Heat Network Zone (HNZ) guidance

Footnotes

1. see Local heat and energy efficiency strategies: guidance

2. For full details of how to identify potential heat network areas using LHEES see: LHEES Stage 4: Heat Networks – Generation of Potential Zones – Detailed Practitioner Approach (which has been shared with local authorities).

3. Heat Networks (Scotland) Bill - Policy Memorandum (parliament.scot)

4. Note that operators of existing heat networks within permitted heat network zones may be allowed to continue to operate such networks, subject to the issue of an appropriate notice by the permit authority (see section 56(2)).

5. Draft laid before Parliament on 8 November 2022.

6. Buildings with a large, reliable and long-term demand for heat, often with a stable and constant use profile, can act as anchors for a developing district heating network. Whilst the LHEES methodology default sets an anchor load threshold heat demand at "at least 500 MWh/yr ", anchor loads could have lower annual heat demands, dependent on local context. Local or site-specific definitions of the term "anchor load" may vary.

7. This is specifically Step 5 of the Detailed Practitioner Approach for Heat Networks.

8. First National Assessment of Potential Heat Network Zones

9. For more detail see the Greenspaces Scotland website

10. i.e. heat is distributed around buildings via water in pipes rather than the flow of air.

11. For clarification both primary substations and grid supply points are listed in the proforma document. This aligns to the electricity network operator data, with grid supply points being the larger transmission level network and primary substations the distribution level infrastructure.

12. For example, LHEES Stage 4: Generation of Initial Delivery Areas. Poor building energy efficiency and Poor building energy efficiency as a driver for fuel poverty. Detailed Practitioner Approach

13. For a list of LDP classifications, refer to: The Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) (Scotland) Order 1997

14. A Shapefile will have six associated files in various formats (.cpg, .dbf, .prj, .qpj, .shp, .shx) when it is created, please ensure all six files are appended.

15. The code for this projection EPSG:27700

16. This is specifically Step 4 of the Detailed Practitioner Approach for Heat Networks.

17. The local National Park authority, established by virtue of schedule 1 to the National Parks (Scotland) Act 2000

18. Note that the linear heat density approach used to identify potential zones within LHEES² provides a very coarse strategic steer regarding viable connection distances, and could be used to inform consideration of cross-boundary opportunities in terms of the likely viability of connecting demands that lie across a boundary. No numbers have been suggested for proximity as the consideration of viable connection distance is complex and depends on many factors – 2 important variables are the ground conditions (soft dig is more affordable and suggests longer connection distances will be viable) and the cost of heat available (particularly so where relatively low cost excess or waste heat is available). The latter may also present opportunity to take heat over considerable distance to connect supply sources with demand concentrations, potentially offering up connection opportunities to demands on route.