Innovation Exchange challenge: On-site energy generation for efficient heating of an outdoor lido

Background

The UK has a strong history of Lido style swimming pools, often in seaside resorts and extensively used by families as an area where safe swimming and pool games could take place.

The Lidos at seaside locations were often filled by the tide or pumped sea water which could be changed regularly by either a sea gate or pumps. Often these pools were not heated but gained warmth from the sun and structure of the pool itself absorbing heat.

Modern Lidos are being constructed with a more inclusive and net zero design to minimise costs and environmental impact and also allow for sports activities for all members of society which includes adding minor heating as well as power for services, wash facilities etc.

About the challenge

Pembrokeshire Lido Park Society Ltd (a community benefit society) was formed to deliver this project, with support from Pembrokeshire County Council, and has already gained support for delivering such an ambitious project from organisations including The Port of Milford Haven & Pembrokeshire Coast National Park.

The challenge aims to develop ideas to discover methods of energy generation that could be used to:

• heat the seasonal and disability pools,
• provide energy for use within the leisure facility,
• offer energy back into the grid or for peer-to-peer trading for local use.

The challenge welcomes applications from specialist technologies within the energy generation domain as well as efficient heating. There is an advantage in being able to provide a solution which covers all aspects of the scope, but there is interest to bring forward specialist companies within their separate domains to harbour opportunities for this specific application.

Rewards and benefits

Successful applicants will be given an opportunity to pitch to the Pembroke Lido team which includes Pembrokeshire County Council – the operator of 6 indoor pools, with the potential for successful innovations to be implemented into the design and build.

We will be happy to share the presentation of technology with our network of Lido operators and Future Lidos Group which has a current growing membership of 45 Lido operators and Lido restoration groups.

The package may also include:

• Support from IUK Business Connect
• Support in the development of a prototype or pilot
• Technical support
• Invitation to attend or present at IUK Business Connect events
• Support if any Innovate or similar competitions are relevant.

A selected panel of assessors will review and score applications. The panel of assessors will meet and agree a consensus score. Successful solutions will be selected by the Challenge holder. Success will be based on total consensus scores, a portfolio approach and the capacity of the challenge holders to carry out the projects.

Deployment timescale

The Lido projects current projections are to break ground in 26/27, therefore lower TRL technology is acceptable for this challenge.

Technology should have a clearly defined roadmap to be commercially ready by 2026.