THE innovative district heating scheme at the Clyde Gateway regeneration project in Glasgow has reached a crucial landmark with £3.7 million funding now in place.

Construction is expected to begin “in a few weeks”, according to Sharc Energy Systems, the Midlands-based green energy firm who will use its revolutionary waste water heat recovery technology to generate the heating and cooling services for the site’s future occupiers.

Sharc’s system will provide an initial 2MW of capacity, with room to expand further as the development grows. The company itself has opened a Scottish office at the Gateway’s Red Tree Bridgeton complex.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon visited the Clyde Gateway last week and announced £5.5m of funding for the overall project that is helping to regenerate the east end of Glasgow and parts of South Lanarkshire.

Sharc’s technology is vital to the green energy policies of the Gateway. It extracts the natural warmth contained within waste water and transfers the heat to the clean side of the heating system via a heat exchange mechanism.

The recovered heat is then amplified via heat pumps to generate the appropriate temperatures for use in all types of buildings.

Quoted in BDC magazine, Russ Burton, the chief operating officer of Sharc, said: “We are delighted that we have achieved this significant milestone, enabling us to move confidently to construction over the next few weeks.

“It means we are now in a position to get going with the installation of our waste water recovery systems at what is Scotland’s biggest regeneration project. It is a very exciting moment for all of the team at Sharc.

“This project will enable us to further demonstrate our contribution to the Scottish Government’s ambitious and exciting energy decarbonisation and transition strategy, aimed at developing a low carbon economy for Scotland.”

Sharc has achieved an initial funding package of £3.7m. The company has gained assistance from the Scottish Government’s Low Carbon Infrastructure Transition programme, which is itself supported by the 2014-2020 European Regional Development Fund programmes.

The project also benefits from commercial loans and investments from the Energy Saving Trust, Clyde Gateway and Sharc International.

“We are pleased to be supporting this innovative project in the heart of Glasgow,” said Anthony Kyriakides, head of renewables at Energy Saving Trust.

“The project, part funded by the district heating loan fund that we manage on behalf of the Scottish Government will reduce carbon emissions, improve local air quality by utilising waste water heat recovery systems and support local jobs.”

Sharc Energy Systems is already working with Scottish Water and Argyll and Bute Council to build the heating system for Campbeltown’s Aqualibrium leisure centre – the first such system in a British swimming pool.

The £1m development will see Sharc extract heat from waste water at Scottish Water’s Kinloch Park pumping station.

Burton said: “The Aqualibrium project is a significant step for the joint venture and Sharc which is demonstrating how our technology provides a real, sustainable and renewable alternative heat service to customers in rural communities as well as urban centres.”