Low Carbon Home 29
The report ‘Longer-Duration Energy Storage: The missing piece to a Net Zero, reliable and low-cost energy future’ estimates that the UK will need at least 30GW of longer-duration energy storage by 2050. However, the report concludes that this target is currently undeliverable based on the present market and regulatory framework.
It’s easy when working in a fast paced and demanding job to forget about why you are actually doing the work you are doing. What’s the point, why are you so stressed out? I think it’s important for me and all of my colleagues to, every once in a while, take a moment to remind ourselves of the importance of working in the low carbon sector. We cannot get caught up in the negative press and must remind ourselves of just how much progress we’ve made in recent years.
We stand at the edge of transformation in our energy system and this investment will support that change. Just as the communications industry has been transformed within a generation, from the first land lines at a household level to mobile phones and internet for all in a lifetime, we will see the same degree of transformation to our energy industry. From Altelium’s success in renewable energy and applied battery data – itself the result of an Innovate UK grant win – we know that practical solutions can be developed quickly with the right support. Lithium-ion battery storage though BESS is already working effectively and efficiently, and will transform local community and small-scale commercial energy creation, storage and application. Hydrogen technology coupled with wind and wave energy has the capacity to deliver change on a national scale, with the potential it offers to store energy for longer periods of time or transport it across greater distances. We welcome this investment and the focus it gives on areas where the opportunity for change and benefit for the good of all is greatest.
A multi-partner plan involving the Port of Cromarty Firth has been launched to establish a green hydrogen hub in the Highlands that will see Scotland lead the world in hydrogen technology.
In response to the Chancellor’s announcement that £126m of funding will be made available to create 40,000 new traineeships, along with cash incentives for firms to take on apprentices and a new apprenticeship programme, Mark Wilkins, Technologies and Training Director at Vaillant, comments:
The webinars, hosted by OFTEC and in partnership with MCS, consist of three short sessions developed in response to feedback from technicians and will primarily focus on heat pump technologies.
MCS is to consult on a new route to certification, removing one of the current barriers to participation in the scheme.
Premature closure of the Green Homes Grant Scheme would put jobs in jeopardy, dash the dreams of homeowners and put the UK’s Net Zero target at significant risk
REA’s CEO, Dr Nina Skorupska CBE, said that ‘the change required over the next three decades is on a par to that experienced during the industrial revolution.’
Developed in partnership with EV Comply, the step-by-step solution takes the customer through the OZEV grants application process* and connects them to their closest myenergi-approved independent. While saving time and money for the consumer, installers benefit from sales leads direct to their inbox.
Over £165 million of Heat Networks Investment Project (HNIP) funding has been awarded since the scheme opened for applications in 2019. The most recent recipient is Kent County Council who has secured £2,478,000 to support the development of a low carbon heat network in Maidstone.
The Government recently consulted on its proposals to improve the energy performance of privately rented homes as part of its plans to reduce carbon emissions from buildings. However, while proposals put forward will go some way to tackling the improvements needed, they do not go far enough.
Glass might be great for looking through but, unfortunately, it’s a very poor insulator. In a typical house, windows account for roughly 10% of the total heat lost and two thirds of this is radiation through the glazing itself.
“The UK also lacks the manufacturing capacity to switch to heat pumps for new builds. Current housing new builds is running at an annual completion level of 177,980 units, but there is only one UK manufacturer of Air Sourced Heat Pumps, Mitsubishi in Scotland, with a capacity of 3,000 units per year. Almost all gas boilers fitted in the UK are built here, so we would be closing a successful UK manufacturing sector to import an inferior overseas product.”
Ecuity’s extensive expertise in energy, mobility and environmental policy complements Gemserv’s established role as a manager of high-profile projects in the energy and other sectors.
It has been just over three months since the government’s Green Homes Grant was rolled out for consumers and installers alike, yet the scheme has already been beset by teething problems. The most pressing issue is that of installer uptake and availability. Under its terms, installers must be Trustmark, PAS or MCS certified to carry out the eligible home improvements; however, consumer demand for the scheme has seemingly outstripped supply.
Renewable technologies are constantly evolving, with manufacturers pushing the boundaries in innovation to find new solutions to meet our net zero target.
December brought us the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) Sixth Carbon Budget, which calls for a 78% reduction in emissions between 1990 and 2035. It also sets out the world’s first pathway to a fully decarbonised economy, tackling all sectors, with a specific target for a building emissions reduction of 45%-65% by 2035.
Whilst decarbonisation measures that were outlined in the 10-point plan are revisited in further detail, the paper also outlines a range of funding packages to help consumers to reduce both bills and carbon emissions as well as setting out plans for job creation, including support for those making the transition from traditional gas and oil industries.
National Insulation Association (NIA) welcomes the Sixth Carbon Budget – the world’s first roadmap for a fully decarbonised economy.
At the recent Solar & Storage 2020 live conference (2-4 Dec), one point that was consistently raised in the webinars was the critical role installers play in the road to net zero.
MCS launches new partnership with the Independent Warranty Association (IWA) to ease access to insurance backed guarantees (IBG)
Grant UK has launched a new virtual house, featuring a range of Grant renewable heating technologies, on its online Knowledge Hub. Visitors can step inside this virtual reality to see how readily installed Grant heat pumps, cylinders, radiators and underfloor heating systems can be integrated to work together in the home.
The Government’s commendable plan to install 600,000 per year by 2028 has come under fire from both OFTEC and the Gas User Organisation, who have highlighted significant cost disparities between heat pumps and traditional technologies, along with confusion over what constitutes a ‘zero carbon ready’ home. Andrew Newman, technical director of the Gas Users Organisation, explains:
“There are positive commitments in the 10-point plan towards future use of hydrogen as a green gas, and we need more clarity from the Westminster government that hydrogen-ready gas boilers are considered to be a ‘zero carbon ready’ option, as they should be, and therefore permissible in new builds after 2025. Gas central heating is incredibly popular with customers, because it is clean, convenient and relatively cheap. Furthermore, there is a strong correlation that shows that homes that lack a connection to the gas grid are more likely to be in fuel poverty.”