Seawater heating system launched in Leirvík

After years of planning and preparation, Leirvík is now using seawater to heat up its municipal buildings.

The plan is to expand the system so that all houses in Leirvík will eventually be hooked up to the new power plant.

A seawater heating system works by extracting seawater and processing it via a heat exchanger or a heat pump (depending on the time of year) to supply residential areas with space heating and hot water.

Cheaper and cleaner

Studies have shown that this system has 10-percent lower running costs than traditional oil-fired boilers.

And since two thirds of the heat are taken out of the sea and only one third from electricity, seawater heating is also significantly more environmentally friendly.

The first step of the new seawater district heating network, which will include the school, the church and other municipal buildings, will be completed in 34-50 weeks’ time, according to consulting engineer firm Cowi.

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As part of the project, a district heating association will be set up to organise heating supply to residential houses.

An information meeting about the project is expected to be announced soon.

Net, a subsidiary of telecoms firm Føroya Tele, has announced that if and when pipe ditches will be dug in residential areas, Net is willing to install fibre-optic broadband cables throughout the town and will also help pay the digging costs.

Translated by prosa.fo