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SIX TOWNS AND CITIES TO PILOT CLEAN HEATING INNOVATION
Government announces England’s first-ever heat network zones, supporting businesses and building owners to benefit from low-cost, low-carbon heating.
• More businesses and building owners to benefit from low-cost, lowcarbon heating, with the first heat network zones in England to be developed
• Tens of thousands of jobs to be created through development of heat networks across the country
Businesses and building owners across England are set to benefit from low-cost, lowcarbon heating as 6 towns and cities have been selected to develop the country’s first heat network zones.
Developing zones for heat networks in urban areas is the cheapest and most efficient way of delivering the technology, which recycles excess heat – generated for example by data centres or from factories – to enable the heating of several buildings at once.
The ground-breaking schemes in Leeds, Plymouth, Bristol, Stockport, Sheffield, and 2 in London will receive a share of £5.8 million of government funding to develop the zones, with construction expected to start from 2026. This will help to create tens of thousands of jobs including engineering, planning, manufacturing and construction roles.
Heat network zones use data to identify the best spots and help to plan and build the technology at scale. They require suitable buildings, such as hotels and large offices, to connect when it is cost-effective for them to do so.
Minister for Energy Consumers Miatta Fahnbulleh said: “Heat network zones will play an important part in
our mission to deliver clean power for the country, helping us take back control of our energy security.
“As well as energy independence, they will support millions of businesses and building owners for years to come, with low-cost, low carbon heating – driving down energy bills.
“Tens of thousands of green jobs will be created across the country, and that’s why we’re investing in developing these fantastic and innovative projects – developing the first zones in cities and towns across England.”
The new schemes will provide heating using trailblazing sources. Excess heat from data centres – which would otherwise be wasted – will provide heating in the Old Oak and Park Royal Development, while the system planned in Leeds will take heat from a nearby glass factory to warm connected buildings.”
Developing heat networks across the country has the potential to create tens of thousands of jobs through delivering a low-carbon heating transformation.
Types of buildings that could connect to a network include those that are already communally heated, and large non-domestic buildings over a certain
size, such as hospitals, universities, hotels, supermarkets, and office blocks.
The 6 selected towns and cities are part of the government’s plan to accelerate the delivery of heat networks across England in areas where zones are likely to be designated in the future. The learnings from these pilots will inform the work to reduce bills, enhance energy security, and achieve net zero by 2050.”
CEO of the Association for Decentralised Energy Caroline Bragg said: “We are delighted to see government maintaining its support for the heat network sector.
“Heat network zones are crucial for a just transition for our communities – putting the UK on the lowest cost pathway to decarbonising our heat, attracting more than £3 of private investment for every £1 of public funding given and creating tens of thousands of local jobs.
“As we begin to deliver zoning at scale, it is crucial that the government and industry continue to work together to ensure heat networks can truly unleash their potential.” https://www.gov.uk/government/ organisations/department-forenergy-security-and-net-zero
Sheffield Town Hall by
Stanislav Hedvik from
Pixabay
CBFM Announces Expansion into M&E Installation and Maintenance Across the Northeast
CBFM, a long-established local firm in the Northeast, is set to further expand its operations in the commercial and institutional buildings sector. The company will offer bespoke installation and maintenance contracts for full HVAC services including commercial heating and air conditioning with an emphasis on delivery service excellence and energy efficiency.
With a strong customer base in the healthcare, manufacturing, and commercial office sectors, CBFM aims to broaden its service offerings. Based at the Team Valley Trading Estate for many years, CBFM plans to increase its highly skilled workforce of trained and qualified technicians. The expanded services will include site surveys, calculation drawings, installation and maintenance work schedules, and emergency callouts. Specific services encompass the design, installation, and commissioning of air conditioning and cooling systems, heating systems, and hot water delivery systems.
A company spokesperson, Harl Bowman, stated, “We have built our reputation
on service excellence, ensuring the job is done with minimal fuss. Our team of highly trained and qualified engineers consistently deliver outstanding results.”
A satisfied customer said, “CBFM manages numerous sites for us in the Northeast, from single comms room systems to a 220-bedroom hotel. The CBFM team is proficient in their work and communication with our customers. They are a first-class company to partner with.”
Another customer highlighted CBFM’s high standards, saying, “We engaged CBFM for various building services at one of the largest hotels in the Northeast, including: Ventilation, Air Conditioning, Heating and Plumbing, Catering Equipment & Extraction, Cellar Cooling.
“The new ventilation system provides guest bedrooms with an energy-efficient, low-noise solution. Heat Recovery Units and the required ductwork and grills were installed by CBFM’s specialist teams. The climate control air conditioning system now supplies both heating and cooling to the function room, ensuring optimal comfort for
guests and staff at large events. Concealed air conditioning units maintain the room’s aesthetics while providing the necessary temperatures. All units were supplied and installed by CBFM’s highly professional air conditioning installation teams.
CBFM’s Gas Safe commercial heating teams also installed the commercial boiler and cylinder, providing essential services to the kitchen and washrooms, along with LPG gas for the kitchen catering equipment.
For the company Dean Baardman added, “Being based in the heart of the North East allows us to be onsite quickly and deliver service excellence to our clients and customers.
“This is the ethos we live by –delivering excellence, everyday”
For more information of CBFM services visit https://cbfmheating.co.uk/
Read how we halved heating load and saved £70K in 12 months.
RINNAI SETS NEW RECORD WITH LARGEST HEAT PUMP UNITS DELIVERY TO DATE
Rinnai has started deliveries to site of its biggest ever intake of orders for its range of commercial heat pumps. The order is said to be worth several hundreds of thousands of pounds and was placed by HVAC contractors working closely with building services consultants and designers.
The heat pumps are being employed on a range of commercial sites across the North of UK and the Strathclyde region of Scotland.
Says Rinnai’s Chris Goggin/Tony Gittings, “We are very encouraged that our strategy of offering our customers the full range of heating & hot water appliances in all available fuels such as gas, electricity and LPG/eDME and other synthetic gases. We have deliberately followed a product policy of creating Practical, Economic and Technical criteria as the basis for product choice specific to any given commercial or high-end residential site such as accommodation or apartment blocks.
“We support this with FREE system design, technical support, commissioning and supply to site in one single consignment. We offer heat pumps in all the standard sizes and in larger ones for bigger sites with heavier loads. We also offer Hybrid and solar thermal systems plus standard hot water heating units as auxiliary back up.”
Rinnai’s range of Monobloc air source heat pumps are available in an assortment of variants, from 4 to 110kW. Rinnai Monobloc air source Low-GWP heat pump technology allows up to seven units to be cascaded together, making the Rinnai heat pump range an ideal choice for any heating or hot water demand. The innovative ability of the system to switch between heating, hot water, and cooling mode ensures that the Rinnai range has flexibility and durability as standard.
The units omit minimum acoustics via an installed ultra-low sound capability making Rinnai heat pumps suitable for any area with prohibitive sound legislation. Rinnai’s range operates within compliance
of all stringent sound standards ensuring low-sound functionality.
All Rinnai heat pumps use R32 refrigerant, renowned for reducing electricity consumption by up to 10% and for holding a lower global warming potential (GWP).
R32 has a GWP one-third lower than other refrigerants.
Rinnai’s HPI heat pump range is ratified with an ERP rating of A +++ and includes an ability to switch between settings of heating, hot water and cooling.
Rinnai’s H3 LowGWP 55kW Heat Pump/Hybrid Hot Water Tanks with cascaded continuous flow hot water heating units were recently specified at a new development in the heart of the Farringdon district of London. The site is for a luxury hotel plus prestigious office complex and affordable homes.
Rinnai’s HPI heat pumps, hybrid formations, electrical formats and hydrogen gas mix powered water heaters are part of the H3 range of products.
All new models are designed to reduce decarbonisation, energy efficiency and reduce customer costs by offering practical, affordable and technological solutions to UK customers. www.rinnaiuk.com
“ELECTRICITY MARKET REFORM IS INEVITABLE”
Energy Systems Catapult proposes transitional arrangements for electricity market reform
Anew report focusing on transitional arrangements for the reform of Great Britain’s electricity market has been released by Energy Systems Catapult. As the country strives to meet its Clean Power 2030 Mission commitments, current electricity market arrangements have been deemed insufficient to meet future energy demands.
The report – Transitional Arrangements for Electricity Market Reform – was commissioned by Octopus Energy and underscores the importance of adopting zonal pricing – a system that allows electricity prices to reflect actual supply and demand across different British regions. The proposal highlights that reform is critical to ensuring efficient investments, reducing reliance on gas, and cutting consumer bills.
To protect investor confidence during this transition, Energy Systems Catapult proposes a package of investment
protections – including amending Contracts for Difference (CfDs), mitigating “volume risk” and exploring “locational price risk” protections – and offers tools to mitigate the risks associated with zonal pricing. The transitional measures are designed to ensure a smooth shift while maintaining consumer benefits and attracting continued investment in renewable energy projects.
“Electricity market reform is inevitable”, said Tom Luff, Practice Manager (Electricity Markets & Policy), at Energy Systems Catapult. Tom continued, “getting investment protection right is essential to make this transition successful. This report provides a crucial piece in the jigsaw. Our proposals are designed to strike a balance between maintaining investor confidence and delivering consumer benefits.”
Rachel Fletcher, Director of Regulation at Octopus Energy, the commissioner of
the report, commented: “It’s clear that the current national pricing system is failing us, is not fit for a clean power system, and means bills are higher than they need to be. We must embrace regional pricing but we must also sustain investor confidence. Well designed transitional arrangements are key. The government must act decisively, take action to protect existing investments and implement this essential reform without delay”
The report will be presented to government stakeholders, with recommendations for swift implementation to meet the 2030 clean power targets.
Download the report: https:// es.catapult.org.uk/report/ transitional-arrangements-forelectricity-market-reform/
We’re empowering and enabling the UK to meet ambitious net zero goals
Phase 4 Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme is open to applications – supporting more public sector bodies to achieve their net zero ambitions. The grant scheme is inviting applications until 25 November 2024.
For more information and news about Phase 4 Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme and all the schemes we deliver visit our website, or scan the QR code.
GREAT BRITISH ENERGY: THE NEW NET ZERO PRIORITY
The new Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Ed Miliband, has outlined key energy pledges, reforms and mechanisms for delivering energy independence and cutting bills through clean power by 2030.
This will be attained by doubling onshore wind, tripling solar power and quadrupling offshore wind. Investing in carbon capture and storage, hydrogen and marine energy. Extending the lifetime of existing nuclear plants. Retaining a strategic reserve of gas power stations whose existing licences will not be revoked, although new ones will not be issued and creating a publicly-owned company called Great British Energy.
GREAT BRITISH ENERGY ARRIVES
Great British Energy (GBE), will be backed by £8.3m of new investment to create jobs and build supply chains across the UK, and facilitation of local energy production. Great British Energy’s key functions will focus on project development, investment, local power
plans, supply chains and nuclear.
GBE will lead projects through development stages to speed up their delivery, whilst capturing more value. It will invest in energy projects alongside the private sector, to help get them off the ground, especially local energy generation projects which will require local and combined authorities and communities to work closely together. This demands new supply chains across the UK, boosting energy independence and creating jobs.
Work will also commence exploring how GBE and Great British Nuclear will work together.
GBE will also require the public sector to take on a new role for offshore wind projects lowering risk for developers and enabling projects to be built out faster after leasing and crowding in private sector investment. It will also help boost new technologies such as carbon capture and storage, hydrogen, wave and tidal energy.
Investment in clean power will be unlocked through a new partnership between Great
British Energy and independently operated The Crown Estate in an ‘unprecedented’ partnership which could leverage up to £60bn of private investment leading up to 20-30GW of new offshore wind developments reaching seabed lease stage by 2030, enough power for the equivalent of approximately 20 million homes.
Designed to boost Britain’s energy independence, this partnership will invest in homegrown power and, with accompanying reforms to policy, cut the time it takes to get offshore wind projects operating and delivering power by up to half.
TAKING CONTROL
Former chief executive of the Climate Change Committee, Chris Stark, has been appointed to lead the new Mission Control, bringing together industry experts to accelerate the transition away from volatile fossil fuel markets to clean, UK-generated energy. It has been established to remove obstacles, identify and resolve issues, and speed up the connection of new power infrastructure
to the grid by working closely with key organisations including the regulator Ofgem, the National Grid, the Electricity System Operator and National Gas Transmission. One of the first goals is to establish a National Energy System Operator (NESO) which will adopt a ‘whole system approach’ to strengthening energy security, helping to deliver net zero and ensuring operational costs are affordable in the long term.
With Labour pledging to double onshore wind capacity to 35GW by 2030, yet no large-scale wind farms have been built in England for many years, a new Onshore Wind Taskforce has been set up, also chaired by Ed Miliband. The task force will ‘drive action across industry and Government to unblock barriers to rapidly increase onshore wind capacity’.
With aims to also triple solar power to 50 GW by 2030 three nationally significant solar farm projects have received consent to proceed through reactivation of the Solar Taskforce, which was started under the previous government. The task force’s Solar Roadmap will be revised in line with Labour’s ambitious new goals.
FUNDING A NET ZERO FUTURE
Ed Miliband also announced a record £1.5 billion Contracts for Difference (CfD) budget to build new green infrastructure and deliver homegrown clean energy projects by 2030.
