Bowhill set to install heat pump

Bowhill House on the Duke of Buccleuch’s Borders estate is to be heated by the ground-breaking wholly renewable energy system.

Lord Walter Dalkeith, vice-chairman of the Buccleuch board, said: “Buccleuch has a long tradition of environmental stewardship, and the project is hugely important to the business, in-keeping with its guiding principles and ambitions to become net zero.”

A 24km pipe network is to be laid in the grounds, connecting the ground source heat pump to the house.

The project, which is being delivered by Borders-based company Renew Green Energy, will provide green energy for the house and surrounding buildings. The heat pump is a bespoke unit, which has been custom built by Danish firm European Energy.

An existing anaerobic digester at the Borders Estate, which already converts waste from the estate’s agricultural operations into electricity, will supply power for the heat pump to operate.

Believed to be the first historic mansion house in Scotland to install such a system, the CO2 savings are estimated to be 444 tonnes per annum – the equivalent of planting 1,770 trees every year.

Brian Middleton, managing director at Renew Green Energy said: “We are delighted to be working with the Duke of Buccleuch and the estate on this exciting and significant renewable energy project. The climate crisis is all around us and renewable energy is hugely important in driving an environmental shift towards net zero carbon.”