BOILERS, PUMPS & VALVES Heating and hot water


significantly contribute to a building’s emissions.


Heat pumps, however, are central to reaching the decarbonised future we


need. James Chaplen, head of product marketing and communications


for Mitsubishi Electric, Residential Product Group, comments


HEADING


WHY DRIVING THE ADOPTION OF HEAT PUMPS IS VITAL FOR NET ZERO


T


he UK Government has ambitious goals to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.


Since the commitment was made in 2019, the challenge of decarbonising heating and hot water production has been a core area of focus. This is because heating and hot water


significantly contribute to a building’s emissions. In fact, there are approximately 30 million buildings in the UK, and heating these buildings still contributes to almost a quarter of all UK carbon emissions. Luckily, the technology to heat buildings in a more energy-efficient, renewable way, is already available – in the form of heat pumps.


DECARBONISING HEATING WITH HEAT PUMP TECHNOLOGY Heat pumps are central to reaching the decarbonised future we need, with data showing they can provide up to three times more energy than they consume and are more energy efficient and less carbon intensive than traditional gas boilers. The Climate Change Committee has estimated that 19 million heat pumps will need to be installed


James Chaplen


by 2050 in order to help achieve the UK’s Net Zero goal, and the government has already set a target of 600,000 installations per year by 2028. Along with offering renewable heating, heat pumps reduce running costs and increase efficiencies for both commercial and residential buildings. Heat pumps are rapidly becoming the first


choice for building managers planning renovations or new builds, as they are designed for both retrofitting and installation in new property.


MOVING TO LOWER GWP REFRIGERANTS AND KEEPING DOWN COSTS Heat pumps are also being developed to use refrigerants with the lowest global warming potential (GWP) possible to keep their environmental impact to a minimum. For example, Mitsubishi Electric launched its newest Ecodan heat pump this year, which uses R290 refrigerant and has the lowest GWP yet. This is a big step towards more sustainable home heating. Using a hydrocarbon refrigerant that can achieve high Coefficient of Performance (COP) values greater than four in heating mode, means higher heating performance; and with a cost-of-living crisis, this also means enhanced energy savings and reduced operational costs for a household. The R290 refrigerant can provide reliable


home heating in extreme conditions too. Even in temperatures as low as -15°C, an Ecodan using R290 can reach a high heating temperature of 75°C – matching a traditional gas boiler. Such a capability means that a house can be warmed very effectively; and water can be heated to a high temperature to provide plenty of hot water for a large family. With an ongoing cost-of-living crisis, running the


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system at a lower flow temperature would result in greater overall savings; and even more can be gained if the household can integrate with solar PV panels or access an agile tariff and utilise energy storage via a buffer tank. Of course, the lower the electricity prices get the more efficient the system and greater savings for the homeowner.


THE NEED TO EDUCATE CONSUMERS ON GREEN TECHNOLOGIES Although adopting heat pump technology is key to decarbonising the UK’s housing stock and reaching Net Zero, understanding of heat pump technology is still low. In fact, our research with Ipsos found that only 13% of British adults are currently aware of the environmental benefits that heat pumps offer and 71% know little to nothing about how heat pump technology works. More broadly, over a third (34%) don’t know the most environmentally friendly ways to improve the energy efficiency of their homes. UK heat pump uptake is currently far below the


target of 600,000 annual installations by 2028 set by the UK government – at circa 60,000 in 2022. To make the Net Zero target a reality, increasing consumer awareness and understanding of the benefits of the technology will be vital. Reaching Net Zero requires reducing the UK’s


reliance on fossil fuels. And this means moving away from typical gas boilers and towards low- carbon heating technology both in residential and commercial structures. Heat pumps are a good solution that not only promotes sustainability and helps build a greener future but also enhances the quality of life for UK residents.


Mitsubishi Electric www.mitsubishielectric.com/en


ENERGY & SUSTAINABILITY SOLUTIONS - Winter 2023 33


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