SUSTAINABILITY Alpha heat pump hybrid boiler


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The best of both worlds


Dan Wilden, renewable product manager at Alpha, explains why installers will be playing a crucial role in changing how the UK heats its homes – and why a hybrid approach could make the best of both worlds.


T


he domestic heating sector will be going through a genuine revolution over the next few years. As the new Future Homes Standard


comes into force, the government is regulating a shift away from the traditional gas boiler, taking us all into a low-carbon future. Domestic heating installers will already be well


aware of options such as electric heat pumps coming onto the market. But while new homes can be designed for and installed with heat pump heating and hot water systems, it’s a diff erent story for the millions of existing UK homes – and not all of them are suitable for a heat pump-only approach. Householders will undoubtedly be looking to


installers to help them decide what the future of heating could look like in their homes. At Alpha, we’ve been working with installers for many years to help them understand the latest heating


technologies that we’re introducing to the market so that they can help their customers make the right choices. We also like to off er our insights into the challenges that householders are facing – and the questions they’re asking too. One option that we have been discussing with our


installers is a hybrid approach to heating and hot water provision. A heat pump is installed to provide space heating, with a boiler retained (or updated) to provide hot water. The hybrid system works equally well with a heat pump and combi-, LPG or oil-boiler, so it’s a good option for off -gas grid homes too. This approach has several benefi ts for householders. Larger or older homes (with lower insulation levels), or properties with a high heating demand, can benefi t from retaining a boiler to provide a boost to the heating system during times of peak demand, in cooler months for example – giving them more certainty of comfort. And the boiler can continue to provide hot water, reducing the size of heat pump needed. What’s more, for many homeowners, taking out a gas boiler to replace it with an electric heat pump is a signifi cant project. As installers will be aware, if the heat pump is also providing hot water, then a hot water cylinder is required. Households with a combi-boiler will have to fi nd a


E-Tec hybrid 34 October 2022


space large enough for that equipment, which is not always easy in smaller modern homes. Retaining a combi-boiler to provide hot water means that the householder benefi ts from low-carbon heat pump


heating, with on-tap hot water from the gas boiler. Perhaps one of the most important benefi ts


of a hybrid boiler/heat pump approach is that the system can be set up to switch automatically between fuels, selecting the most effi cient. Given the current situation with energy price rises, most homeowners will benefi t from a system that provides their hot water and heating at the best price all the time. A further welcome factor for homeowners will be


that they can retain the use of their existing radiators when installing a hybrid option – whereas switching entirely to a heat pump heating system can require an upgrade to larger and more effi cient radiator models to ensure that the system operates eff ectively. The UK government has set a goal of installing 600,000 heat pumps per year from 2028 onwards. We can’t achieve this number through installations in new homes alone. As a result, installers on the front line of the domestic heating sector will be helping to deliver on this tough objective. An approach that can introduce new technology alongside the familiar boiler should make this easier to achieve. With the hybrid boiler/heat pump approach, it is


vital for installers to understand the requirements of this sort of system; they will need to ensure that it is set up correctly for optimum performance. Alpha is providing installers the information and advice they need to help homeowners embrace the new technologies and their benefi ts.


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