Funding will accelerate the delivery of clean, cheap, low-carbon electricity to businesses, generated by renewable energy technologies such as wind turbines and solar panels. It includes £1.1 billion for offshore wind, £185 million for established technologies such as onshore wind and solar, and £270 million for emerging technologies such as floating offshore wind and tidal.
Bidding for funding will be via the government’s sixth renewable auction (CfD), providing initial subsidies to developers for clean electricity projects with a built-in design to keep operational costs low. The subsidies are paid back when wholesale electricity prices are higher than the agreed CfD price ensuring the central government’s budget will not be impacted by unfunded pledges.
New legislation will be brought forward to create a new, permanent National Wealth Fund (NWF) that will
invest in industries of the future. A total of £7.3bn of additional funding will be allocated through the UK Infrastructure Bank so investments can start being made immediately, focusing on further priority sectors and catalysing private investment. This funding is in addition to existing UKIB funding. Reforms to the British Business Bank are aimed at unlocking billions of pounds of investment in the UK’s world-leading green industries. The NWF is intended to make ‘transformative investments’ across every part of the country, working with local partners including regional mayors.
The government has also set a core target of making the UK the ‘green finance capital of the world’, mandating UK-regulated financial institutions to implement credible transition plans that align with the 1.5°C goal of the Paris Agreement. It will also reward clean energy developers with a British Jobs Bonus, allocating up to £500m per year from 2026.
Read more about net zero and lowcarbon applications for water heating in commercial buildings… https:// adveco.co/net-zero-water-heating/
OPINION
HOW SOCIAL LANDLORDS CAN BECOME POWERHOUSES OF SUSTAINABILITY
SOCIAL LANDLORDS: THE NEW POWERHOUSES
In this evolving landscape, social landlords are not just passive recipients of government funding – we’re starting to see a number of them becoming the driving force behind local decarbonisation efforts. With extensive property portfolios and a duty of care to their residents, social landlords are well positioned to scale up green initiatives and lead the way in energy-efficient living. By embracing the government’s target to electrifying more homes, social landlords are emerging as sustainability pioneers in two ways:
1. Driving Innovation in Retrofits:
Social landlords are increasingly moving away from only applying “fabric-first” approaches, which focus on improving the building envelope (walls, roofs, floors), effectively wrapping the building to enhance energy efficiency. More and more they are also implementing heating system upgrades including Heat Pumps and Solar PV with batteries.
2. Scaling Renewable Energy Projects:
Some social landlords are starting to look at ways that transform their housing stock into micro powerhouses. Funding for Solar PV and battery storage is being increasingly explored through private finance, to enable landlords to either go beyond EPC C or deliver more homes at scale. These renewable energy technologies not only reduce carbon emissions but also have the ability to generate a payback mechanism for landlords whilst also lowering resident energy bills.
CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES AHEAD
Funding is still a key barrier for delivering Retrofit at scale and if we want to meet both the government’s 2030 and 2050 targets, then more landlords need to start delivering homes in their thousands rather than hundreds. It’s important to remember that government funding, while seemingly generous, only covers 10-15% of the costs. Its purpose is more to stimulate and enable markets, not to sustain them for the long term.
In the fight against climate change, social housing is starting to emerge as one of the innovators. Now, with the Government’s Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund wave 3 recently launched, social landlords are increasingly becoming pivotal players in this transformation, evolving from mere providers of affordable housing to powerhouses of sustainability, explains James Williams, co-founder and CEO at Sero.
For these future power stations to scale up, we need to be able to bring innovative funding models together – which requires both private investment and government funding - that can work alongside their highly regulated nature to benefit both parties and understand where the true costs hit.
The good news is, we’re starting to see this happen. The WH:SHF Wave 3 funding opportunity encourages applicants to explore innovative funding options beyond the SHF’s scope and investment.
Furthermore, the recent announcement that the government’s National Wealth Fund will look to provide guarantees for two high street banks to deliver a £1bn in funding to support retrofit in the sector, is another positive sign.
From Sero’s perspective, we’re seeing much interest from both landlords and private finance institutions who are keen to use our Energy as a Service model to fund and upgrade homes. The concept being they utilise government funding for their fabric first and heat pump improvements and private finance for installing solar and battery. By charging residents fairly for their consumption and optimising surplus energy revenue streams, they can generate a payback mechanism.
DRIVING SOCIAL IMPACT
Beyond the environmental impact, the funding has an equally significant social dimension. With many social housing residents facing fuel poverty, energy efficient homes can drastically reduce heating bills. It’s hoped that lower bills will mean residents
will heat their homes in winter months, improving their comfort and health, reducing serious issues such as damp and mould, as well as enabling surplus funds that can be spent on other essentials such as food as the cost-of-living crisis continues to bite.
LEADING THE WAY FOR THE REST OF THE UK
It’s clear that social landlords are no longer simply housing providers – they are becoming vital agents of change in the UK’s journey to net zero and the energy system. By investing in creating energy-efficient homes and renewable energy solutions, they are not only reducing carbon emissions but also improving the quality of life for residents and driving local economic growth.
Looking ahead, as private landlords, developers, and homeowners increasingly face the need to upgrade their properties to meet climate targets, the social housing sector is positioning itself as a leader in sustainability –demonstrating that decarbonisation is not just a technical challenge but a social and economic opportunity.
In this sense, social landlords truly are becoming the new powerhouses, reshaping the future of housing to be greener, fairer, and more resilient. By embracing this role, social landlords are set to influence not just the homes we live in but the communities we retrofit and regenerate for tomorrow. Their leadership in sustainable living could pave the way for the UK’s broader energy transition –one retrofit at a time. https://sero.life/
FOCUS ON DELIVERING VALUE
FOR A SUCCESSFUL AND SUSTAINABLE TOMORROW
To engineer a more efficient, safer and sustainable world you need the right steam and thermal energy partner. Whatever your key drivers, Spirax Sarco have you covered.
STANDARDISED POWER QUALITY MEASUREMENT
Electrical appliances are designed to function with optimal performance from a constant voltage supply as close as possible to the rated value. Further to this, industrial equipment operating on a three-phase supply requires the three phase voltage levels to be equal and with a 120 degree phase separation.
Poor power supply quality can lead to the inefficient and potentially dangerous operation of electrical systems, and may cause damage to the equipment connected. There could also be increased risks of fire or electrocution, production losses and direct financial cost overruns. Accordingly, it is increasingly important to monitor power quality, particularly in modern electrical systems, making it a key element of tomorrow’s smart networks.
The standard for such measurements, IEC 61000-4-30, not only states specific requirements in terms of power quality, a broad term which traditionally covers the voltage, frequency and waveform supplying an electrical installation, but also specifies the measurement methodology to ensure comparability of results across test instruments.
The IEC 61000-4-30 standard further defines the measurement methods, aggregation periods, and accuracy, for each power quality parameter. These include, frequency, the amplitude of the supply voltage, levels of “flicker”, temporary voltage dips and swells, voltage outages, transient voltages, supply voltage unbalance, voltage harmonics and interharmonics, signals superimposed on the power supply voltage, fast voltage variations, and current measurements.
IEC 61000-4-30 defines 3 performance classes, as follows:
• Class A – must comply with the highest performance and accuracy levels to obtain reproducible, comparable results.
Class S – the accuracy levels are less strict. Class S power quality analysers can be used for statistical surveys and contractual applications for which comparable measurements are not required.
• Class B – this class was introduced in the 1st and 2nd editions of the standard to avoid making instruments obsolete. In this class, the standard required the measurement method and the accuracy to be specified by
the manufacturer in the instrument’s technical data sheet. In edition 3 of the standard, this performance class has been moved to an appendix. Users should choose an instrument in the class they require, based on their application(s) and according to the issues encountered.
Power quality parameters defined in the standard
• Network frequency
• Amplitude of the supply voltage
• Amplitude of the current
The Flicker (as per IEC 61000-4-15)
Dips and swells
Voltage interruptions
Voltage unbalance
Current unbalance
• Voltage harmonics (as per IEC 61000-4-7)
• Current harmonics (as per IEC 61000-4-7)
• Voltage interharmonics (as per IEC 61000-4-7)
• Current interharmonics (as per IEC 61000-4-7)
• Mains signals
• Rapid voltage changes (RVC)
• Current and voltage recording during events
The RMS values are measured and calculated using several test methods and durations.
RMS values refreshed every half-period
This involves voltage (or current) values measured over one period, beginning with a zero
crossing of the fundamental component and refreshed every half-period.
This technique is independent on each measurement channel and will produce RMS values at successive instants on each channel in the event of polyphase networks.
This value is only used for detecting and assessing voltage dips, temporary overvoltages at system frequency, outages and rapid voltage changes (RVC).
Measurement over 10/12 periods corresponds to an aggregation of the measurement time intervals.
The values over 10/12 periods are then aggregated on three additional intervals
Intervals of 150/180 periods, or 3 seconds, Intervals of 10 minutes,
• Intervals of 2 hours for Plt measurements (flicker), which are aggregated from twelve 10-minute intervals.
Harmonics and Interharmonics
IEC 61000-4-7 is applicable to instrumentation intended for measuring spectral components in the frequency range up to 9 kHz which are superimposed on the fundamental of the power supply system, and completes IEC 61000-4-30 concerning harmonics.
Synchronization of the aggregation intervals for Class A, Source: IEC 61000-4-30
They are calculated on 10/12-period windows, with a resolution (bins) of 5Hz. These are called harmonic subgroups. And between 2 harmonic subgroups, there is an interharmonic subgroup.
The measurements must be performed at least once up to the 50th order.
An interharmonic centred subgroup without discontinuities, called Yisg,h. must be measured over 10/12 periods.
Events
Swells, dips, outages, transients and RVCs must be measured in a sliding one-period window refreshed every half-period and synchronized at the zero crossing.
Each event is specified on the basis of the voltage and its duration. The instant when it starts must be timestamped with the Urms start time on the channel where the event originated, and the instant when the dip ends must be stamped with the end time of the Urms value which terminated the event.
The duration of the event is the difference between the start time and the end time.
Voltage thresholds must be defined to capture events. In the same way, a cutoff threshold must also be defined.
In polyphase networks, a dip starts when the Urms voltage of one or more channels falls below the dip threshold and ends when the Urms voltage on all the channels measured is equal to or greater than the dip threshold plus the hysteresis voltage.
Flagged data
Throughout any measurement interval during which outages, voltage dips or temporary overvoltages occur, the results will be flagged with the measurements of all the other parameters made during the time interval in question.
Flicker
This involves network voltage modulation. In terms of lighting, it gives a visual impression of instability due to a light stimulus whose luminance or spectral distribution fluctuates over time.
There are 2 parameters calculated on the basis of the network voltage.
• . Pst which is a shortterm evaluation based on a 10-minute observation period
• ‘ Pit which is a longterm evaluation, usually over a 2-hour observation period
Unbalance
MONITORING & METERING
Unbalance measurements apply only to three-phase networks. The power supply voltage unbalance is assessed using the symmetrical components method. In the event of unbalance, as well as the positive component U1, at least one of the following components is added: negative component U2 and/ or zero sequence component U0.
Mains signalling voltages on the power supply
The transmission voltage of the signals known as “centralized remotecontrol signals” in some applications, is a burst of signals, often applied to nonharmonic frequencies, which remotely controls industrial equipment, meters and other appliances. The IEC 61000-430 standard defines the measurements defines the measurements for remote-control frequencies below 3kHz. The signal transmission voltage measurement must be based on an RMS value of the corresponding ray of interharmonics over 10/12 periods.
Coordinated universal time (UTC)
This is the time scale used as the basis for coordinated radio distribution of the standard calibration frequencies and time signals, which advances at the same rate as international atomic time (TAI) but is deferred by awhole number of seconds. The concept of flagging helps to avoid counting a given event several times in different parameters and indicates that the aggregated value may be doubtful. If a value is flagged during a given time interval, the aggregated values including this value must be flagged and recorded. The standard therefore specifies the methods and accuracies for the measured parameters useful for correct qualification of the voltage. A measuring instrument can measure all or some of the parameters identified in the IEC 61000-4-30 standard, preferably using the same class for all the parameters. Measuring instrument manufacturers must perform the tests indicated in the IEC 62586 standard before stating that its instrument complies with the IEC 61000-4-30 standard. For full information, the texts can be obtained from Cenelec or other national standardization organizations.
With the CA 8345, Chauvin Arnoux provides a simple, reliable solution for checking your voltage and your overall power quality to IEC 61000-4-30 Class A. https://www.chauvin-arnoux.co.uk/
SMART Energy Meters for Landlords
The smart way to meter, measure and manage energy resources for Councils and residents alike.
What’s the simplest way for you to offer residents a simple but secure opportunity to pay for their gas or electric? The smartest solution undoubtedly comes from Energy Controls; making it easy for customers to pay for their energy while they’re relaxing at home
And it couldn’t be more straightforward or more rewarding.
Pay-As-You-Go
Whether you’re looking to streamline your energy overheads with automated meter readings or get paid upfront using the latest prepayment system, Energy Controls has the products and expertise to help. They have a fully hosted, web-based software solution linked to market-leading Payment Platform that enables property managers to offer tenants a simple 'Pay-As-You-Go' solution for making energy payments
Energy Controls’ award-winning SMART meters are ideal for all types of sub-metering applications, ranging from blocks of flats to travellers sites and social Housing
Business Booster
Energy Controls have been trading for 33 years and are now the leading Supplier of prepayment metering systems to the Landlord sector.
