Trustee and spokesman Russell Garbutt, of Clyde, said the Central Lakes District Heating Trust was formed late last year and a presentation on the trust’s research and goals would be presented to the Central Otago District Council early this year.
The other trustees are Jono Conway, a scientist at Bodeker Scientific; Fraser Jonker, the chief executive of Pioneer Energy; and Geoff Kernick, an engineer from Lake Hawea.
The trust would investigate whether water-source heat-pump technology could be used for a community heating scheme in Central Otago and the Queenstown Lakes district, Mr Garbutt said.
The idea for the trust came after he heard of some preliminary work Bodeker Scientific had previously done researching the idea, which would harness the energy of waterways to provide heating and improve air quality by reducing reliance on wood-burners.
Last year Mr Kernick said there was "tremendous potential" in water-source heat-pump technology and the trust was excited about the possibilities ahead. The technology was already being used at Frankton Hospital and overseas, he said. Central Otago would be well suited to it, as it had reasonably high-density populations close to waterways such as the Clutha River.
Mr Garbutt said the main cost of a scheme would be the pipes that took water to houses or businesses.
The scheme would be best suited to large buildings such as schools, hospitals, rest-homes, council buildings and new residential developments, which could have one central unit to distribute the heat, in the same way a coal-fired boiler did.
Mr Garbutt said this week the trust had "identified several quite exciting programmes in terms of community use".
He did not wish to provide more information at this stage, but said the trust would be focusing on community programmes first.
The trust would be non-profit but would work alongside commercial operators to deliver the water-sourced energy, Mr Garbutt said.
The trust would make grant applications as it progressed, he said.
