Wales’ only thermal spring now powers heat.

Exciting news from a South Wales village as a primary school and bowls pavilion have made the switch to clean, renewable heating in a groundbreaking way that is the first of its kind in Wales.

Ffynnon Taf Primary School and the Pavilion at Taff’s Well Bowling Club in Taff’s Well, Wales, have embraced a new heating system installed by Kensa, the UK-based Ground Source Heat Pump specialists. This system utilises the natural heat from the historic Taff’s Well Spring, which is the only thermal spring in Wales.

The innovative water source heat pump system taps into the warm spring water, which emerges from deep beneath the earth at around 21°C, to provide the two council-owned properties with low-carbon heating and hot water.

This unique approach is expected to reduce the school and pavilion’s carbon emissions related to heating by nearly 80%. It also showcases a new way of using Kensa’s ground source heat pumps without the need for drilling vertical boreholes to access heat energy stored in the ground.

The concept of using the Taff’s Well thermal spring for heating was initially suggested by the Friends of Taff’s Well community group, who were exploring ways to leverage the historic spring for the benefit of the local community.

This distinct installation underlines the adaptability of Kensa’s ground source heat pump systems and aligns with Rhondda Cynon Taf Borough Council’s ambitious goal to decarbonise by 2030.

How the system works:

Kensa’s ground source heat pumps, commonly found in numerous UK properties, are typically designed to extract energy from the ground to supply heating and hot water.

However, the installation at Taff’s Well is one-of-a-kind. It pumps warm water from the spring and channels it through a nearby heat exchanger, which is connected to Kensa’s ground source heat pumps installed inside the school and pavilion.

In this high-energy efficient system, heat energy stored in the warm spring water is absorbed and converted by the heat pumps into usable energy for heating and hot water in the school and pavilion.

The water within the system is confined to its own pipework, mostly hidden underground to prevent contamination or pollution.

To maintain the pipework discreet and minimise above-ground disruption, Kensa drilled horizontally for hundreds of meters between the Well, the school, and the pavilion.

After circulating through the system, the clean water is returned to the Well’s overflow, ultimately flowing into the River Taff.

This is the only installation by Cornwall-based Kensa that utilises a natural thermal spring as a heat source.

This project follows other renewable heating installations completed by Kensa, employing ground source heat pump technology to futureproof heating systems and reduce carbon emissions in various UK schools and council properties.

On a visit to the site on Tuesday, 16th July, Kensa’s Dr Stuart Gadsden, accompanied by representatives from Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council, demonstrated the new low-carbon heating and hot water system to pupils from Ffynnon Taf Primary School’s Eco Committee.

Dr Stuart Gadsden, Kensa Contracting Commercial Director, commented, “This is an incredibly unique system that vividly demonstrates the versatility of Kensa’s ground source heat pumps. It was delightful to show the pupils how their new heating system operates and how it will reduce their carbon footprint.”

He added, “Utilising the historic Taff’s Well thermal spring as a renewable heat source is a superb example of how innovative ideas can lead to something beneficial for future generations. It’s a source of community pride, and we are pleased to have played a role in making it a reality.”

Kathryn Price, Headteacher of Ffynnon Taf Primary School, expressed excitement about the utilization of Taff’s Well Thermal Spring for the entire school community. She mentioned that the Eco Committee enjoyed learning about the heat pump system and how it contributes to reducing the school’s carbon footprint.

Jon Arroyo, Energy and Carbon Reduction Manager at Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council, emphasised the Council’s ambition to decarbonise by 2030 and the importance of exploring alternative solutions to achieve a net zero future.

This remarkable achievement was featured in the September 2024 issue of Energy Manager magazine. Subscribe to stay updated on the latest developments in energy management.