Burning issue
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Long-term role for gas
The UK has made great progress towards a future without fossil fuels, but high efficiency gas-fired technologies will still be crucial for years to come, says Steve Addis product manager at Lochinvar
B
y the middle of this century, the UK will be almost entirely powered by renewables during the summer months. Analysts
predict that wind, solar and nuclear energy will account for more than 90% of summer requirements by 2050 – compared with 50% today. That would mark a fantastic achievement in
reducing our dependence on fossil fuels, but significantly, the same analysis by Aurora Energy Research shows that gas would still remain a vital feature of our energy market between November and February when output from solar falls. As we move towards a low carbon future featuring electric transport and other ‘clean energy’ options, politicians and technologists are pushing for faster progress. Their desire to eradicate emissions from fossil fuel use completely is laudable, but as this new analysis shows, the best approach is to see this as a gradual process. The low carbon transition needs to be practical and affordable for it to maintain momentum – and for our industry, in particular, there are sound practical and economic reasons why changes in the heating and hot water sectors must be managed carefully. Transport is on a similar path with the transition to clean energy being developed in stages via hybrid solutions. Gas-fired boilers and water heaters are tried and tested and still have a tremendous amount to offer. The industry has made huge strides in improving energy efficiency and, therefore, reducing its impact on the environment. Manufacturers have also developed a range of new technologies that minimise NOx emissions in line with wider efforts to combat air pollution.
Embraced
The industry has also made progress in embracing renewables, but experience has now taught us that often the most practical and affordable approach for end users is a combination of renewable and conventional approaches. Integrated or bivalent systems that combine
renewable and gas-fired technologies are an excellent way to meet performance targets at a lower capital cost than a fully renewable option
December 2018
and, as a result, are likely to deliver a faster return on investment. This means they are more likely to be taken up on a greater scale and, therefore, will deliver more energy and emissions cuts in the end. The UK’s first scrappage scheme for commercial
boilers, launched in London earlier this year, reflects this thinking. It is aimed at helping SMEs cut their energy bills and improve air quality and is supported by £10m of funding from the capital’s Cleaner Heat Cashback scheme. SMEs will receive 30% towards the cost of installing a new high efficiency, low-NOx gas or LPG boiler and this figure can rise to 35% in areas where there is a particular air quality problem. The contribution is also 35% if the boiler is part of a hybrid system – 40% in air quality target areas. The Energy Savings Trust is administering the scheme, which runs until March 2020. It applies to existing coal or biomass boilers of any age and gas or LPG boilers that are a minimum of 10 years old, with a minimum total output of 70kW. The replacement boilers must be at least 90% efficient and have NOx emissions of 40mg/kWh or less. This welcome initiative demonstrates how
improved ‘conventional’ heating technologies can help the transition to an energy efficient/low emissions future. It is the kind of approach that will be essential as we strive to help end users meet their many other obligations cost-effectively, like complying with local planning laws and corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting. Complying with legislation will also play a big part in the transition. Although the UK is leaving the European Union, we are already committed to the EU’s 2030 targets of a 27% increase in energy efficiency and 40% reduction in greenhouse emissions. The latest phase of the EU’s Energy- related Products Directive (ErP) came into force in September and is already driving even higher standards in the UK heating industry, including further energy efficiency targets and lower NOx emissions. The directive also means that, in order to comply, system designers and specifiers will have to adopt an approach that focuses on the complete system and not individual components. To extract maximum potential going forward, engineers will have to consider how all the
elements of a system work together – and much of the latest legislation is pushing the market towards integrated/hybrid solutions.
Demand
A good example is heat pumps, which have seen a surge in popularity in homes in recent years. Most, if not all, are installed with back up from immersion heaters to ensure they are able to deliver hot water in the coldest conditions and when demand is high. This approach is not always practical in commercial buildings where hot water demand is greater, and because of the requirement to store water at 65˚C. So, as a result, specifiers often revert to the tried and tested methods of providing heating and hot water by using traditional gas-fired methods. However, many will now use heat pumps or solar thermal in the same system with the gas-fired heat sources only employed as back up for times of peak demand. This reduces running costs and has the added benefit of extending the life of the equipment. At Lochinvar, we have found that this type of
integrated or hybrid solution is a popular way for clients to keep initial capital outlay low – when compared with renewable-only solutions. It is increasingly common for specifiers and installers to combine our solar and heat pump options with more traditional high efficiency heating and hot water products.
This means some users, who might have
previously considered renewables to be beyond their budget, can afford a renewable element. We are also seeing much wider use of multi-valent systems where energy is gathered from a number of separate sources including solar thermal, heat pumps and condensing gas-fired boilers and/or water heaters.
The drive for better efficiency and lower emissions is not prescriptive and still allows the industry room for manoeuvre. It encourages us to be innovative in the way we design systems as we work towards a lower energy future – and playing the long game will give us a much better chance of achieving the best and most effective solution for everyone.
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