BSEE


With a government target to install 600,000 heat pumps per year by 2028, the heang and plumbing industry is readying itself to deliver on a challenging goal. As well as growing and upskilling the workforce, we can and must take other steps to ease the transion to lowcarbon heat. By installing smart, futureproof water cylinders, we can oer homeowners a way to reduce their costs and carbon emissions today – and be ready for whatever lowcarbon heat source they choose to install in the future.


PUMPS, WASTE MANAGEMENT & WATER TREATMENT


Prepare for heatpump rollout with futureproof technology


Innovative technology


Dr Pete Armstrong, chief execuve ocer and cofounder, Mixergy


Lowcarbon heating options


Today, UK homes incorporate over 26 million gas boilers and 11 million hot water cylinders. Even at a run rate of 600,000 per year, the transition process to low- carbon alternatives will take many years. And heat pumps are not the only low- carbon home heat option for consumers to consider; the UK’s first homes to be fitted with hydrogen boilers are scheduled for April 2021 and some housing developers are installing direct electric heating without the need for heat pumps.


Heat pumps today are relatively expensive and many homeowners will wait for prices to fall – especially those who have recently invested in new gas boilers. But with most water cylinders having a life expectancy of just 8-12 years, consumers may find they have to replace their tank before upgrading the boiler. This scenario was just one of the problems that our design team sought to address in coming up with a smart cylinder design that is highly versatile, efficient and future proof.


Supporting multiple paths to net zero


We have upgraded our entire range of hot water cylinders to allow them to operate with a heat pump at any point during their working life. By developing a heat-pump ready cylinder, we are offering householders a way to upgrade their water tank now, connect it to their existing boiler and be ready if they choose to install a heat pump in the future. The same multi-use tank will continue to work if the gas boiler is upgraded to work with hydrogen or if the customer decides to go all-electric with PV and a smart tariff. Fundamentally, we believe that there are multiple paths to net zero and we believe that our tanks should be equipped for all without needing to be replaced. This saves money and hassle whilst eliminating the environmental impact of product obsolescence.


The Mixergy tank is made from high- grade stainless steel to ensure that it lasts at least 25 years and it comes with a warranty for that period. Our design team was determined to avoid product obsolescence and prepare the householder for a low carbon future whether using direct electric heating, heat pumps or hydrogen boilers.


24 BUILDING SERVICES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER APRIL 2021


saves money and energy Mixergy’s smart hot water tanks use innovative technology to optimise energy use. Using thermal stratification to prevent hot water mixing with cold, Mixergy tanks heat only the water required instead of the whole tank at once when operating with direct electric, gas or PV. This approach, combined with the use of AI techniques that learn to heat water only when it is needed, can save consumers up to 20% on their hot water bills. When connecting a heat pump, installers simply fit the Mixergy Heat Transfer Module (HTM), which uses an external plate heat exchanger assembly and circulation pump to achieve a more efficient heat transfer and improved volumetric performance. The HTM boosts the heat pump’s coefficient of performance (COP) by up to 10% for water heating whilst the tank is able to store up to 20% more hot water within the same installation volume compared to a coil heated tank.


As well as its multi-use features, Mixergy tanks offer smart scheduling controls through an app and are internet- connected to enable them to work with smart time-of-use energy tariffs, so that consumers have the option to heat their water when electricity prices are low or even negative.


All-electric customers can derive bill savings of around 50% through better use of off-peak tariffs. These savings were confirmed through BEIS-funded trials during which Mixergy tanks were controlled using an automatic heating schedule employing AI technology.


Smart grid ready


Mixergy’s solution was the first domestic hot water product to be certified by National Grid to provide grid flexibility services. Mixergy is working with Centrica to deploy thousands of smart hot water tanks as part of Centrica’s 2.5GW virtual power plant.


Mixergy tanks already deliver more than a megawatt of Demand Side Response (DSR) service to the National Grid, time shifting demand to help balance the grid and facilitate the uptake of renewable energy generation.


A clear path to transition As we look ahead to 2030, our goal is to


provide a clear path to transition from fossil fuel heating to low and zero carbon alternatives, enabling us to achieve our vision to make hot water cheaper, greener, and better for all.


www.mixergy.co.uk About Mixergy


We pride ourselves on our culture of innovation. We’re dedicated to developing intelligent solutions to domestic water heating which are cost-effective, energy-efficient and convenient for customers. In working towards a low-carbon future, we’re seeing a huge transformation of our energy system. More renewable power is being generated, and micro-generation (small-scale off-grid energy generation) is becoming increasingly common. This means that the supply of power being pumped onto the grid vs. consumer demand, is becoming more variable and on really sunny or windy days, there can be too much electricity for the grid to manage.


Mixergy’s ‘Internet of Tanks’ vision hopes to provide a low cost solution to enable more renewable power generation on the grid, through building a large-scale hot water ”battery” of Mixergy tanks. Mixergy hot water tanks are unique in their ability to offer a Demand Side Response (DSR) service to the National Grid, heating up when too much renewable energy is generated, and electricity demand is low, to free up more space for renewable generation.


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