They have invested heavily in an IT infrastructure that delivers a secure, reliable and robust online payment solution which in turn gives the Council and residents alike immediate access to their energy usage data around the clock.
• Get paid upfront for your energy supplies
• Tenants can Top-up online or via our FREE app
• Cashless money transfers directly into your bank
• Emergency Credit feature
• Remote disconnect/reconnect of power supplies
Energy top-up payments can be made online anytime from anywhere using the FREE App
“The prepayment opportunity that our SMART Meters offer our customers provides an instant boost to cash flow” Chris Smith, Managing Director.
Accurate Data
The Energy Controls’ SMART meter portal enables Property Managers and tenants to monitor their energy usage trends, on the go from anywhere and at anytime.
Our online payment platform integrates seamlessly with PayPoint to allow users to top up their meters securely, online or using our FREE App A variety of energy usage and financial reports are generated automatically and are sent directly to customers on a regular basis.
Happy Customers
But you don’t have to take Chris’s word for it. Simply read what the Gypsy and Traveller Team Manager for West Sussex County Council had to say:
“Working with Energy Controls, we have introduced a new cashless PayPoint system for the SMART meters at our Traveller Sites. This system has been a huge improvement for the Council because not only does this mean our staff no longer have to handle cash, the PayPoint service gives our residents greater flexibility and independence. would not hesitate in recommending Energy Controls and their products and services.”
The Manager at Southend YMCA went even further:
“Energy Controls supply 21st century thinking and a great web based service, with lots of useful functions, allowing you to see how much energy has been consumed on an individual basis. We highly recommend Energy Controls to any business. The whole experience of having the latest metering system installed was too good to be true and very straightforward.”
"Energy Controls supply 21st century thinking and a great web based service, with lots of useful functions, allowing you to see how much energy has been consumed on an individual basis. We highly recommend Energy Controls to any business. The whole experience of having the latest metering system installed was too good to be true and very straightforward.”
Why not email us at:sales@energycontrols.co.uk to see if you qualify for a ‘Fit for FREE’ supply and installation service. It could be the happiest move you ever make!
TRADITIONAL CYLINDERS USE 1.5 TIMES MORE ENERGY THAN CYLINDERS WITH TIGHT CONTROL
No surprises in this statement! But how do you take greater control of water heating?
Imagine a ‘smart tank’ with on-board controls, that comes out of the factory fully plumbed and wired, ready for quick and cost-effective connection to electricity and water supplies –making savings before it is even filled!
Think how data gathered from meters that measure hot and cold-water volume, and sensors that monitor temperature, water escape and environmental conditions around the cylinder could be used. And all the information is conveniently available to view on an internet portal. You’d have a clear and comprehensive picture of what is happening, potential
issues, and the ability to remotely control your water heating system.
ARE WE CHALLENGING THE LAWS OF PHYSICS?
A claim of 1.5 times efficiency compared with traditional cylinders could be construed as this.
BUT IT ALL COMES DOWN TO CONTROL
Pockets containing sensors, strategically positioned close to the elements, record precise water temperature at the tank’s core. Energy input is administered to maintain optimal levels. Evidence is logged to prove safety criteria is met, but also that tanks aren’t over-heating.
Analysis proves that traditional tanks with a setpoint of 60°C can return average water temperature readings that are hugely variable. A ‘smart’ tank, by comparison, provides much tighter control demonstrating achievement of 60°C + at least once per day.
Data produces reports that present a detailed picture of performance including water use, environmental conditions, temperature, and energy consumption.
A recent trial compared 237 ‘smart’ tanks with 186 standard cylinders at similar student accommodation properties, for the period August 2023 – July 2024.
The result: 33% less energy used on a per bed basis
BUT SAVINGS AREN’T RESTRICTED TO ENERGY
Alerts generated by the ‘smart’ tank
afford quicker responses by on-site maintenance teams to the ensure issues are identified and located accurately. This speeds up the process, avoids hunting for leaks and failed elements, and pinpoints high users of water.
Data is analysed to provide accurate reporting of the severity of issues and enables prioritisation and scheduling of workload for maximum efficiency.
SAFETY
Many standard cylinders can be guilty of over-heating. Besides wasting energy these can also be potentially harmful in respect of scalding risk. Stricter monitoring and control of water temperature means over-heating is not an issue.
With traditional cylinders, physically visiting hot water outlets and taking readings is the only way to be sure that water is heated to the required levels. But it’s essential to register this detail to combat the risk of Legionella.
In most cases the ‘belt and braces’ approach is for the cylinder thermostat to be set at maximum to ensure 60°C is constantly met. Accurate control ensures water is heated to statutory temperature levels and time periods, thus saving energy. But more importantly, automatically logging these values provides evidence that water safety plans have been adhered to. The use of hot-water outlet temperature sentinels, that send data back to the system, can remove the need to visit each tap, eliminating additional labour cost.
THE TAKEAWAY FROM THE TRIAL
SMART Tank’s capability enables operators to implement efficient practices to safeguard the performance of water heating. Standard cylinders, according to the data sample when comparing the median ‘smart’ tank with the median ‘standard’ cylinder, typically consume 30% more energy per litre of hot water.
Cylinders are usually visited only when issues arise. ‘Smart’ tanks provide visibility even when they are in dark cupboards. prefectcontrols.com
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UNDERSTANDING METER COSTS: THE BENEFITS OF AN ALL-INCLUSIVE PRICING MODEL
When it comes to managing your gas meter, knowing the full extent of associated costs is crucial. At National Gas Metering, they believe in transparency and simplicity, which is why they offer an all-inclusive pricing model for their meter asset management services.
The all-inclusive rental price ensures there are no hidden fees or surprises. With just one monthly payment, you can effectively budget for your metering needs without the worry of unexpected expenses cropping up.
Additionally, emergencies are something National Gas Metering take seriously. Their emergency call-out SLA guarantees that an engineer will be on-site within 4 hours of your call, no matter where you are in the country. This nationwide coverage, ensures that you receive prompt and efficient support whenever you need it most.
Your meter is not just a piece of equipment; it’s your business lifeline. That’s why National Gas Metering go the extra mile to protect it throughout its entire lifespan, all included in their all-inclusive price.
In essence, understanding the costs behind your meter is essential for effective budgeting and financial planning. Opting for an all-inclusive pricing model not only simplifies your billing process but also provides peace of mind, knowing that all necessary services are covered without additional charges.
For more information on National Gas Metering’s services visit their website at metering.nationalgas.com. For enquiries call 0800 001 4340 or follow their linked in page at https://www.linkedin.com/ company/national-gas-metering
WHY MONITORING YOUR CARBON SAVINGS IS ESSENTIAL IN YOUR CLIMATE CHANGE AGENDA
The decarbonisation of buildings across the United Kingdom has become a hot topic within the government’s net zero plans. In 2019, buildings accounted for 30% of the UK’s total emissions. This equates to roughly 136.4 MtCO2e of all UK emissions that come just from buildings.
It’s clear that the building sector will require drastic measures to reduce its carbon emissions down to what the UK government hopes to achieve in 2050. The fundamental plan to reduce carbon emissions is through building fabric improvements and the installation of low carbon heating systems. However, to be able to see if any of these improvements have had an impact, it is critical to measure the carbon emission reductions that come from these changes. It is quite a task but measuring and monitoring of carbon savings is more manageable than it seems.
So why is monitoring and reporting important? There are several key drivers, but the primary one being that monitoring and reporting on carbon emissions helps us to establish a baseline. One of the most leading initiatives in addressing climate action is the Science-based Targets Initiative (SBTi), which outlines key requirements for organisations to commit to net zero. They require organisations to establish an emission baseline which then allows for the development of short- and long-term emissions reduction plans. Without a baseline tailored to your project, it would be impossible to measure the progress.
For us at Salix, this is an issue that is given great emphasis and there are a few different ways to collect useable data for carbon reporting that are quite user-friendly. The easiest way is to keep record of your building’s utility bills. The first step is to select a year that would have had a typical energy usage to act as your baseline.
Jessica Ferris - senior energy and carbon analyst at Salix Finance
From then, it is useful to keep track of your annual energy usage via energy bills to compare from the baseline.
Once you have collected your annual energy usage, you will need to find an emission conversion factor. These factors are the simplest way to find the rough carbon emissions for your fuel type. A reliable source for factors is the UK government Greenhouse Gas Reporting Conversion Factors1. Simply multiply the energy usage by the right emission conversion factor for your fuel to get your carbon emissions, being conscious that the measurements may need conversion. For example:
Baseline: 19,000 kWh of electricity use in 2019-2020 19,000 kWh x 0.20705 = 3,933.95 kg of CO2
This type of monitoring and reporting is useful for internal project records, but also for any external work. At Salix, all of our projects have to go through the same reporting.
When a project finishes, the public sector organisation is required to provide us with their energy data for three years post project completion. This allows us to then look at their carbon savings and keep track of all the positive progress we’ve made. We’ve created a very handy tool to track your carbon savings which
you can find on our Salix website2. This might be useful for your internal tracking, or as a nice tool to base your own tracking on.
Now that you’ve managed to determine your carbon savings, it is essential to use these figures to help set your short- and long-term sustainability goals. Referring back to the Science-based Targets Initiative procedures, organisations should set near-term targets and long-term targets. The former being a carbon saving goal that is achievable within the next five to ten years, whereas the former being up to 2050. These goals can and should encompass a wide range of ambitious that the organisation is hoping to achieve. Some great tips and guidelines can be found here within the Sciencebased Targets Initiative procedures3
Monitoring and reporting are critical within the sustainability journey. Without establishing a proper baseline figure, it is not possible to accurately measure your progress. Through proper monitoring, it allows you to set realistic goals and better establish plans on how you can improve your carbon savings without overhauling the whole system.
Not only that, but it makes it easier celebrate your carbon successes, which we all need to do from time to time! https://www.salixfinance.co.uk/
THREE DIGITAL SOLUTIONS THAT GLOBAL BUILDINGS SECTOR MUST IMPLEMENT TO MEET NET-ZERO TARGETS
70% of CO2 emissions originate from urban buildings. According to the new report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), digital solutions like Energy Performance Monitoring, Building Information Modelling, and Integrated Data Platforms are crucial to achieve global decarbonisation goals.
OECD released a new report that shows the increasing role of buildings in fighting against climate change. Buildings account for nearly 70% of energy-related CO2 emissions in major cities like New York, Paris, and Tokyo. It highlights the urgency for countries and megacities to decarbonise the building sector.
More than 140 countries have declared net-zero goals, but most of them still lack concrete mechanisms that would help monitor and reduce emissions, especially in the building industry.
Among indicated plans, a global trend has emerged to prioritise retrofitting existing buildings, up from 39% in previous years. Retrofitting is a more efficient option than constructing new energy-efficient buildings.
However, experts from Exergio, a company specializing in AI-driven energy solutions for commercial real estate,
state that adopting digital technologies with AI can save up to 30% of energy without the need for deep renovations.
3 KEY DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES THAT CAN DECARBONISE BUILDINGS
According to the latest OECD report, Global Monitoring of Policies for Decarbonising Buildings, building owners can incorporate digital technologies into their systems, optimise energy use, and meet sustainability targets.
1. ENERGY PERFORMANCE MONITORING AND REPORTING SYSTEMS (EPMRS)
Energy performance systems track and analyze how buildings consume energy in real-time. They show building owners’ existing inefficiencies and assist in optimizing energy use. Traditional energy monitoring includes
smart meters, data analytics, and comprehensive reporting programs.
Donatas Karčiaukas, CEO of Exergio, has been improving the approach by introducing AI-driven analytics into similar models.
“AI-based analytics is a more advanced way to monitor energy as it can identify inefficiencies more precisely and faster than traditional ones. With AI, we can detect issues like a malfunctioning sensor before it becomes noticeable, based on subtle changes in energy consumption patterns,” explained Donatas. “AI not only analyzes data but also predicts potential problems, and optimises energy use in real-time. This way we can save up to 30% of energy for our customers.”
2. BUILDING INFORMATION MODELLING (BIM)
Another digital solution, BIM, uses software that can re-create a 3D digital representation of a building’s physical and functional features.
It offers a better way to design, plan, and manage structures, allowing such a “digital twin” to be used for
energy performance purposes.
“Digital twins is something that all huge building complexes are going to have alongside traditional monitoring. They help us track how a building uses energy in real-time, and then we can make precise adjustments to optimise performance. Using BIM, we can simulate different scenarios, a key method to foresee and overcome upcoming challenges,” explained Karčiauskas.
3. INTEGRATED DATA PLATFORMS (IDP)
Lastly, IDPs aggregate and harmonise data from various stages of building management to make sure that building managers can access all information on demand.
Unlike BIM systems, IDPs operate through the cloud infrastructure and provide a unified view of energy consumption, project timelines, and other key data that users can access through web interfaces.
“This technology is not yet widely used but is a part of the future of building management. Upon increasing data volumes and huge operational systems,
Championing Scotland’s net zero goals
there is a need for platforms that would integrate all of this information and systemise it for end-users. While working with our platform, we realised that the next step is to allow building managers to understand where the biggest issues currently are or may emerge soon,” elaborated Karčiauskas. “We can only achieve that by integrating the data from thousands of sensors and inputs, and we’re talking about a single building here.”
