BOILERS, PUMPS & VALVES


GETTING THE ENERGY BALANCE RIGHT


How we heat our buildings must change if we are to meet


our national 2050 net zero emissions goal. But with volatile energy prices and no silver bullet solution, striking a financially and


environmentally sustainable balance can be challenging for energy managers. Rob Erwood, sales and specification director at Baxi Commercial Solutions, identifies some of the options


F


rom energy crisis concerns to the COP26 global climate change summit,


energy – and how we consume it – is currently one of the hottest topics for businesses and organisations. By now, we are all aware of the need to achieve near-total heat decarbonisation if we are to meet our national 2050 net zero target. Ultimately, the transition to low carbon heating sources is likely to mean a shift to heat pumps, smart electric water heating equipment, or hydrogen boilers. This combination of energy sources will also help overcome any systemic constraints relating to the UK’s energy supply. As to which heating technology solution


or approach will be most appropriate, this will depend on the type, age and energy infrastructure of the building. And while there’s no decarbonising silver bullet for energy managers, solutions are available to meet heat demand more sustainably.


STEPWISE PROGRESS In new and well-insulated commercial buildings, heat pumps will achieve one of the lowest carbon footprints, thanks to the UK’s rapidly decarbonising electricity grid. We are pleased to be adding commercial air source heat pumps (ASHPs) to our expanding portfolio of sustainable heating and hot water solutions. The real challenge lies with our existing


non-domestic properties. It’s important to be realistic. We cannot ignore the current technical barriers to applying low to zero carbon heating technologies in older, poorly insulated, building stock and we understand that budgets may be tight, particularly in pandemic times. But nonetheless, immediate action is required to refurbish ageing heating systems if sustainability targets are to be met. So what achievable steps can energy


managers take to bring older buildings up to code and on track for the future of heat? One solution is to plan a phased


refurbishment, beginning with energy efficiency. By identifying affordable improvement measures, energy managers


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can help protect business operations and profitability in the event of future energy price spikes. We recommend taking a ‘fabric first’


approach. Increasing the thermal efficiency of poorly insulated buildings will reduce heat losses and lower energy demand and costs. Where budgets are tight, a next step


might be to identify any further low- hanging fruit opportunities, such as plant upgrades. With low capital expenditure and rapid payback, planned boiler replacements are important quick wins to improve building energy performance


ENERGY MANAGEMENT - Winter 2021


A hybrid system that combines an air source heat pump with condensing boilers overcomes the typical limitations of physical space, available electrical power and/or capital expenditure budget


and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.


FUTURE READY What about hydrogen? The UK government recently reaffirmed its commitments for clean hydrogen deployment at scale in its national hydrogen strategy. Given these plans, how future proof are condensing boilers? To answer this, let’s consider how the transition is anticipated to unfold. The first stage of the energy transition


will likely be to introduce a blend of up to 20% hydrogen into the natural gas mix, which could save six million tonnes of carbon dioxide a year nationally – equivalent to taking 2.5 million combustion engine cars off the road (Source: HyDeploy). As large scale 100% hydrogen deployment


is not expected to roll out much before 2030 – and this date will vary from region to region – carrying out boiler replacements now will deliver significant savings faster with minimal disruption. Modern condensing boilers like Remeha’s


low NOx range are certified to operate on a 20% hydrogen blend, in addition to being around 20% more efficient than non- condensing models. As such, they offer a flexible and future proof installation solution that will contribute towards a reduced carbon footprint while improving outcomes for building occupants.


CONSIDER INSTALLING A HYBRID SYSTEM For greater emission savings, a further option in older premises is to consider integrating high efficiency condensing boilers with low carbon air source heat pumps. Installing a hybrid system that combines


a small electric air source heat pump with gas boost from a boiler, for example, is an effective means of overcoming the typical limitations of physical space, available electrical power and/or capital expenditure budget. For this reason, we see hybrid systems as a natural next step to help businesses and organisations achieve their sustainability goals. An added benefit of this approach is the


greater flexibility in energy management and increased energy security it provides by meeting the heat demand through more than one energy source.


THE BALANCING ACT Balancing volatile energy costs with concerns over energy security and tough climate targets is no mean feat. But whether progressing through smaller steps or larger strides, it’s important to act now to ensure that UK buildings are heated more sustainably. Our role, as heating and hot water


solution providers, is to ensure that we supply the appropriate technologies, backed with expert knowledge and technical support, so that businesses can make the right choices at the right time.


www.energymanagementmag.co.uk


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