Hot water provision I


f the UK is to achieve a 78% reduction in carbon emissions by 2035 and Net Zero by 2050, increasing the uptake for low-to-zero carbon heating solutions is imperative. Accompanied by the government’s commitment to install 600,000 heat pumps per year by 2028, electrification has a major role to play in decarbonisation. As the dependence on electricity provision


grows, however, the task of balancing the grid to avoid outages is becoming increasingly difficult. Nonetheless, new HWA research has highlighted that hot water cylinders could be crucial to unlocking the potential of renewable heating.


Understanding energy stores


The HWA’s latest report, Connected Homes, reveals that hot water cylinders could be used as long-term energy stores. Thermal energy storage (TES) includes a range of hot water and thermal store cylinder solutions that store energy as heated water, through the millions of hot water cylinders installed and maintained across the country.


It is crucial, however, that hot water cylinders must work smartly if they are to be used as energy storage in the home. For instance, indirect cylinders with electric immersion heaters could be used as a store. Optimal performance can be achieved through control of the heat source if it is a connected appliance, like a heat pump. Cylinders can also be retrofitted with smart controls that allow end-users to control hot water schedules often through an app. Alternatively, flexibility can be achieved by outsourcing control to third parties. When it comes to smart controls, customers


have the luxury of choice. Whether it’s through smart controls built into an appliance, connected to a switchboard or installed into a smart plug, the possibilities are seemingly endless. This is where heating engineers and installers are key, as they can use their insight and expertise to advise end-users on the most suitable choice for their property.


Helping the customers


By optimising the grid against Time of Use (ToU) tariffs, cylinders will be heated when electricity prices are below average which, in turn, will reduce their energy bills. Customers with solar panels can further increase self-consumption by using electricity generated during the day to heat their cylinder. This avoids having to sell energy back to the system at a lower price or install a storage system. Owing to their connectivity and flexibility, hot


water cylinders allow for a more inclusive uptake of decarbonised technology. This is reiterated in the Connected Homes report, which predicted the use of heat pumps in conjunction with a cylinder to rise by 651% by 2030. There is, however, a need for policy reforms to


reduce the up-front costs of efficient upgrades and incentivise homeowners to make the switch. ‘Smart’ upgrades to cylinders can vary from £100


22 April 2024


www.heatingandventilating.net


Aspiring for energy flexibility with smart cylinders


Following a recent webinar hosted alongside the Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (CIPHE), Kevin Lowe, technical manager at the Hot Water Association HWA), reveals how smart cylinders will be crucial to achieving energy flexibility


for a retrofit solution up to £2,000 for a new smart cylinder. As a result, grants and incentive schemes are required to provide the financial support needed to kick start change.


Achieving a flexible future


Once ‘smart’, the nation’s hot water cylinders will combine to create a flexible bank of energy storage, predicts the Connected Homes report. During times of low demand, charging cylinders with thermal energy can act as a network of batteries for the National Grid to draw on when demand rises. The report envisions hot water cylinders to unlock 23 GWh if smartly connected, almost 10% of the electricity consumed by UK homes daily. To release this potential, however, smart functionalities


must be integrated and collaboration between the industry, government and homeowners must be achieved. For consumers to save up to £200 per year by optimising their hot water cylinder usage with clean energy or ToU tariffs, robust mechanisms like promoting uptake through grants or smart controls are essential. Additional steps include boosting newbuild EPC ratings with smart-equipped products or encouraging more dynamic tariffs in the market. With security and energy resilience at the centre of debate across industries, achieving energy flexibility would undoubtedly mitigate the risk of outages during peak demand.


• For more information and to read Connected Homes, visit https://rb.gy/xdl48l


DOWNLOAD THE HVR APP NOW


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36