One of Exergio’s use cases of implementing similar digital platforms happened in Poznan, Poland, and helped a complex of commercial buildings reduce energy consumption by 20% in 9 months, resulting in over €80,000 in savings. According to Donatas Karčiauskas, AI-powered solutions are crucial for these savings.
OECD’s recognition of digital tech can help achieve decarbonisation goals. Governments, building owners, and companies are expected to invest in these technologies now to meet net-zero targets by 2050.
https://exergio.com/
We’re committed to reducing carbon emissions and delivering energy saving measures for Scotland
Our teams support Scottish Government to help local authorities, universities and arm’s length external organisations and more to decarbonise their buildings.
See our website for information about our work including:
› The Recycling Fund
› Scotland’s Public Sector Heat Decarbonisation Fund
› The Scottish Public Sector Energy Efficiency Loan Scheme
› Scottish Funding Council schemes
WHY WE MUST BE SMART AND EFFICIENT AS WE JOURNEY TOWARD NET ZERO
Smart buildings are a small but pivotal solution that help plot the course to the UK achieving net zero by 2050. Whether newly built or retrofitted, smart buildings help create more energy efficient, cost effective and liveable spaces.
In a post-pandemic world, the growth of working and studying from home and a decrease in building occupancy rates, year on year with particular emphasis on office space has seen the rise in demand for buildings to be economically viable to run, in terms of heat and light has become essential. A large shift has also occurred to focus on the wellbeing of occupants.
At Salix a large percentage of projects that have received funding from either our Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme grant schemes or through our older legacy loans schemes have chosen to install or upgrade of their internal Building Energy & Management System. Whilst BEMS have been commonplace in some buildings since the 1970s, with advancement of technology and the introduction of artificial intelligence, these have become more advanced, with the ability to collect and analyse historical data and generate patterns, in some cases predicting future energy usage trends.
Some 40% of the UK’s annual energy use is taken up by buildings accounting for one third of the UK’s carbon emissions according to the UK Committee on Climate Change. Also, across local authorities in the UK building efficiency varies, with some of the poorest performing buildings located in London. In London just 77% of buildings are given a band D, DEC rating.
It’s clear to me that the government’s current target for all public sector buildings to have reduced their by carbon output by 75%, by 2037 can only be achieved by the universal upgrading of such buildings.
The UK government currently has plans to adapt Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard to Non-Domestic
Liam Johnson, senior energy and carbon analyst at Salix
buildings as well as current domestic buildings. A major way to do this is by introducing building automation and control systems. This can range from lighting, with the use of motion sensors to detect room occupancy, to installing discrete lighting controls.
The heating system of a building can also use integrated sensors to heat particular rooms based on the heating requirements, these are normally pre-set using a thermostat and deliver heat based on the internal and external temperature set points. As smart buildings and the systems that control them become more advance, more intricate levels of control are needed. As Building Management Systems become more operationally technical to run a requirement is needed for the building manager or estates team to upskill those who carry out maintenance checks. The greater the complexities within a system, the higher the cost to fix or replace.
Through my work and research at Salix, I can see how smart buildings have the potential to become large data stores, collecting historical data and patterns across the year, plotting and forecasting annual consumption. It ensures the building management team can collect data on energy use temperature, lighting, humidity and even CO2 by monitoring indoor carbon monoxide levels. This not only is at the forefront of improving wellbeing for building occupants but allows maintenance team to respond quickly and appropriately to changing conditions.
Currently a big advantage of improving a buildings efficiency through a BEMS is the ability optimise and monitor renewable energy sources such as solar PV and wind power, this can feedback information into the energy generated by renewable sources of power.
The integration of renewable energy sources creates the ability for several buildings / campuses to decentralise their energy usage, enabling a more widespread and holistic benefit. According to a report commissioned by innovate UK, national grid decentralisation will make up 30% of total electricity generation by 2030. It emphasises the importance of decentralising energy, lead through the smart building revolution.
Overall whilst building optimisation is largely driven through the collection of data, this data can be stored and can better inform building management teams on patterns and trends. This data can be used in models, looking at ways to minimise inefficiencies, reduce costs and predict system failures before they become critical. Today most of the current Building Management Systems involve supervised machine learning, meaning the system isn’t fully automated and relies on human input to and supervision to function.
Fortunately for you and me, we can take the very best of AI and that’s within our gift. It is already playing a vital part in how we adapt to climate change. However, whilst AI is superb for crunching data and analysing patterns, the human brain is still best for reasoning, creativity, empathy, compassion and abstract thinking. For now, anyway. www.salixfinance.co.uk
DELIVERING DATA-DRIVEN ENERGY EFFICIENCY RETROFITS IN SOCIAL HOUSING
Lisa
Cairns, Business Development &
Improvement Manager at IRT
Surveys, part of the Mears Group, explains
how by working with a
partner
that combines new technologies together with empirical data can empower the public sector to make smarter retrofitting decisions.
The government’s bid to lift over a million households out of fuel poverty and provide tenants with warmer and cheaper homes1 has resulted in an ambitious plan to make all rented properties EPC C-rated by 2030. And with four million social homes in the UK, the retrofitting task for local authorities and housing associations is both complex and monumental.
While the ultimate goal may be to achieve net zero across the entire UK housing stock by 2050, a move estimated to cost around £104 billion, the government’s Warner Homes Plan will make significant inroads towards it. To encourage progress, £6.6 billion will be provided in grants and low-interest loans to fund rented sector retrofit projects over the next parliament. However, even with this funding, delivering cost-effective retrofits across the social housing sector’s four million homes will require careful planning and budgeting to implement the most effective energy-saving improvements.
To ensure the right energy efficiency improvements are installed and that budgets are not wasted on unnecessary or ineffective measures, local authorities and housing associations need to understand the energy issues affecting individual properties, which include porous brickwork, render delamination, waterproofing problems or lack of insulation.
THE MERITS OF DATA
The most effective pathway to decarbonisation is to gather data about individual properties within the housing stock. Armed with this information, decision-makers are better informed about the specific improvements each property needs to become energy-efficient, helping them achieve cost efficiency while ensuring residents benefit from smaller bills and warmer homes.
The use of technologies like thermal imaging plays an important part in data 1 https://www.gov.uk/government/news/homeupgrade-revolution-as-renters-set-for-warmerhomes-and-cheaper-bills
gathering. Thermal imaging surveys deliver precise visual insights into the energy efficiency issues of individual homes, including their thermal performance and the condition of the building fabric. Furthermore, they identify issues frequently missed by other types of survey, such as waterproofing and rendering defects, draughts, porous brickwork, insufficient insulation and unfilled wall cavities. This fabric-first approach, when applied across the housing stock, offers local authorities and housing associations the ability to make highly informed, data-driven, decisions.
Moreover, as individual properties can be surveyed quickly using thermal imaging, it offers an expeditious way to address problems at pace. Its costefficiency and convenience are also evident in the fact that it doesn’t require scaffolding and, being non-invasive, doesn’t result in the need for repairs.
More modern, advanced technologies, also complement and enhance the benefits of thermal imaging. One such technology is MappIR, a specially designed road vehicle equipped with visual and thermal imaging and LiDAR technology that surveys streets, housing estates and even cities. Enabling large areas to be surveyed quickly, at low cost, it assesses the fabric of individual homes, identifying problems such as poor insulation, heat loss, water ingress, damp and ‘at-risk’ properties. Recently used in Milton Keynes where it successfully surveyed over 10,000 social homes, MappIR is an effective option for authorities carrying out improvements to ‘area-based’ schemes and ‘place-based’ projects.
Frequently used in conjunction, sophisticated data collection software, can analyse data collected and provide a complete understanding of the energyefficiency needs of individual homes. Deployed on retrofit projects, the combination can be accurately costed and matched to available financing. Moreover, such software also tracks the progress of a project, monitoring installation rollout and improvements in energy efficiency and
carbon reduction, helping local authorities and housing associations to achieve their aims costeffectively.
In a recent project to retrofit 200 homes in the South of England, thermal imaging and retrofitting software were used together. After the thermal images had been analysed and insulation problems, heat loss and other issues identified, the software processed the data, evaluating the issues using filtering and mapping tools. In doing so, it was able to deliver the most effective retrofit pathway, enabling the housing provider to prioritise improvements, group properties and find relevant financing.
THE VALUE OF EXPERIENCED PARTNERS
To meet the government’s EPC C target, local authorities and housing associations will have to retrofit housing stocks cost-effectively and at speed. And while projects of this scale may be challenging to implement, working with a partner that has a successful history of delivering projects for large organisations, like local authorities, will enable housing providers to remain confident. They will, at the same time, have access to a fast and efficient suite of services that employs advanced technologies, assuring them of an inclusive solution that delivers critical insights.
For more information, visit https://irtsurveys.co.uk/
TAKING THE QUANTUM LEAP FOR BETTER ENERGY MANAGEMENT WITH PASQAL
EDF is a leader in the global energy market, committed to generating clean electricity to the highest safety standards. As renewable energy adoption increases and consumer habits change, EDF faces challenges in demand forecasting and supply optimisation. Addressing these obstacles is crucial for ensuring efficient and safe energy distribution in the sector.
REACHING THE COMPUTATIONAL THRESHOLD
EDF faces the challenge of accurately forecasting energy demand, which is complicated by the unpredictability of renewable resources. Unlike traditional energy, the output from renewables is heavily dependent on environmental conditions, which are highly variable. Additionally, nuclear power and gas plants cannot be quickly activated or deactivated to match these fluctuations.
Establishing the right balance between energy supply and demand requires precise forecasting and planning. EDF’s transition to quantum computing emerged from the limitations of classical computing and coding methods, particularly in handling these complex challenges.
Traditional algorithms, while effective for smaller scales, struggle to keep up with the expansive needs of modern energy management like forecasting the demands of millions of electric vehicles. Classical computers, used for tasks like simulating nuclear plant operations and the aging of photovoltaic materials, have reached their computational thresholds in these areas.
Recognising these constraints, EDF began exploring quantum computing in 2016 as a means to significantly enhance its forecasting accuracy and operations.
The EDF Quantum Project Team, led by Joseph Mikael, Head of Quantum Computing at EDF, is an interdisciplinary group of
professionals, set up with a long-term vision to tackle complex challenges in the sector.
The team was not expected to yield immediate returns but instead ensure EDF was prepared with in-house expertise in quantum technologies.
A PIONEERING PARTNERSHIP
EDF’s partnership with Pasqal started in 2018, stemming from initial meetings with the startup’s founders, Professor Antoine Browaeys and Loïc Henriet. Their first project focused on optimisation and saw the partnering of Pasqal’s emerging quantum expertise with EDF’s deep industrial knowledge.
Through this approach, Pasqal gained insight into real-world industrial applications and challenges, while EDF explored the quantum-aided optimisation of energy distribution, such as smart charging systems for electric vehicles.
This collaboration was not just about applying existing quantum solutions but actively engaging in day-to-day problemsolving and research, establishing a foundation for ongoing innovation.
One of EDF and Pasqal’s most notable collaborations involved simulating the ageing of materials within nuclear power plants. The restrictions of traditional computing make it difficult to accurately model material behaviours when exposed to high temperatures and radiation. Numerous assumptions and simplifications are required, which can
compromise the accuracy of simulations. To resolve this issue, the pair applied a quantum computing solution. This is crucial for multi-scale modelling, where critical phenomena are simulated at the microscopic level to predict potential issues like material degradation or the formation of cracks within the reactor structure.
By using Pasqal’s technology, EDF is aiming to precisely simulate atomic movements and interactions under extreme conditions. This simulation capability is vital, as it helps predict the emergence and potential propagation of cracks, assessing their impact through larger-scale simulations that rely on partial differential equations.
FORGING NEW FRONTIERS
This partnership is characterised by mutual technical respect and shared goals. Pasqal’s team, known for its deep understanding of its machines and quantum algorithms, has been instrumental in helping EDF’s specialists grasp the nuances of these advanced technologies through extensive training and skill sharing.
Such intensive cooperation underscores the symbiotic nature of this relationship, as they continue to explore the frontiers of quantum computing in industrial applications. Looking ahead, EDF is poised to deepen its engagement with quantum computing, with ambitious projects that will push the boundaries of technology and its application in the sector.
EDF and Pasqal’s three-year roadmap features two main objectives. The first involves rigorous testing of quantum algorithms on actual quantum machines. Moving beyond simulations to gain practical insights and validate the algorithms’ effectiveness in real-world scenarios.
The second revolves around scalability – a critical challenge in quantum computing. The pair plan to explore parallelisation techniques, which divide workloads into independent tasks that can be completed concurrently by different processors. This would enhance the computational power and efficiency of quantum algorithms, as well as help scale up the applications of quantum technology in EDF’s operations.
EDF aims to determine definitively whether there is a quantum advantage to be leveraged and, if so, to establish a timeline for its broader implementation. This forward-looking approach underscores EDF’s commitment to integrating cutting-edge quantum technologies into its core operations, potentially transforming energy management practices and reinforcing its leadership in the global market. https://www.edfenergy.com/
DO I NEED A BACK-UP ENERGY PLAN THIS WINTER?
UK Energy managers – I have a message for you. Your job could be on the line if you don’t have a backup plan for grid outages this winter. The probability of blackouts is at least 25% on fairly conservative assumptions.
