ENERGY EFFICIENCY


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Maximising the potential of government renewables investment


Andrew Harrop, global director, regional sales enablement centres at Armstrong Fluid Technology, answers your questions on the latest scheme for Government investment in public sector energy projects


Q: How much money is the Government pledging, and which types of project will be eligible? A: The Government announced plans, in March this year, for a total £200 million investment in rooftop solar power and other renewable schemes for public sector buildings and projects across the UK. This includes £80 million allocated for around 200 schools and £100 million for NHS sites in England, which is expected to assist about a third of NHS trusts. Projects in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have been allotted £9.3 million.


Q: Who is managing the grant funding process, and where can you find further information? A: It is managed through a partnership between Great British Energy and the UK government, including the Department for Education and Department for Health and Social Care. For further information see the Government’s statement at www.gov.uk/government/news/great-british- energy-to-cut-bills-for-hospitals-and-schools. Contact details for Great British Energy are at www. gbe.gov.uk/contact-us.


Q: What are the potential pitfalls? A: There are two key things to keep in mind: optimisation and integration. Firstly, the danger is that the renewable elements will simply be bolted on, without sufficient consideration of overall system efficiency (optimisation). Gains made from on-site generation can all too easily be lost when


Left: Andrew Harrop, global director, regional sales enablement centres at Armstrong Fluid Technology


introducing (sometimes multiple) renewable devices into the HVAC system. Secondly, energy supply in the UK is in transition, and sites need to be capable of integrating with energy networks in the future.


Q: What are the key technical challenges around optimisation, and how can they be overcome? A: As Figure 1 illustrates, there are considerable differences between the optimum operating temperatures of the different low and zero carbon technologies. The introduction of renewables into the system, by changing these operating temperatures, can easily undermine performance. The key challenge is integrating the low and zero carbon elements effectively without compromising energy efficiency of any component parts of the system. Heat pumps, for example, should be seen as one part of a holistic system which takes advantage of the efficiency curves of all energy-consuming components across the system, such as pumps and heat exchangers.


Much of the best equipment to support integration of renewables is most efficient while operating at part-load, staged in harmony with other system components to meet demand at optimum levels. The variable speed intelligence embedded in the controller of an Armstrong Design Envelope pump, for example, enables it to


respond instantaneously and automatically to


28 September 2025


system load, adjusting pump speed and drawing only the power required to meet that load. Designed to optimise energy efficiency over a wider operational range than other pumps, they have the flexibility to adapt to the more diverse operating temperatures inherent in systems incorporating renewables whilst still optimising energy efficiency.


Q. How can you design for effective integration of renewables now and for the future? A: The UK has a plan to increase heat network use from its current level of 3% (of heat supplied to buildings) to 19%, by 2050, and incorporation of public sector buildings is central to that strategy. An energy agnostic approach is therefore crucial, to futureproof the site for connection to networks of this type as they come on stream. Thermal stores are an important solution, as


they can hold energy from various different sources effectively. A well stratified thermal store can integrate various heat sources such as solar, heat pumps and biomass. Hot water rises and cold- water sinks, so lower temperatures from solar thermal or heat pumps are fed into the bottom of the store, medium temperatures, for example from condensing boilers, are fed into the middle of the store, and higher temperatures from biomass are fed in towards the top of the store.


Q: Where can I obtain expert advice for my renewable integration project? A: For more information email: ukhvacsales@ armstrongfluidtechnology.com. Tel: +44 (0)161 223 2223 or visit www.armstrongfluidtechnology.com.


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