BOILERS, PUMPS & VALVES


THE FUTURE OFHEAT


The time to act on the future of heating is now, says James Galloway, head of commercial product marketing at Baxi Heating. By identifying the


immediate and longer-term opportunities for emissions reduction, energy managers can set their buildings on the road to Net Zero


H


eat is becoming an increasingly hot topic for energy managers, following the UK government’s commitment to a tougher 78%


emissions reduction by 2035. A third of total UK emissions come from heat, so it’s a natural target for decarbonisation. But, it’s also a huge challenge given that each building will have its own unique requirements. While there is no ‘silver bullet’ for heat decarbonisation, we believe that


using a mix of different technologies and approaches will offer a combined solution: electrification, decarbonisation of the gas grid, and heat networks in dense urban environments. Energy efficiency will also be key,


as the most cost-effective resource available to meet our energy needs. With that in mind, what feasible opportunities are available as energy managers prepare for the heating revolution?


Hydrogen boilers are being trialled in a number of projects


to a potential hydrogen town by the end of the decade. So, businesses could well be heating their buildings with hydrogen or hydrogen-ready boilers long before 2050.


IDENTIFYING ACHIEVABLE OPPORTUNITIES But what about those businesses that might struggle to balance environmental and economic commitments? The ‘Net Zero Barometer’ report by the


British Standards Institution (BSI) found that 44% of the 1,000 organisations surveyed named cost as the largest barrier to achieving net zero. Additionally, 68% said that their plans and progress had been set back by the COVID-19 pandemic. Refurbishing heating systems will


ELECTRIFICATION In well-insulated new buildings, the merits of applying heat pumps are well-established. We view Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHP) as the most popular and cost-effective choice of heat pump and will soon be offering them as part of our commercial heating and hot water solutions. We also see hybrid and multivalent heating systems that include boilers and heat pumps as a natural next step to deliver an efficient and cost-effective heating system all year round – at least until heat pump technology evolves.


HYDROGEN In our older, poorly insulated stock, the technical and financial viability of electrification solutions is currently constrained, without funding. Retrofitting heat pumps, for example, simply may not be an option at present as heat pumps typically optimise their efficiency at low flow temperatures (around 30-55˚C). What, then, are the alternatives? A low disruption, medium- to


longer-term solution is to repurpose the gas grid to transport green gas – which brings us to hydrogen. As hydrogen is a gas, it can capitalise on


Remeha’s Gas 320/620 Ace, a next-generation boiler


existing infrastructure while transitioning us to a cleaner fuel source. Baxi Heating and BDR Thermea Group have been working closely with UK government to trial hydrogen boilers in a number of projects. 20% hydrogen blends are being demonstrated using current boilers at the HyDeploy project at Keele University. We are also demonstrating prototypes of 100% hydrogen boilers through the UK government Hy4Heat programme, with larger scale trial projects in development. The government has committed £81m investment from 2021 to


develop hydrogen generation capacity. It is also pioneering hydrogen heating trials, starting with a hydrogen neighbourhood and scaling up


14 ENERGY MANAGEMENT - Summer 2021


ultimately mean a shift to heat pumps, smart electric water heating equipment, or hydrogen boilers. But where the financially feasible options are limited, identifying achievable solutions, alongside longer-term measures, will help energy managers to put their buildings on the path to net zero.


Take plant upgrades. Replacing any ageing or failing boilers with high


efficiency condensing boilers will have an immediate impact on energy bills and system reliability. What’s more, next-generation boilers like Remeha’s Gas 320/620 Ace, with a high temperature differential (∆T) and wide operating range, have been designed to provide the perfect heat source for low temperature heating technologies and retrofit applications. This will help energy managers to future-proof their systems to integrate low carbon technology at a later date, or when funds permit. Enhanced boiler control, easy integration into the Building


Management System and remote monitoring capability will also support improved energy management.


COMMITTING TO SUSTAINABILITY While energy managers will be instrumental in driving the heating revolution, action is needed now to save emissions sooner – and, fortunately, responsible manufacturers have stepped up to the plate. At Baxi Heating, we have committed to a


portfolio of cleaner, greener products that will work with low carbon fuels by 2025 directly, such as heat pumps, smart electric water heating, heat network equipment, and hydrogen-ready boilers that can be converted after installation. By providing all the relevant products,


backed by our specialist product and technical knowledge, we are ready and prepared to support energy managers as they set their buildings – and their


heating systems – on the road to the future of heat. Baxi Heating


www.baxiheating.co.uk/the-future-of-heat www.energymanagementmag.co.uk


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