The main risks are outlined below. The question is what to do about it, and for most of us battery storage is the main answer. Expect the price of Powerbanks and Powerwalls to remain firm, and order now.
To assess the probabilities of various scenarios contributing to a potential energy shortage in the UK this winter, I have assigned numerical probabilities based on historical data, geopolitical analysis, and seasonal weather patterns. Below is a breakdown of each scenario and the rationale behind the assigned probabilities. NB: the significant range of factors influencing potential energy shortages, means the cumulative risk of ANY of the factors that can cause an energy crisis occurring in the UK this winter could be approximated at around 77%.
1. Ukraine War Intensifies (Probability: 30%)
The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has already disrupted energy supplies, particularly gas. If fighting escalates further, both Ukrainian and Russian energy infrastructure could suffer damage. Historical precedents show that as wars drag on, there tends to be a progressive intensification of hostilities. Given the stakes involved, a 30% likelihood seems reasonable based on the potential for both sides to
sustain losses in energy production.
2. Middle East Supply disruption (Probability: 25%)
The Middle East remains a volatile region with several hotspots of tension, including Iran’s nuclear ambitions and the potential impact of an Israeli strike on regional oil production. If military action occurs (e.g., strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities), this could lead to significant oil supply disruptions. The 25% probability reflects the ongoing nature of these tensions and their unpredictability but recognizes that such escalations are not constant.
3. Severe Winter Weather in Europe (Probability: 20%)
Based on historical data, severe winter weather events in Europe have occurred approximately 20% of the time over the last few decades, leading to energy supply challenges. This probability considers the unpredictability of weather patterns and acknowledges the increasing frequency of extreme weather events due to climate change.
4. Additional Risks: Now add in a host of smaller background factors.
• Lack of Coal and Oil Storage Backup: 15%
• Increased Demand from Data Centres/EVs/Heatpumps: 10%
• Terrorism: 1%
• Human Error: 1%
• Handover Problems between ESO and NESO: 5%
CUMULATIVE PROBABILITY ASSESSMENT
• Ukraine War Intensifies: 30%
• Middle East Tensions: 25%
• Severe Winter Weather: 20%
• Miscellaneous:32%
Since a total probability exceeding 100% is not feasible, we need to account for overlapping risks. However each of these risks is highly independent of the others. I favour a conservative adjustment, suggesting approx 30% overlap across the various factors.
Although the setup costs of battery storage can be high there are two ways of recouping the investment even if none of the risks materialises.
1. Arbitrage – Buy at night and use during the day. This is only a temporary solution for the next two years - as the more people that use it, the less the differential will be.
2. Trading - Selling surplus to immediate neighbours at a lower price than the grid – not as difficult as it sounds, and perfectly legal.
Nick Rosen is an off-grid advisor
He can be emailed on nick@off-grid.net
UNVEILING THE TRUE MEANING OF VALUE ENGINEERING IN COMMERCIAL HOT WATER
Rinnai has released another whitepaper“Optimizing Domestic Hot Water Systems for Archetype Care Homes: A Value Engineering Approach” which, within the main body of the analysis, is a case study demonstrating the optimal solution for DHW provision in an archetype care home with specific requirements including a 20% reduction in carbon footprint, OPEX considerations and available space for only 2 heat pumps.
There are five main solutions presented in this case study for optimal DHW requirements in an archetypal care home:
1. Electric immersion cylinders
2. Heat pumps
3. High efficiency gas water heaters
4. Hybrid system comprising of 20% heat pump and gas water heaters
5. Hybrid system comprising of 40% heat pump and electric immersion cylinders.
Due to the requirements of the care home and assessing all possibilities against the pre-determined criteria, solutions 3,4 and 5 were viewed as being worthy of further analysis.
Step 4 of the value engineering methodology proposed by Rinnai UK, analyses solution against the current installed system of three noncondensing storage water heaters.
Figure 1 showcases the carbon performance of solutions 3, 4 and 5 as well as the currently installed system of three storage heaters. The colours of each system are highlighted at the top
of the graph in blue (Solution 3), orange (Solution 4) and grey (Solution 5).
Figure 2 shows operating costs over 5 years for all three solutions (blue, orange and grey) and the currently employed gas storage system (yellow) is also provided below. Solution 3 highlighted in blue, the gas system costs £52,806. Solution 4, the hybrid system will cost £56,746, whilst solution 5, the all-electric system costs £149,666.
Of note is the costs of electricity in the UK which are being targeted by the government to fall by 2035 and be an integral part of cleaning the grid – and note that Figure 2 utilizes Govt forecast statistics.
Figure 3, below, is a graph that illustrates the CAPEX costs associated with each solution. Solution 3 (blue), high-efficiency gas water heaters will cost £25,500. Solution 4 (orange), the hybrid system comprising of 20% heat pump and gas water heaters costs £63,913 and finally, solution 5 (grey) the all-electric system comprising
Figure 1: Carbon Emissions forecasted over 5 years.
of 40% heat pump and electric immersion cylinders will cost £81,600.
Figure 4 is the final graph that gives the 5-year life cycle costs associated with each system. Solution 3, the gas system (blue) will cost £78,306. 30. Solution 4, the hybrid system (orange) will be £120,658.54. And finally, Solution 5 (grey) - the all-electric system will cost £231,266.35.
Therefore, the decisive question for the site is whether the reduced carbon emissions of Solution 5 is perceived as far more valuable than the lower lifecycle costs of Solution 4.
Due to the customer’s brief of requirements to include: -
• 20% reduction in carbon footprint
• OPEX considerations
• space for only two heat pumps
The optimal solution for DHW provision is the hybrid system that includes the 20% heat pump and gas water heaters. It delivers reduced carbon emissions and financial expenditure and can operate within a space limited environment.
Rinnai aims to demonstrate to specifiers, consultants and system designers that the company’s technology provides practical, technical and economic solutions for businesses and sites who wish to significantly reduce their carbon emissions.
www.rinnaiuk.com
Figure 3: Capital Expenditure required for each solution.
Figure 4: Lifecycle costs forecasted over 5 years.
Figure 2: Operating costs forecasted over 5 years.
IDEAL HEATING COMMERCIAL BOILERS DELIVER ENERGY EFFICIENT HEATING FOR HULL MARITIME MUSEUM
Two Imax Xtra 2 240kW Ideal Heating Commercial condensing boilers have been installed at Hull Maritime Museum as part of a major restoration project to the Grade 2 listed building.
Dating back to 1871 when the building was Hull’s Dock Offices, the Hull Maritime Museum has been in operation since 1975 and had been heated by the same cast iron section boiler for the last 30 years. The boiler had not only outlived its natural working lifespan, but was also energy inefficient. With building services being replaced and updated throughout
the museum as part of a restoration project that began in 2020, the old boiler has now been replaced by two Imax Xtra 2 240kW boilers installed in cascade on a prefabricated header kit.
The Imax Xtra 2 range of floor standing condensing boilers from Ideal Heating Commercial provide up to 97.7% full load efficiency and up to 108.2% part load efficiency, and have a high 5:1 turndown, making them highly energy efficient. Installing the boilers in cascade, as at Hull Maritime Museum, makes for an even more energy efficient solution as they have a higher modulation ratio than a single larger boiler, so there is less need for each individual boiler to cycle on and off to meet changing demands for heating over a day. Up to four Imax Xtra 2 boilers can be installed in a cascade for an output up to 1120kW Imax Xtra 2 boilers can operate at up to 30°C ΔT, and five of the six models - including the 240kW - operate at 26mg/kWh on natural gas. As with all Ideal Heating Commercial boilers,
they are built to last and feature a robust cast aluminium silicon alloy heat exchanger. Imax Xtra 2 boilers are also highly compact with a small footprint to fit through standard doorways.
All these factors played an important role in the specification of the new boilers, but a further factor which sealed the deal for the client was that Imax Xtra 2 boilers are proudly manufactured in Hull!
The heating contractor on this project, family-owned HF Brown & Son Ltd. that has been in business since 1947, is a long-standing Ideal Heating Commercial customer, who has used the company’s full range of boilers extensively. Managing Director Nick Brown is satisfied with this latest installation: “The whole install appears to be working well and the boilers were an ease to install. The service and support from Ideal Heating was very good as usual.”
Hull Maritime Museum is expected to reopen in 2026.
https://idealcommercialboilers.com/
WHY ISN’T UK COMMERCIAL SOLAR’S MASSIVE POTENTIAL BEING TAPPED?
Here, Jo Parker-Swift, CEO and founder at Solivus explores the enormous solar potential for the UK’s unused commercial roof spaces and why it’s time to seize the opportunity.
Aquick glance at the news will, most likely, reveal that the UK’s solar capacity continues to grow at a rapid pace. To put it into context, in 2010 just 28,211 households had solar panels. As of 2024, that figure stands at 1.4m homes. That's a 4,862% increase in 14 years.1
But while certainly a positive step in the right direction for our new energy future, this is just part of the picture. Take a look at the commercial solar market and you’ll likely find a much less progressive stance. In fact, according to a recent analysis less than 10% of the UK’s non-domestic buildings are utilising their available rooftop space for solar energy.2
This is a colossal wasted opportunity on multiple counts. Foremost, there is vast, unused, unobstructed roof space on our schools, warehouses, factories and like and a quarter of a million hectares of it faces south.3
Second, by embracing solar energy, companies can achieve substantial cost savings. In fact, by fully utilising the available rooftop space it is estimated that commercial buildings could save £35 billion, with lifetime savings reaching £703 billion. In energy generation terms that translates to 117 TWh of electricity annually. That’s enough to power approximately 30 million homes for a year, more than the number of households we currently have in the UK.4
Thirdly and perhaps, most impactful of all, the Department for Energy Security
and Net Zero sees commercial solar as vital to its clean power mission. To that end, the government-industry Solar Taskforce continues to point to the “untapped potential” of commercial solar.
Clearly then, the argument for commercial solarisation appears conclusive. So, why has there been so little uptake in the UK? In my experience of operating in the solar sector for almost a decade, there are two reasons. The first involves government policy. The second involves the complexities many commercial premises face when installing rooftop solar.
Over the past decade the government has introduced a number of initiatives designed to encourage businesses to transition to clean energy sources. But none have really stuck. For example, 2019 saw the widely-popular Feed-in Tariff come to a rather abrupt end, significantly reducing the financial incentives for new solar installations. Though we now have the Smart Export Guarantee which allows businesses to sell surplus energy back to the grid, the gains to be had are marginally lower.
This trend of stop-start green policy continues to bring uncertainty to the market. As we look to the coming years, the hope is policy evolves to become clearer, more consistent and provide long-term support for the commercial solar transition.
However, that doesn’t mean commercial businesses shouldn’t seize the solar opportunity today. After all, it is the early adopters that are already benefiting from a first-move advantage in terms of significant cost savings, emissions reductions and energy security while their competitors are playing ‘wait and see’.
At the same time, as an industry we must work together in greater collaboration, and with the policy and decision makers, to improve on best practices and foster
the innovation needed to enable a bigger and better solar industry.
The other key problem has been the fact that there simply hasn’t been solar panelling light enough and effective enough to take advantage of the commercial space. It’s estimated that 40% of commercial buildings cannot support the weight of traditional solar panels. That equates to a vast 1,000 square miles of commercial roof space.5 The good news in 2024 is that we now have the lightweight solar technology to change this, and the impact for commercial operators, the country and green economy could be profound.
At Solivus, we’ve installed solar on airports, stadiums, warehouses and more. In my experience, the only regret that most commercial operators have is not going solar sooner. Over the last x years, we’ve installed xx roof systems for a range of major commercial premises, providing up to xx.
Now our focus remains on taking the commercial solar opportunity to the entire market. Recent changes to development rights rules mean commercial buildings are able to install solar on their roof spaces without going through some of the typical planning obstacles.
The government has a clear target to increase solar capacity by nearly fivefold to 70GW by 2035 as part of wider plans to power up Britain with cleaner, cheaper and more secure energy sources. Unlocking the commercial solar opportunity will be a critical enabler and we remain committed to playing our part. We hope the government and industry do the same.
Consider this: You’re a plumbing & heating contractor and you get a job installing a new hot water delivery system on the premises of one of the world’s biggest manufacturers of commercial & domestic heating products, heat pumps and all associated heating appliances. The question is this – who’s product are you going to make the centre piece of the installation, purely for Practical, Economic and Technical reasons?
So, who yer gonna call?
Well, it must be Rinnai. The aforementioned major international brand that manufactures energy products and systems now has a Rinnai N1300i Lo NOx Condensing Water Heaters in their staff washroom facilities at one of their sites in Europe.
Rinnai hot water heaters are installed at almost every single Premier League club in the UK, as well as the iconic and fabled Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. The units are in all other types of stadia, stately homes, cutting-edge London hotels, university accommodation
blocks, off-grid developments like Highland lodges of Scotland – anywhere and everywhere that needs continuous flow hot water that is performance maximized to produce the most energy efficient and low carbon footprint results.
Rinnai N series units contain stainless-steel primary heat exchangers that increase product durability and provide a market leading warranty of up to 12 years. Low-NOx burner technology futureproofs Rinnai continuous flow water heaters through the utilisation of patented advanced burner technologies.
