FEATURE ECO POWER


WHY THE 2050 RENEWABLES ROADMAP NEEDS ENERGY EFFICIENT HEATING


A research team from Stanford University has announced the publication of a roadmap which would enable 139 countries to move to 100 per cent renewable energy by 2050. Jaga managing director Claire Owen comments on the situation


T


he recently released 2050 roadmap proposes to electrify all energy


sectors using renewable sources such as wind, water and solar power in 139 countries around the world. The predicted results of this are enormously significant, with the study behind the roadmap claiming that its implementation would avoid 1.5ºC of global warming and prevent 4-7 million premature air-pollution related deaths. The implications of this roadmap, for


both the commercial and domestic sectors, are far-reaching. One key aspect is how this would affect heating. Given that an estimated 45 per cent of UK energy use is attributed to space heating, it follows that this area is of primary importance when discussing the future of energy, and one which should be key to any energy reform roadmap. Currently, the Government is investing


in renewable energy storage as a priority, with significant focus being placed on batteries as a way of storing energy which is not immediately required in the home. However, it is also vital that the Government, along with forward-thinking developers and specifiers, look to the best product solutions for using renewable energy as efficiently as possible, both for now and for the homes of the future. This is where radiators come in. For


certain renewable technologies, notably low temperature systems such as ground or air source heat pumps, the choice of accompanying heating solution can be crucial to the energy efficiency and effectiveness of the entire set-up. Historically, such systems have been partnered almost exclusively with underfloor heating, as standard steel panel radiators struggle to provide the wide surface area necessary for effective heat distribution. However, whilst underfloor heating has


its merits, the size of the area which is being heated means these systems can take up to four hours to reach the desired temperature. In a standard low temperature 10kW system with a 45/35/20°C temperature profile, a wet underfloor system can use up to 29 litres


26 WINTER 2017 | ENERGY MANAGEMENT


BRE (and more recently verified by Dutch body Kiwa) have shown that Jaga’s TempoLow-H2O radiators consumed 5- 16 per cent less energy than a system with steel panel radiators, as they are able to achieve the desired temperature more rapidly, and less heat is wasted through unnecessary over-heating. By utilising fan assisted DBE (Dynamic


Boost Effect) technology, air flow and heat output levels are boosted to easily meet occupants’ temperature needs quickly and efficiently. This means that there is no need to compensate for the low water temperature system by radiator oversizing, making Low-H2O with DBE the perfect partner for heat pumps. Many new and renovated buildings


of water, (which equates to 1.97m3 of gas


when used with a traditional condenser boiler for start-up consumption), only to spend hours reaching the desired temperature, and then hours to cool down once again.


PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE In the context of the 2050 roadmap, the energy used to power the system would of course be renewably generated electricity rather than gas, but the inefficiency of this process remains, especially given the high water-use. So, what is the answer to creating the


efficient heating systems of the future? Low-H2O radiators used in connection with fan assisted technology are ideally suited to work with low temperature systems, for example, in a similar 10kW system, a Jaga Low H2O radiator requires just 3.2 litres of water - 90 per cent less than an equivalent steel panel radiator. The aluminium and copper heat


exchanger rapidly transfers the heat to the room taking only two minutes to warm up. With less water being used, Low- H2O radiators can respond faster than higher water content counterparts, consequently consuming less energy. Studies conducted by independent testing, inspection and certification body


Figure 1:


In the context of the 2050 roadmap, the


energy used to power the system would


of course be renewably generated


electricity rather than gas, but the


inefficiency of this process remains,


especially given the high water-use


have underfloor heating, but as these systems are slow to react, the building suffers poor thermal comfort. By combining underfloor heating with small and fast responding Low-H2O radiators, heat can be regulated. This translates to a massively reduced level of start-up energy consumption, with gas usage in the same 10kW system amounting to just 0.05m3


. This can sensibly be translated


to lower energy usage in the 2050 future of renewable electricity, ensuring efficiency. Whilst we may be at the beginning of


the 2050 roadmap, there are already examples of how zero emission housing will work. For example, ground-breaking London-based development ‘The Beacon’ in Hemel Hempstead, London, is already offering residents zero energy bills as a result of technologies such as solar PV panels, ground source heat pumps, and rainwater harvesting. It is only a matter of time before


developments such as this become commonplace, and by considering the efficiency of every aspect of a heating system, from the energy source to the radiator, an end-to-end heating solution can be developed which maximises current technologies, and paves the way for the zero-energy homes of the future.


Jaga www.jaga.co.uk T: 01531 631533


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