The Environment Agency has published detailed guidance on installing ground source or surface water source heating or cooling systems.
The guidance covers the environmental permits, consents and licences needed in England prior to the installation of an open-loop heat pump system for ground source or surface water source heating or cooling.
The systems pump water from beneath the ground or from nearby rivers, canals, lakes or the sea and use the water to heat or cool buildings before reintroducing it to the ground or surface water body.
The Environment Agency is advising prospective applicants to have a pre-application discussion prior to making an application. Topics covered in the guidance include:
- Groundwater investigation consent for applicants proposing to drill for a ground source scheme
- Applying for an abstraction licence (unless the volume of water abstracted is less than 20 cubic metres per day)
- Ground source open-loop heat pump systems: exemptions
- Surface water open-loop heat pump systems for a single domestic property
- Standard rules water discharge permits for surface water systems (or a registered exemption from this requirement if the applicant meets the criteria for a low risk activity)
- When to apply for a bespoke discharge permit
- When to apply for an environmental permit for a flood risk activity or ordinary watercourse consent (for works carried out near a watercourse, a flood defence or a sea defence)
- Complying with a permit
Closed-loop heat exchangers do not need groundwater investigation consent, an abstraction licence, or an environmental permit or exemption for the discharge.
Click here to access the guidance online.
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