilizes insulated pipes for residential and commercial heating. Essentially, it distributes the heat around a specific area lessening the amount of heat needed by an individual.
So in a way, it is heat recycling.
This will not only lower the carbon emissions, but it will also save the UK an expected 3 billion pounds every year. Since the country is an energy importer, this will help lessen the country’s reliance on foreign energy.
Unique To The UK
While you may have a subway in your area, it will not have the same impact as this one. The London Underground consists of deep tunnels that go through clay. Clay absorbs heat which is why it is much hotter down there than other subways.
It is important to remember that this is part of a larger effort by the UK. According to the Committee on Climate Change (CCC), by 2025, no new houses will be connected to the gas grid. Instead, they will utilize low carbon energy sources.