The 13-1 turndown ratio – the
largest available on the market – means it maintains an extremely quiet product operation. A powerful fan motor allows for longer flue runs to be achieved, as well as a built-in flue damper that Increases the flexibility of appliance flueing options. Any number of Rinnai water heaters can be cascaded to supply the greatest hot water demand.
The contractor is reported to have said about his choice of hot water units –
“When you want to get it right, it has to be Rinnai”. www.rinnaiuk.com
UNLOCKING WINTER EFFICIENCY: OPTIMISING ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN STEAM SYSTEMS
As the winter sets in, the demand for heating systems, particularly steam systems, surges to keep the chill at bay. However, with great demand comes the challenge of ensuring energy efficiency to minimise costs and environmental impact. In this article, we’ll delve into practical strategies to optimise energy efficiency for your steam system during the winter months.
1. Regular Maintenance is Key: Just like any other engineering system, steam systems require regular maintenance to perform at their best. Conduct thorough inspections, check for leaks, and ensure all components are in prime condition. Addressing issues promptly not only prevents energy wastage but also prolongs the life of the system.
A Spirax Sarco Steam Trap Management plan will give you complete peace of mind that your steam traps are being regularly surveyed and maintained. Any steam traps found to be needing maintenance will be specified, supplied and installed as part of the fixed price of your plan.
2. Insulation Matters: Proper insulation is crucial for retaining heat within the steam system. Insulate pipes, valves, and other components to prevent heat loss. Pay special attention to the condition of any existing insulation to ensure maximum efficiency. Investing in highquality insulation jackets will pay off in the long run.
Spirax Sarco’s insulation jackets employ cutting-edge materials and advanced construction techniques to deliver exceptional thermal efficiency. They effectively minimise heat loss and prevent energy wastage, ensuring optimum performance and cost savings for industrial operations.
3. Optimise Boiler Efficiency: The heart of any steam system is the boiler. Ensure your boiler is operating at its peak efficiency by carrying out planned preventative maintenance. Regular servicing including inspecting the combustion chambers and optimising fuel-to-air ratios. Upgrading to a more energy-efficient boiler model may also be a viable option in the long term.
4. Implement Condensate Recovery Systems: Potentially a significant source of energy loss in steam
systems is the condensate that forms during the heating process. Implementing condensate recovery systems allows you to capture and reuse this valuable heat, reducing the need for additional energy input. This not only optimises fuel efficiency but also lowers water consumption.
5. Utilise Variable Speed Drives: Variable speed drives (VSDs) allow for better control of pump and fan speeds based on the actual demand. By adjusting the speed of these components to match the required output, VSDs help in minimising energy consumption. This is also effective in periods of varying steam demand, such as during seasonal temperature fluctuations.
6. Conduct Energy Audits: Regular energy audits can provide valuable insights into the performance of your steam system. Identify areas of inefficiency and prioritise improvements. Energy audits may reveal simple adjustments or more substantial upgrades that can significantly enhance the overall efficiency of the system.
A Spirax Sarco audit is tailored to your process or application and your budget. They can include the complete steam distribution loop, starting with the water treatment plant, right through to process applications and condensate return. We can scope an audit to fit your needs, for instance it can be focused on energy efficiency, health and safety or best practice.
Following the on-site work conducted by experienced Spirax Sarco audit project engineers, a detailed and comprehensive report is produced and presented back to you. We can then provide design and consultancy support to assist in integrating proposed solutions.
7. Upgrade to Energy-Efficient Controls: Consider upgrading your control systems to the latest, energy-
efficient models. Advanced control systems enable precise monitoring and adjustment of various parameters, ensuring optimal performance. Smart controls can adapt to changing conditions, further enhancing efficiency during the unpredictable winter months.
8. Train your team for efficiency: The human element plays a crucial role in optimising energy efficiency. Train your personnel on best practices, efficient operating procedures, and the importance of regular maintenance. A knowledgeable and well-trained team can contribute significantly to the success of energy-saving initiatives.
At Spirax Sarco we have an international reputation for the quality of training we provide our customers, designers, installers, system operators and maintainers of steam and condensate systems. Our aim is to ensure that you achieve the maximum benefit from your plant both efficiently and safely. Training courses are delivered at our state-of-the-art training facility in Cheltenham. We have a fully working boiler house, demonstration rigs providing hands-on fault finding and assembly exercises, and practical areas which allow delegates the chance to get hands-on and put the theory into practice.
In the cold months of winter, optimising energy efficiency in steam systems becomes not just a cost-saving strategy but a responsibility toward a sustainable future. Through regular maintenance, strategic upgrades, and a commitment to best practices, businesses can navigate the winter months with minimised energy consumption, reduced costs, and a positive impact on the environment. Get in touch to arrange a call with an expert to find out more: https://www. spiraxsarco.com/global/en-GB/contact-us
DISCOVER THE TECHNOLOGY THAT’S POWERING THE ENERGY TRANSITION
Energy Technology Live is a free to attend exhibition and conference on the 12th & 13th March 2025 at the NEC, Birmingham, and will welcome over 5000 visitors, 200 exhibitors and 150 speakers. It is set to be the UK’s most important gathering of energy executives, users, engineers and the entire supply chain working towards the UK’s transition to a clean, sustainable and efficient energy system.
The show is an end-to-end showcase of renewable and clean energy technologies and will incorporate the UK’s leading flexible energy event The Distributed Energy Show and the inaugural The Energy Storage Show which is set to be the UK’s largest gathering of its type.
Energy Technology Live provides a platform of the latest technologies and services including Batteries, Cabling, Combined Heat & Power, Demand Flexibility, Engineering Management Testing, Engineering Services, Fuel Cells, Renewable Generation, Smart Grid Technologies and many more.
With a commitment to innovation, collaboration and sustainability, Energy Technology Live will serve as the unrivalled platform for industry professionals, thought leaders, and innovators to explore the latest advancements, trends, and challenges shaping the UK’s energy landscape.
ONE EVENT, TWO SHOWS!
The Distributed Energy Show is established as the UK’s leading event for flexible, sustainable and decentralised energy systems. It is an opportunity for energy users from commercial and industrial sectors, local authorities, property developers and landowners to meet with the energy supply chain and find technologies and services to implement a flexible energy strategy.
Launching in 2025, The Energy Storage Show will feature battery and energy storage systems for large-scale applications ranging from utility scale systems through to onsite and domestic technologies. Along with the full systems, the show will feature the components, services and technology to
develop, install, operate and maintain them.
JOIN THE ENERGY TRANSITION
Energy Technology Live will feature over 200 exhibiting companies displaying the latest technologies and services for both the distributed energy and energy storage sectors. The show will represent cutting-edge technologies, and the exhibitor community is made up of companies at the forefront of the energy transition. Companies set to exhibit at the show include AlphaESS, Bender UK, Bosch, Cheesecake Energy, Clarke Energy, Electricity North West (Construction & Maintenance), EWT DirectWind UK Ltd, Enspec, Flextricity, Himoinsa Power Solutions Ltd, Nibs, OVO, Power Responsive, Eddicy; A Schaltbau Brand, SSE Energy Solutions, Waxman Energy and many more.
THE LEADING CONFERENCE FOR THE UK’S ENERGY LANDSCAPE
Set within the exhibition hall, Energy Technology Live will feature an educational conference across four theatres, with world renowned experts and industry leaders speaking in a range of keynotes, panels discussions, technical presentations, fireside chats and interviews. There will be theatres dedicated to The Distributed Energy Show and The Energy Storage Show, guaranteeing audiences will gain a comprehensive overview at the full energy supply chain. Some industry leading companies have already confirmed to speak and include Siemens, ABB, Department for Energy, Security and Net-Zero, Scottish & Southern Electricity Networks, Bosch, Hemiko, Hydrostor, Ecotricity, Flexitricity, with many more to be announced soon.
Three out of the four theatres will feature a notable Keynote Address from field experts kicking off each day of insightful conference sessions, giving attendees an overarching view into the central themes driving the industry. Throughout the day, speakers will participate in panel discussions and fireside chats, and will engage in lively debate, compelling conversation and in-depth discussion, where attendees will have the chance to have their say and ask questions to the panel of experts.
New for 2025, the Innovation Theatre will host Technical Presentations from exhibitors showcasing their latest technologies to the attendees, providing them with specialised information and in-depth demonstrations. The conference sessions will provide attendees with all the information they need to incorporate the latest energy distribution and storage systems into their facility and optimise strategies to reach Net-Zero targets.
Energy Technology Live Conference will focus on themes such as Net-Zero Targets, Long Duration Energy Storage, AI & Digital Innovation, District Heating, Regulation & Policy and much more.
Some highlighted sessions not to be missed include “Pioneering Energy Smart Infrastructure”, “Transforming the Energy Sector Through AI & Digital Innovation”, “The Future of Battery Reuse and Second Life Applications” “Assessing the Need for Long-Duration Energy Storage: Is It Essential for Our Future?” and “Can BESS continue being a Key Player in Renewable Energy Integration and Stability?”, to name a few.
To register for free or to find out more about Energy Technology Live, please visit www.energytechlive.com
There’s still time to secure your free registration for EMEX, the Energy Management and Net Zero exhibition being held at London’s ExCeL on 20 & 21 November 2024.
New for 2024, the BSI Academy is a dedicated area from BSI Group, the national standards body of the UK, where you can take part in free, 40-minute CPD-accredited training sessions. Covering vital areas of learning for the sustainability sector, this is an exclusive opportunity to elevate your professional learning at no cost. The three bitesize courses running on both days of the show are: Introduction to Energy Management ISO 50001, Introduction to Environmental Management ISO 14001 and Introduction to Net Zero. Places are filling up fast so hurry if you want to secure a slot.
Returning in November are the ever-popular roundtables exclusive to those operating in the public sector space. Places on these are strictly limited to allow for meaningful discussions and this year will cover areas such as: Balancing sustainability investment within ongoing maintenance projects; Property decarbonisation: 2030 strategies and practical supply chain planning and Collaboration and partnerships to share best practice. Table hosts will share their own experiences and encourage group discussion and questions. Most tables will run twice, so you have the opportunity to join two tables on each day, with additional time for networking and making new contacts for the future. Sponsored by Local Partnerships, a joint venture between the Local Government Association, HM Treasury and Welsh Government, they help the public sector deliver projects and change at a local level. Full details of all the sessions are available on the main show website, and places can be reserved as part of the visitor registration form.
Following on from the public sector roundtable success, EMEX is delighted to welcome Mott MacDonald as sponsor of further discussion groups open to all. Following a similar format to their public sector counterparts, the topic under discussion for these sessions will be focused on: Energy strategies and master planning for large energy users and sites. These ‘new for 2024’ sessions are proving to be popular already so don’t delay in securing your place.
Still focusing on giving visitors to
Read on to discover how you can secure your free place today and take advantage of the many new, value-added features the show is offering to visitors this year…
EMEX opportunities to expand their expertise and practical takeaways, the new hands-on workshops are another value-add, free feature for 2024. These fully interactive sessions are designed to demonstrate practical strategies for achieving key goals in energy management and carbon reduction. Hosted by Carbonology, Supply Chain Sustainability School and Tripple Point, further details of the different focus areas of the workshops can be found on the EMEX website and places reserved as part of visitor registration.
This year, EMEX is delighted to welcome IEMA (Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment), a global body for environment and sustainability professionals, and the YEP (Young Energy Professionals) as hosts of exclusive peer mentoring sessions. These 10-minute sessions across both show days offer exciting opportunities to make valuable new contacts and receive specialist advice from senior
professionals for those both established in their careers focusing on overcoming specific sector challenges and those at the beginning of their journey who may benefit from vocational mentoring.
All of these new, value-added features are completely free for EMEX visitors to attend. Simply register your free ticket today and select which sessions you would like to take part in: https://forms.reg.buzz/mark-allengroup/emex-2024/visitor/em
For further information on all of these plus the rest of what’s on at EMEX 2024, visit the website now: https://www.emexlondon.com
Could your organisation be OVER-reporting your Scope 2 emissions?
If carbon reporting is your responsibility, you work hard to avoid underestimating emissions or leaving out any emissions sources. But what if the real problem for your organisation is over-reporting? Oxford Brookes University recently found itself in this exact position. The university discovered this year that it has been overestimating its Scope 2 emissions by up to 39%.
It might feel like good news to know that emissions are lower than you thought. But this level of inaccuracy has serious consequences. Many organisations purchase carbon credits to offset emissions on the road to Net Zero – but if you’ve miscalculated those emissions in the first place, you could be wasting thousands of pounds.
Ironically enough, overestimating your carbon emissions can set back your decarbonisation journey. If your decisions are based on inaccurate figures for your carbon emissions, your Net Zero strategy may be less effective because you are focusing on the wrong interventions at the wrong times. This could lead to ineffective investment decisions and a slower journey to Net Zero in the long term.
HOW DOES OVERREPORTING HAPPEN?
So how does carbon reporting be so inaccurate when everyone is following the reporting protocols so diligently? It’s all about what methods are currently standard for reporting on your Scope 2 emissions (those from the electricity you buy). The Greenhouse Gas Protocol recommends a dual approach. This is reflected in the guidelines for various mandatory schemes such as Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR). Most companies therefore use two kinds of reporting: location-based and market-based.
The location-based method means using the average emissions from the grid in your area. This average is usually applied over an entire year, which means it doesn’t matter when you used the electricity. And it doesn’t matter how “green” your electricity supply contract is either.
