Decarbonising heat at home – what Scotland can learn from Denmark
The Scottish government recently set an ambitious target: all Scottish homes will be net zero by 2045. This means the country must decarbonize Scottish homes quickly and fairly.
In Scotland, the energy consumed for heating contributes 13% of global CO2 emissions and represents 30% of global energy consumption. Of Scotland’s 2.5 million homes, 2 million use gas heating and only 278,000 use heat pumps, electric storage heaters or other low-carbon heating systems. The decarbonisation of heating is a huge achievement, especially in Scottish cities: classic buildings are elegant, but difficult to heat, difficult to insulate and generally quite small.
Scotland is unlikely to be able to follow a single blueprint for its heat decarbonisation strategy. Instead, different areas, buildings, and contexts will require the use of different low-carbon heating systems and insulation strategies.
A little more about Denmark?
Denmark may have a very different energy history than the UK, but like Scotland, the country is small, dark and cold. A pioneer in the decarbonisation of heat and a world leader in district heating technology, Denmark can offer us some lessons.
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District heating networks should be used in areas where heat pumps are not an option, due to spatial limitations. District heating can provide stable and affordable low-carbon heating, provided it comes from renewable energy, household waste combustion or waste thermal energy from industrial activities.
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Almost a quarter (24.6%) of Scots live in fuel poverty. The heat decarbonisation strategy should follow the Danish model of strict district heating profit margins so that people can afford to heat their homes.
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Where new renewable wind projects are proposed, district heating can ensure community benefits. In other regions, local bans on landfills could encourage the incineration of household waste for district heating, as in Denmark.
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Denmark creates a comprehensive digital platform to share information on home renovations. This will enable the collection and publication of building data, such as energy consumption levels, condition, building and resident register information, and home heating systems. Landlords and tenants can use this platform to discover which thermal decarbonization strategies have been most effective for different building types and contexts. A similar digital information sharing platform should be used in Scotland, due to the country’s unique buildings and energy infrastructure, which pose particular challenges.
By taking inspiration from Denmark’s policies, Scotland can both achieve its heat decarbonisation policy goals and reduce heating costs for residents – an important part of the just energy transition, particularly in the face of the current energy crisis.
Sources:
Bertelsen, N., Paardekooper, S. and Mthiesen, BV (2021) “Mass implementation
heating infrastructure: experiences from successful district heating planning and
natural gas networks in Denmark, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands”. Energy
Efficiency, 14(64), pp.1-22.
DHPA. (2021) The National Strategy for Sustainable Construction. Ministry of Interior
and Housing.
The Scottish Government. (2020) Scottish House Condition Survey.
The Scottish Government. (2021) Building Heat Strategy: Achieving Net Zero Emissions
in the buildings of Scotland.
Chapman, O., Kapetaniou, C., and Gabriel, M. (2021) Decarbonizing homes: Consumers
attitudes towards energy efficiency and green heating in the UK. Nesta.