The general circulation model of the United Kingdom Meteorological Office (UKMO) has been used to investigate the effects of thermal pollution from large-scale energy parks on climate. Two scenarios, with different locations for the energy parks, have been considered. 

Emphasis was placed on finding an estimate of model variability (on the basis of three control cases), so that the significance of the change caused by the heat release could be evaluated. 

As far as the model climatology is concerned, significant changes were produced by the energy parks. In addition, the location of the parks influenced the model response. The presently available models do not simulate climate in a completely realistic way so that the results of sensitivity experiments must be interpreted very carefully. At the present stage it can be said that the results call for further investigations.