World News

Industry news and insights from Europe and around the World

UK News

Latest news and developments in the United Kingdom

Products

Keep up-to-date with the latest new products and technology

Features

General articles, applications and industry analysis

Star heat pump in UK first

UK: Star Refrigeration subsidiary Star Renewable Energy has been awarded funding to develop the UK’s first district heating scheme using a water source heat pump (WSHP).

The project will use a Star 2.5MW water source Neatpump on the Clyde in Glasgow. It is expected to be deployed by September 2018 and supply heat to a number of public buildings, and four tower blocks in New Gorbals.

The £3.5m industrial sized water source heat pump draws energy from the chilly waters of the Clyde in Glasgow and boost it to 80ºC.

Star’s Neatpump was included in an award-winning district heating project in Norway in 2011. The 13MW ammonia district heat pump provides hot water at up to 90ºC for the buildings of the city of Drammen, a community near the capital city of Oslo with 63,000 people.

Dave Pearson, director of Star Renewable Energy said, “It has been a long time since we proved in Drammen that heat can be delivered at high temperatures from sources such as rivers without using HFCs. It is frustrating that even with the support of the RHI, businesses have opted for burning gas in novel ways even when it is abundantly clear that the carbon footprint and exhaust emissions of gas CHP are not compatible with a low carbon society. This is in part due to a lack of knowledge and in part economic, as gas is cheap. Now businesses can have cheap heat that is lower carbon as well and without NOx emissions. Our message is “Don’t be scared of renewable heat. It creates jobs and supports the environmental goals without costing the Earth.”

Related stories:

Heat from Scottish water could save £250m – 28 April 2014
UK: Heat pumps utilising the heat from Scotland’s plentiful rivers and lochs could save Scottish businesses £250 million a year, it is claimed. Read more…

Latest News

14th October 2026

Space Engineering acquired by German group

UK: Bristol-based Space Engineering Services has been acquired by Bluu Unit, the German group of refrigeration, air conditioning and ventilation firms.
14th October 2026

French cyber agency warns of further attacks

FRANCE: The French government's national cybersecurity agency ANSSI has warned that attack campaigns are likely still underway targeting refrigeration equipment.
14th October 2026

Daikin opens expanded US Modular Solutions site

USA: Daikin Applied has opened its newly expanded 17,750m2 Modular Solutions facility in Phoenix.
14th October 2026

Arkema launches new R134a replacement

FRANCE: Arkema has announced the release of R516A, a new, lower GWP refrigerant replacement for R134a in HVAC and cooling applications.
13th October 2026

Hitachi launches Air365 Max (Pro) R32 VRF

GERMANY: Launched at this week’s Chillventa show, Air365 Max (Pro) is Hitachi’s latest VRF system for commercial projects and using R32 refrigerant.
13th October 2026

Panasonic adds compact R290 heat pumps

GERMANY:  Panasonic has introduced new compact residential indoor and outdoor units to its Aquarea M Series of R290 air-to-water heat pumps.