RENEWABLES
An untapped opportunity
B
uildings account for 40% of total energy consumption so if we are to start moving anywhere close to
achieving targets set in the Government’s Clean Growth Strategy, we need to expand our thinking about how we should heat the UK’s homes says Indeed, if we are going to take bigger steps away from relying on conventional fossil fuels to heat our homes and provide our hot water, we have to get out of the mindset of thinking that ever more insulation on its own is sufficient. It isn’t. It might help reduce fossil fuel use, but should we be considering moving towards abandoning fossil fuels altogether? There are many environmentally friendly ways to keep homes warm, which are also more effective, more efficient and cheaper. And top of the list are heat pumps. In a recent article ‘How do we heat rural homes?’ Bean Beanland of the Ground Source Heat Pump Association outlined the efficiency of a ground source heat pump in a new build property against an oil fired boiler – a carbon reduction of 69%. This is not small fry. It presents a genuine opportunity to make a real impact on lowering the levels of carbon produced from domestic heating in this country. Heat pumps not only lend themselves well to heating individual properties but, in
new housing developments with anything from 10 homes up to hundreds, heat pumps provide an appropriate solution via district heating systems. This is a real game changer, but it does need this shift in mindset.
District heating is not a new concept: it has been used in Scandinavia for decades. But it is not widely embraced in the UK – change does not always come easily in the building industry here. The schemes involve heat provided and paid for by occupiers, whether tenants (they are ideal for social housing developments) or homeowners in a similar way to buying your water or electricity. One central heat pump system provides all the heating and hot water for all homes, with each home charged just for what they use. So, what are the benefits? By opting for a district heating heat pump system, the energy use and carbon emissions generated by heating can be reduced by over two thirds. Plus, the cost of heating and hot water provision in this way will typically halve previous bills, not to mention the additional advantages such as lower maintenance costs. Yes, heat pumps are more expensive to buy and install than fossil-fuelled boilers, but the systems typically pay back in around five years – and with the Renewable Heat Incentive, which is still
Guy Ransom, commercial director at Finn Geotherm
available for another three years, you are turning a cost into an income, either for the homeowner, the developer or the housing association.
Heat pumps need not be restricted to new builds, either. We have proven time and time again with Finn Geotherm installations that retrofits are ideal for homes of all ages and sizes. Heat pumps are ideally suited to older homes which may not have the same levels of insulation as newer houses. In fact, it makes perfect sense to install heating which uses less energy and produces fewer carbon emissions, instead of trying to insulate or clad older properties to keep in heat produced by fossil fuel powered boilers. So, in conclusion, heat pumps could
A new build complex, served by a heat pump solution
make a significant impact in helping to achieve the Clean Growth Strategy by cutting energy use; they have zero carbon emissions and they are completely sustainable. Heat pumps will also significantly cut heating bills. Moreover, the systems could help to remove fuel poverty.
Let’s look at the sources of the heat as the most sensible way to cut emissions first.
40 July 2018
It makes sense to install heating which uses less energy and produces fewer carbon emissions
Last year, 162,880 new build homes were started in the UK – up 15% on the previous year (House building; new build dwellings, England: March Quarter 2017) but, of these, only a small minority were fitted with renewable energy heating, says Guy Ransom, commercial director at Finn Geotherm
www.heatingandventilating.net
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