Speaking at Utility Week Live, the company’s head of innovation Steve Kaye said he would like the company to get a more ambitious renewable energy strategy, using innovative techniques such as harvesting heat from sewers.
He said heat was a “rich vein” the company has not yet tapped into. However, he added in order to take advantage of this, the financing must be right.
“There’s a real challenge around who puts their money in,” he said. “We can offer up our assets. We’ve got sewers that are run by offices, hospitals, and all kinds of places. How can we get the finances right so everyone can benefit?
“We might want to collaborate with some other water companies on that.”
Anglian is one of the largest energy users in the East of England, which is a big cost to the company, as well as having an adverse effect on the environment through the resulting greenhouse gas emissions.
Minimising both the operational carbon created in the company’s everyday operations, and the capital carbon used in building assets such as water mains, sewers and pumping stations, is vital to reducing its overall impact.
The firm has installed wind turbines and solar panels at many of its sites, and Kaye pointed out that its ‘Shop Window’ project will be a key focal area. The initiative aims to find solutions to long-term challenges, such as climate change and population growth, which are putting a strain on water resources.
In the last five years Anglian Water has delivered around 1,000 energy projects, bringing savings of more than £16 million, and dramatically reducing its carbon footprint.