Jaron Reddy, UK & Ireland Manager, ENTRNCE
The market-based method focuses entirely on your electricity supply contract, so a “100% renewable” tariff delivers zero emissions to report – on paper, at least. This is the case even though such tariffs don’t represent a direct link between buying energy and funding renewables.
You’d think that combining the two very different approaches would split the difference and deliver a number close to reality. But because they are both based on flawed reporting methodologies, you could still end up very far from getting a handle on your actual carbon emissions.
THE “WHEN” MATTERS
The mix of energy sources in the electricity grid changes every half hour, which means it matters a lot when your energy consumption really happens. The location-based reporting method does not reflect the changing carbon intensity of the grid. At times of high renewable output, a kilowatt hour of electricity might produce 20g of emissions – the weight of a packet of Quavers – or even less. But at times of heavy fossil fuel use, it might be over 300g. The variability over the course of a year is a staggering 2,000%. Yet the reporting system treats every kilowatt hour as equal in terms of emissions.
To make reporting even less accurate, the data about the generators being used isn’t even up to date; it’s from a two-year-old list.
Oxford Brookes University discovered this when they began working with ENTRNCE. They used our Matcher platform to calculate their actual emissions based on halfhourly grid data, and discovered that they have overreported by up to 39%. Armed with this data, the university has an opportunity to adjust their decarbonisation strategy to reflect their “true” carbon footprint.
OPPORTUNITY COST
ENTRNCE works extensively in the public sector as well as with businesses, so we know this is a widespread problem. Oxford Brookes University is just one of many universities that could be under unnecessary strain because of overreporting emissions. Many NHS trusts are also likely to be overreporting. At a time when the public sector feels the strain of squeezed budgets, it is important that investment decisions are based on accurate data. Meeting your Net Zero commitments requires you to make the right interventions at the right time. For that, it’s essential to have accurate data – which the ENTRNCE Matcher platform provides.
Overreporting represents a huge opportunity cost that most public sector organisations can’t afford. We are joining many other expert voices in lobbying to change the official recommended reporting approach to something better. In the meantime, individual organisations can take control by finding a reporting method that actually works. The ENTRNCE Matcher takes your energy consumption in half-hourly bites and aligns it with the grid emissions for the exact same chunks of time. You then get the most accurate possible calculation of your emissions. Why not try our Quickscan service, which only requires us to access the data from your smart meter? Then you can find out your actual carbon emissions and, if you choose, get help on how to optimise your pathway to Net Zero. For a no-obligation test of the service, get in touch. www.entrnce.co.uk
THE VALUE OF ENERGY ATTRIBUTE CERTIFICATES (EACS)
Energy Attribute Certificates (EACs) are often viewed as a costly option with limited impact for corporate decarbonization. However, when evaluated through the lens of internal carbon pricing (ICP) and cost per ton of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e), EACs can present a compelling financial and sustainability case.
What is an Energy Attribute Certificate?
An Energy Attribute Certificate (EAC) is a contractual instrument conveying information (attributes) about a unit (MWh) of energy. Attributes may include when the MWh was produced, its source (renewable or fossil-fuel), and the location and age of the facility where the energy was generated. A typical EAC verifies the renewable origin of the energy produced or consumed. A producer may sell an EAC together with underlying power (bundled) or separately from it (unbundled). An EAC verifies a company’s own use of a MWh of renewable electricity and reduces its Scope 2 emissions (electricity bought from a supplier).
Guarantees of Origin (GOs) are a type of EAC commonly used in Europe. Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) are a type of EAC commonly used in North America.
COMPARING THE VALUE OF EACS
EACs provide flexibility in sourcing renewable energy and can be certified for quality — ensuring it meets high environmental and consumer protection standards, adding more value to the investment (e.g. Green-e in the US, TÜV in Germany; RE100 requirements have also led to higher prices for EACs from younger assets). And compared to other decarbonization measures, like Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) which provide key benefits but can be complex, EACs can offer a more straightforward way to achieve similar impacts.
One of the primary concerns we hear is understanding the future price of EACs and the reasons behind their price fluctuations. The price of EACs
can vary significantly based on market demand, the type of renewable energy, and regional factors. But even with those fluctuations, when compared to carbon credits or considering a company’s internal carbon pricing (ICP) companies can better understand the value of EACs. Many companies use internal carbon pricing to guide their investment decisions. By setting a high internal carbon price, EACs become more attractive and the business case around investing in this tool to increase RE usage and reduce carbon footprint becomes easier to make.
EACs can be evaluated based on their cost per ton of CO2e avoided, and positioned in comparison to other options. When standardized around cost per ton of CO2e, these are typical costs of some common decarbonization projects (values to be considered as orders of magnitude):
It should be noted, while low quality avoidance credits and EACs are available on the market, their use can damage companies sustainability credibility and erode public trust in this important market mechanism. While more expensive in comparison, high quality EACs generate far more value, for the company and the renewable energy sector more generally.
Neon Steinecke, Director, ENGIE Impact
LONG-TERM BENEFITS OF EACS
Investing in EACs not only helps companies meet their sustainability goals but also improves the overall EAC ecosystem — signaling a growing demand for these types of marketbased instruments. The additional funding would help improve the entire EAC ecosystem — developing a more transparent system of valuing highquality EACs, to more accurately correlate consumption with the market price of production. It would also potentially lead to more renewable energy projects and electricity infrastructure, additional renewable capacity, new technologies for flexibility solutions like battery storage and demand-side response, and could provide signals to regulators to improvements improve grid infrastructure and interconnections — all of which will be necessary to generate and more efficiently use larger amounts of renewable energy in future.
So while EACs may seem expensive at first glance, they can provide high value at a low price. By investing in EACs, companies can not only meet their sustainability goals but also contribute to the development of a more robust and reliable energy system based on renewables. www.engieimpact.com
PHENOMENAL PERFORMANCE & POWERFUL POTENTIAL: A DISRUPTIVE INNOVATION FOR THE RENEWABLE ENERGY INDUSTRY
In 2019, Bloomberg predicted that wind and solar will power half the world’s grid by 2050. The trillion-dollar wind energy revolution is happening right now, and Flower Turbines is one of the leaders.
THE FUTURE OF CLEAN ENERGY: MASSIVE WIND FARMS OR SMALL TURBINES ON ROOFTOPS?
Flower Turbines has the potential to become a large global corporation with its vertical-axis wind turbines. Their unique technology provides exceptional efficiency, quiet operation, low startup speeds, as well as enduring high wind speeds, and a bird-friendly design, all the while achieving remarkable performance in smaller areas. These vertical-axis wind turbines have solved the 5 major problems preventing the small wind sector from reaching its true potential, namely noise, low efficiency, high start-up speeds, turbines that are close together interfering with one another, and the danger wind turbines pose to birds. Perhaps the key disruptive innovation in aerodynamics is the patented Bouquet Effect, whereby each turbine added to a group makes every turbine in the group perform better.
INNOVATIONS THAT CHANGE THE MARKET
This Bouquet Effect changes the market due to the efficiency of projects being designed to take up less space. This is important not only for space-limited
rooftops, but also for large commercial projects. As an example, 4 turbines together produce the same energy as 8 separate turbines. This also means that larger projects, such as in the parking lot of a shopping centre, can be very priceefficient. As for utility-size projects, Founder and CEO, Dr. Daniel Farb, comments that the presence of the turbines in compressed spaces leaves more space for other uses of the land compared to widely spaced large turbines. In addition, the tulip design makes it distinctive and easier to zone.
THE IDEAL RENEWABLE ENERGY SOLUTION, TAILORED TO EVERY NEED
Flower Turbines provides customized energy solutions to fit an array of projects, with the choice of sizes, and on or off-grid to suit the needs of the project. One of the product lines includes charging poles for devices and e-bikes, and it has proven its durability by withstanding hurricanes. Powered by solar and wind (with options for solar only or for grid-connected), the charging stations have been popular in Europe, where they are used in downtown areas, biking paths, schools, and the like.
To make roof installation easier, Flower Turbines introduced the EcoRoof Energy Hub, which contains wind and solar, and requires no drilling into the roof. The turbines are pre-set to produce the Bouquet Effect. This product can be placed on flat rooftops, ensuring no damage to the roof, and uses weights and balances to secure
the turbines. Soon the Eco-Roof Energy Hub will be available for angled roofs.
THE POWER OF PATENTS SET TO LEAD THE FUTURE OF WIND ENERGY
The company has over 30 patents, each in multiple countries. Their patents cover aerodynamics, manufacturing, installation, electronics, and designs–contributing to their vision of becoming a global leader and making small wind a trillion-dollar industry.
RIGHT COMPANY, RIGHT INDUSTRY, RIGHT TIME TO INVEST
As of October 1, 2024, Flower Turbines has received over $17 million in investment from 8,000+ investors via equity crowdfunding and angel investing. Having already begun manufacturing in both the EU and the US, October of 2024 was their best month yet for sales, with over $150,000 in the EU and in the process of over $200,000 in the US from their October Campaign.
A global shift is underway as companies and governments transition to renewable energy, making investment in cleantech a smart choice. As for reasons to invest in Flower Turbines specifically, they were voted one of the most fundable companies in the US by Pepperdine University Business School! Other awards include the Yes San Francisco CleanTech competition and winning the Dutch Government Sustainability Award in two separate years. The CEO, Dr. Farb was also chosen as an Impel+ Innovator of the Year by the US Department of Energy.
Readers located in the UK and Canada who want to invest can sign up through https://lp.flowerturbines.info/ca/ and for those situated in the US and elsewhere, you can sign up here: https://lp.flowerturbines.info/
Readers interested in purchasing turbines in the EU should contact support.eu@flowerturbines.com and elsewhere at support.us@flowerturbines.com
For those readers who are interested in both investing and purchasing, it’s recommended that you first invest, in order to take advantage of product discounts offered to investors.
HOW SMART BUILDINGS ARE HELPING THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT REDUCE ITS CARBON FOOTPRINT
The built environment is one of the UK’s leading contributors to carbon emissions, meaning reducing its carbon footprint is imperative. By utilising automation and advancements in technology to optimise energy consumption, smart buildings can do just that. Stacey Lucas at the Building Controls Industry Association (BCIA) reveals the myriad ways in which smart buildings can help the construction industry reduce its carbon footprint.
With the UK targeting net zero by 2050, building owners and property developers must now look to invest in innovative solutions that can help them meet sustainability targets through the reduction of carbon emissions.
This is especially pertinent given that the UK Green Building Council revealed that the built environment contributes to around 25% of the UK’s carbon footprint. This comes from both embodied carbon and operational emissions, such as the energy used to heat, cool, and power buildings.
As a result, some property owners are considering the benefits of smart buildings to mitigate the impacts of climate change and reduce carbon footprints. However, many outside the built environment aren’t aware of the advantages of such buildings and how they can improve energy efficiency, reduce energy consumption, and enhance occupant wellbeing.
With that in mind, it’s vital that everyone in the construction industry highlights just how smart buildings can have a major impact on net zero targets.
MORE EFFICIENT ENERGY CONSUMPTION
Often found in smart buildings, technology such as building automation systems can help owners and property developers achieve significant reductions in carbon emissions. These innovative systems enable all devices throughout the building, such as security, lighting, ventilation, heating, and cooling systems, to be connected to one simple and easy to use platform.
Especially useful in buildings with multiple occupants, smart lighting and HVAC systems can be automated to activate dependent upon schedules and occupancy. This ensures energy is consumed more efficiently, saving tenants and building owners money
on energy bills and reducing the building’s carbon emissions.
RENEWABLE
ENERGY SOURCES CAN BE INCORPORATED
As a key tool in the journey towards net zero, smart buildings often rely on technology that is driven by carbon neutral practices, with alternative energy sources, such as solar panels, typically utilised.
Enabling the building to convert sunlight into energy, solar panels are more environmentally sustainable and will reduce the building’s reliance on fossil fuels. This minimises carbon emissions and helps building owners meet sustainability targets and save money on energy bills. Indeed, a report by E.ON revealed an installation of solar panels could cut electricity bills by up to £400 per year.
UP-TO-DATE AND ACCURATE ENERGY USAGE MONITORING
Smart buildings typically utilise the Internet of Things (IoT), a network of interrelated devices that connect and exchange data with the Cloud and other IoT devices. This innovative technology enables the tracking of real-time environment information and access to data on energy consumption, meaning the building management system can adapt to external weather conditions.
The data provided can also inform building owners how a building is being used to support effective space management. Planned and preventative maintenance can also be scheduled, reducing potential building management costs and increasing yield.
Having access to such data ensures a clearer understanding of any areas of excessive energy consumption to improve energy efficiency strategy.
INCREASED COMFORT FOR OCCUPANTS
By ensuring better air quality throughout the building, smart
buildings and building management systems help to increase comfort and productivity, reducing the number of sick days taken by staff.
Furthermore, the integration of BACS throughout the building will help to manage ventilation, air conditioning, heating and lighting in meeting spaces while making it easy for staff and visitors to move around the building through the use of digital signage.
ENHANCED WATER EFFICIENCY
With energy needed to heat, pump, and filter water into buildings, conserving water is key to reducing energy consumption. Smart building technology has led to the implementation of more efficient water management systems.
