INDUSTRY NEWS


CKW of Switzerland has successfully transformed unused satellite dishes located on the premises of Leuk TDC, a Swiss telecom service provider, into cutting-edge solar installations. Developed in collaboration with SolarEdge, this project highlights the significant potential of re-using existing infrastructure for solar.


SATELLITE DISHES TRANSFORMED INTO SOLAR INSTALLATIONS The solar plant comprises two


satellite dishes with 307 solar panels on each one, with each dish generating approximately 110,000 kWh of clean energy annually. The company has also installed a rooftop solar system on the main building of its computing and data centre, generating a further 555,000 kWh of solar power annually. In addition to solar, the data centre is powered with energy from hydroelectric power plants, meaning the data centre’s entire energy needs are covered with 100% renewable energy.


https://www.solaredge.com/uk/


WATER-SOURCE AMBIENT HEAT NETWORK TO BENEFIT NEW VILLAGE


The Last Mile group of multi-utility infrastructure companies is delivering a water-source ambient heat network to the Welborne Garden Village development in Hampshire. The first phase of the multi-phase project, delivered by


Buckland Development, will see up to 700 homes, a primary school and a village centre comprising shops, pubs and cafes connected to Last Mile’s ambient heat network. This draws stable temperature water from Portsmouth Water’s nearby underground Hoads Hill Reservoir and feeds it to an energy centre, where a heat exchanger transfers energy from the water into an ambient heat network. Individual heat pumps at each property then convert that energy into space heating and hot water. It can also use the reservoir as a heat sink for cooling in warmer


months and facilitates building-to-building heat transfer, transforming excess heat produced by cooling in one building into heat and hot water for other buildings. This makes it


significantly more efficient than alternative heat solutions, resulting in 54%


lower CO2 emissions than systems using air-source heat pumps and 80% less than gas boilers, the company states. https://lastmile-uk.com/


COMMENT W


elcome to the Summer issue of Energy & Sustainability Solutions, and we have an issue packed with interesting and


informative information. To start with, one of the biggest transformations to the electricity market will begin this year – the Market-wide Half-Hourly Settlement (MHHS). With energy monitoring and metering a top priority, turn to page 8 to find out the questions every business needs to ask. We also delve into the Boiler Upgrade Scheme - but what is it and what are the benefits? We examine how


heat networks are set to play a pivotal role in the construction of energy efficient homes; discover how AI can help data centres meet energy efficiency goals; and look at energy efficiency solutions for the public sector. Our Autumn issue goes to print in late September, but in the meantime keep an eye on our website (www.essmag.co.uk) and follow us on LinkedIn (@Energy & Sustainability Solutions) for the latest news and information!


Rachael Morling - Editor LOW VOLTAGE GRIDS CAN’T BE


The addition of distributed energy resources (DER) such as wind turbines and solar power are placing extra strain on the capacity of our network. The impact of this is that owners and operators of the


grid are looking at innovative ways to future-proof their assets and keep our electricity supply reliable. On the usage side, adoption of electric vehicles and on-site renewable technology are gradually picking up momentum, bringing both ends of our national grid into the modern age. The focus of attention for much of the UK’s future energy


plans are quite rightly on large-scale transmission projects and those aimed at driving investment into clean low carbon energy from renewable sources. However, the last mile of our grid is in danger of being left behind. The UK’s low-voltage distribution networks are equally important, and we mustn’t neglect these as we modernise. Large swathes of the UK’s low-voltage networks are still as they


were originally laid, with the norm being a ‘fit and forget’ system. UK Distribution Network Operators (DNOs) have done well to sweat our low- voltage assets to date, but the section of our grid that supplies energy directly to our homes now needs the spotlight. As we hurtle towards the electrification of everything from heating to transport, grid operators face the challenge of how to better use existing network capacity while at the same time upgrading and improving capacity.


4ENERGY & SUSTAINABILITY SOLUTIONS - Summer 2025 www.essmag.co.uk HEAT PUMP AND EV CHARGER IN ONE UNIT


Mitsubishi Electric has partnered with Irish tech company EVHACS to launch what it states is the world’s first integrated heat pump and electric vehicle (EV) charger. This single, compact, unit is capable of both heating and cooling spaces, and charging electric vehicles. This allow homeowners, property


developers and commercial operators to simplify their infrastructure by combining two vital energy technologies in one, resulting in reduced installation complexity, faster deployment, lower total system costs, and minimal impact on building aesthetics.


www.mitsubishielectric.com


SMART LIGHTING FOR THE DWP


Whitecroft Lighting has delivered a major smart lighting upgrade for the Department for Work & Pensions (DWP). In partnership with Mitie, the


company replaced outdated lighting systems with modern LED luminaires and smart building technology. The project has delivered unprecedented efficiencies for the government department, the largest of its kind in the country, reducing lighting energy consumption by around 80% across 129 modernised sites. This energy- efficient, sustainable solution, is also enhancing workplace comfort.


www.whitecroftlighting.com https://evhacs.com/


WASTE-TO-ENERGY SYSTEM FOR REMOTE MILITARY BASE


HomeBiogas, an Israeli waste-to- energy company, will supply 20 off-grid toilet systems to a remote Pacific Island US Air Force base. The HomeBiogas solution is suited for remote, infrastructure-limited environments. It features a specialised designed toilet equipped with a foot-operated pump mechanism that transports the human waste into a biodigester system. Inside this, anaerobic bacteria break down the waste, producing methane gas that can be used for cooking or heating water.


homebiogas.com


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