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Open Water Heat Pump system at Kingston Heights
https://www.icax.co.uk/Kingston_Heights.html
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Ever wonder why the government pushes green tech on you but bails when it doesn’t suit them? Meet the quiet scandal at the Houses of Parliament: they’ve ditched Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHPs) after a hyped-up eco-push—and they’re hoping you won’t notice.
Why? ASHPs flopped hard. In London’s chilly winters, they barely hit a COP of 2.5, humming at 40-60 decibels—too noisy for Westminster’s peace. Bulky units clashed with the Gothic vibe, and they couldn’t heat the Palace’s massive 10-15 MW demand. So, MPs scrapped them, quietly sliding back to gas boilers while preaching Net Zero to the rest of us. Hypocrisy much?
But here’s the kicker: there’s a better fix they’re ignoring—Water Source Heat Pumps (WSHPs) from the Thames, flowing right past their doorstep.
Unlike ASHPs, WSHPs tap the river’s steady 7-10°C warmth (solar-heated, not tidal-made), delivering a COP of 4-6—way more efficient. The Thames’ tidal flow (65 m³/s) keeps the heat coming, no stagnation, no fuss.
Kingston’s already heating homes this way, saving 500 tonnes of CO₂ yearly, and South Westminster’s eyeing a £1B low-carbon network using Thames heat. Parliament could pull 10 MW with just 800 litres/second, a drop in the river’s bucket, capped at a 3°C cooling limit to protect fish.
So why stick to gas? MPs won’t say. This video dives into the U-turn, exposes the double standard, and pitches a green Thames solution they won’t share. Like, comment, and subscribe—should Parliament lead by example or keep dodging their own rules? Let’s call it out!
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