In fact, smart plumbing systems utilise advanced hydraulic modelling techniques for low-flush toilets, eliminating waste in water channels more efficiently while using less water. Incorporating natural elements into a building’s architectural design, such as green roofs and plants, enables more water-efficient irrigation systems to further optimise water usage.
While advancements in technology are aiding the construction industry’s journey towards a greener future, there is still plenty to be done. With that in mind, buildings need to be designed to incorporate a holistic grid of technologies that supply and rely on each other. Additionally, it’s also important that any outcomes needed in the design, such as the building’s specific objectives, are considered and reflected in the smart technology.
Utilising the very best smart technology, such as building automation systems, will create not only a more energy efficient building but also a more comfortable and healthy environment for occupants. This will ensure the building is future-proofed and ready to respond to any internal and external conditions. www.bcia.co.uk
A GUIDE TO PREPARING THE PUBLIC SECTOR FOR HEAT NETWORK CONNECTIONS
Heat networks are integral to the UK government’s strategy for achieving the nation’s Net Zero targets. They offer a compelling pathway for decarbonising buildings, providing low carbon heat on a scalable basis with the potential to reduce fuel bills. While today only 3% of the UK’s heat requirement is met through heat networks, this could reach 20% by 2050.
Energy Systems Catapult was commissioned by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) to produce a comprehensive, non-technical guide to help the public sector better understand heat networks and how they impact heat decarbonisation plans.
The Catapult engaged extensively with industry stakeholders, including sector experts, public sector site owners, heat network developers, and local authorities to gain insights into the challenges of heat network connection from a site owner’s perspective. The guide provides an accessible introduction to heat networks, detailing the key elements that make up a heat network, the different types of heat networks, the sources of heat, and a simple description of how heat networks work.
The guide covers the following topics:
BENEFITS OF HEAT NETWORK CONNECTION
Heat networks create a local marketplace for a diverse range of heat supply sources to meet demand in a cost-effective and sustainable manner.
The guide outlines the system-wide benefits of heat networks including future proofing heating supply systems, increasing overall energy efficiency and enhanced energy supply resilience. It highlights the benefits for the heat network customers, such as reduced space requirements for customer heating systems, less maintenance, and effective heat decarbonisation, while also addressing potential drawbacks such as less control over the primary fuel source (and therefore the carbon intensity of the heat), and responsibilities for remedial works. This balanced perspective is designed to support public sector organisations in making informed decisions about adopting heat networks.
Isabelle Jones, Analyst – Sites, Energy Systems Catapult
HEAT NETWORK REGULATION AND ZONING – WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOU
The UK government plans to introduce heat network regulation and zoning that will impact existing and future heat networks. Heat network regulation is expected to significantly improve consumer rights and protections. This initiative aims to facilitate the widespread decarbonisation of heating in buildings. Through the implementation of zoning, specific types of buildings and low carbon heat sources can be mandated to connect to a heat network within a designated timeframe.
STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT – GETTING EVERYONE ON BOARD
It is important to get the right stakeholders on board early in the process when investigating the feasibility of a heat network connection. This will help to ensure they are well-informed. You are also likely to need representation from legal, finance, energy, sustainability, and estates teams. The guide presents a five-step approach to managing internal and external stakeholder interactions to ensure the best chance of successfully delivering the heat network connection.
CUSTOMER JOURNEY TO CONNECT TO A LOCAL HEAT NETWORK
Connecting to a heat network can seem overwhelming due to novelty and perceived uncertainties associated with the technology, and complexities around regulation and contractual arrangements. The guide simplifies the customer experience by breaking it into six steps: engaging with the local authority and heat network operator, undertaking a techno-economic and carbon impact assessment, negotiating contractual
arrangements, heat substation design, and on-site system improvements, commissioning, metering and billing.
CUSTOMER RIGHTS AND PROTECTIONS
Under new heat network regulations in the UK, heat network customers will soon receive protections on energy prices and service level guarantees comparable to those provided to customers connected to electricity and gas networks. Ofgem, the office for gas and electricity markets, has been named by the UK government as the future regulator of heat networks across England, Scotland and Wales. The guide outlines what can be expected in the upcoming regulations and what protections are available for heat network customers.
GRANT FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR HEAT NETWORKS
The Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme provides capital grant funding for the decarbonisation of public buildings in England. The application portal is open from 9 October and will close on 25 November 2024. With the incoming heat network zoning regulations, the application has placed additional emphasis on the importance of considering heat networks within the range of low carbon heating technology options for applicants. The guide takes an in-depth look into funding sources for heat networks and what you will need to consider as part of making a robust application for funding.
Read the free Heat Network Guide and download other free guidance, toolkits and templates from the Catapult’s Public Sector Decarbonisation Guidance website. https://es.catapult.org.uk/tools-andlabs/public-sector-decarbonisationguidance/design-and-feasibility/
NON-LEAGUE FOOTBALL CLUB DECARBONISE WITH RINNAI
AGloucestershire non-league football club is aiming to decarbonise the whole of its ablutions by installing a high temperature R290 heat pump solution for the DHW requirements in the club’s washrooms and showers. The target for the football club is to reduce carbon by installing a state-of-the-art Rinnai commercial heat pump system.
Rinnai produced full data modelling for the site, that focuses on capital and operational costs whilst also reviewing the carbon intensity of different hybrid and heat pump systems so that all the costs and performance parameters where completely visualized for the client. This transparency is critical to users, who can now be made aware of the full costs associated with electrical systems. The operational costs are modelled against the projected cost reductions in electricity prices from valid sources. A breakdown of fuel costs is provided in the accompanying diagrams.
When comparing OPEX, CAPEX and carbon reductions information pertaining to the current system is not available, however it is known that the football club uses a gas-powered system. Therefore, a comparison between a Rinnai Heat Pump and Rinnai natural gas powered N1300 can be made and illustrated with visual graphs.
Figure 4 details the amount of carbon reductions made possible through installing a Rinnai high temperature heat pump when compared to a natural gas powered N1300. Rinnai’s gas system is represented in blue whilst Rinnai’s High Temperature Heat Pump is highlighted in purple.
Figure 4 demonstrates the carbon reductions achieved through a Rinnai high temperature heat pump. Over five years a gas fired system will emit over 5 times the amount of carbon emissions when compared to a Rinnai heat pump. Overall, there is an 81% reduction in carbon offshoots over 5 years.
Figure 5 also details the cumulative running costs over a 5-year period. The OPEX costs are compared to a Rinnai N1300 natural gas appliance.
Figure 5 illustrates the difference in cost between a Rinnai N1300 (blue) and a High Temperature Heat Pump (purple). Over a 5-year period there
5: Cumulative Running Costs (OPEX) comparing a H1 and a H3 system
is a 23% increase in operational costs. A Rinnai natural gas system will cost £18,844.71, whilst a Rinnai High Temperature Heat Pump would cost £24,296.58. Rinnai will continue to provide transparent examples of carbon reducing technology that results in cleaner local air quality. Rinnai’s product offering includes multiple technologies that are capable of being powered by current and future clean energies. All commercial operations and premises that require a reduction in emissions should consider manufacturers that can offer a selection of appliances capable of accepting various clean and current fuels.
To take advantage of the Rinnai design and modelling support service call us today on 0300 373 0660 or visit us at https://www.rinnai-uk.co.uk/contactus/help-me-choose-product today. Visit www.rinnai-uk.co.uk
Or email engineer@rinaiuk.com
Figure 2: Energy prices and carbon factors used for analysis study.
Figure 3: Energy prices and carbon factors used for analysis study.
Figure 4: Carbon Emissions Lifecycle comparing a H1 and a H3 system for DHW
Figure
for DHW
RINNAI: QUALITY IS OUR DESTINY – THE COMMITMENT TO MANUFACTURING EXCELLENCE
Chris Goggin explains how “Kaizen” and “Kanban” methodologies provide insight to the high standards of production values that globally renowned Japanese brands embed into the totality of the manufacturing practices.
Japanese manufacturing is renowned for high levels of aesthetic and operational function. Many of the globe’s leading brands in electrical and combustion technology are from Japan, such as Toyota, Nissan, Honda, and Sony, all of which incorporate the “Kaizen” and “Kanban” methodology into daily operations.
The term Kaizen has come to mean “continuous improvement,” a broader interpretation can be translated as continuous improvement in personal life, home life, social life and working life. A Kaizen approach focuses on implementing gradual and incremental changes that will produce long-term improvements in efficiency and quality in private and professional life.
To create continuous improvement across multiple platforms in professional and general life, the Kaizen attitude suggests adopting 5 key principles to improve an individual’s approach in work, social life and at home.
These five principles that facilitate the concept of Kaizen are as follows: Know Your Customer, Let it Flow, Go to Gemba, Empower People and Be Transparent. Together, these elements encourage personal and group progression in professional and private life quality output.
“Know Your Customer” identifies what is truly required by the customer and delivers enhanced end-product that exceeds demand. “Let it Flow” concentrates on creating a smooth flow of processes and practices. Identifying and eliminating production bottlenecks and reducing customer waiting times. This principle focuses on eliminating waste in all aspects of the commercial operation – waste is viewed as any culture or practice that does not benefit the customer or encourage professional productivity.
The third principle “Go to Gemba” translates as being always concerned with all matters in every department. “Be Transparent” is the idea of utilizing and measuring data that improves company progress. The final principle “Empower People” relates to providing appropriate tools to successfully complete group targets that maximize production efficiency.
Kanban was invented by Toyota engineer Taiichi Ohno during the late 1940s. The term “Kanban” when broken down into two words
from Japanese to English means “Kan” (sign)” and “Ban” (board). Kanban is a philosophy that seeks to encourage continuous improvement in production and business methods by measuring project progress through visual Kanban boards.
A Kanban approach was employed to improve Toyota’s production system by incorporating elements of lean manufacturing into their process. Kanban framework allowed Toyota to transition from a “push” process (products are pushed on to the market) into a “pull” system (products that are created due to market demand). This idea allows companies to risk low inventory levels whilst remaining competitive.
Kanban is also referred to as the “Just in Time” (JIT) system, company production can concentrate on creating products because of consumer demand as opposed to manufacturing products that rely on anticipated demand.
Kanban boards are organised into columns – each column contains visual cards that represent a task during a separate stage of work. The team can easily track task progress and share necessary information that assists in task completion. Kanban boards are an agile and fluid visual form of measuring group progress during the completion of a task.
The creator of the Kanban framework Taiichi Ohno maintains strong links to Rinnai and has had a discernible influence and impact on Rinnai’s production system. Ohno visited Rinnai’s Japanese production plant and provided critical observations and advice that led to Rinnai adopting lean manufacturing principles that enhanced product producing efficiency.
Japanese electrical goods manufacturing is globally recongnised as the highest in performance and production efficiency due to a selection of professional techniques, amongst these are Kaizen and Kanban methodologies. Many Japanese companies adopt elements of both Kaizen and Kanban ideals which has led to Japanese engineered and manufactured products being regarded as being amongst the finest in the world.
Rinnai products incorporate the best manufacturing techniques ensuring robust product performance, extended warranties and cost effectiveness to learn more about Rinnai products join our monthly newsletter at https://www.rinnai-uk.co.uk/ contact-us/newsletter-sign www.rinnaiuk.com
HOW CAN WATER BE CONSERVED WHILE MEETING AI INNOVATION DEMAND?
Earlier this year, we blogged about how essential data centres are to facilitate the level of connectivity that’s required for 21st century life to continue as we know it, as well as driving the emergence of innovative new technology.
The likes of servers, storage devices, networking equipment and so on are all absolute necessities these days, managing and distributing vast swathes of data that is transferred between different devices and locations on a global scale every second of every day.
But this level of connectivity certainly doesn’t come without a price and these data centres generate huge amounts of heat in order to operate properly, which means they need to be equipped with advanced cooling systems such as industrial air conditioning and ventilation, and liquid cooling, to maintain constant temperatures and prevent overheating.
Not only does this use a significant amount of energy to facilitate, but billions of cubic metres of water is required to keep these centres up and running… and with the advent of artificial intelligence (AI), data centre water usage and consumption is only going to increase, at a time when natural resources are being put under increasing pressure from climate change, population growth, water mismanagement and pollution.
A recent report from non-profit organisation China Water Risk found that as AI adoption continues to increase and services like chatbots become de rigueur, more than 20 times the current amount of water will be necessary to power these facilities and others like them.
As such, the question must now be asked: How exactly can water be conserved during data centre operations while ensuring that growing customer demand for AI innovation and cloud technology is met?
Does Microsoft have the answers?
At the start of June, tech giant Microsoft published its data centre community pledge to build and operate digital infrastructure that tackles societal challenges head on while creating benefits and opportunities for local communities.
The pledge focuses on three key areas to contribute to a sustainable future: running carbon negative, water positive and zero waste data centres before 2030, advancing community prosperity and wellbeing, and partnering closely with communities to operate in a way that respects the local environment.
To help it achieve its promise, Microsoft is now asking just how water can continue to be saved as AI adoption continues to grow.
It explains that the last few years have seen significant growth in AI applications and a surge in demand for high performance cloud capabilities, which has increased the power requirements for silicon chips in data centres.
As these chips use more power, they also generate more heat, which means that more intensive cooling is required - and more water is consumed.
Now that Microsoft has pledged to become water positive by 2030 - which means that it will need to put more water back into the natural environment than it abstracts - it is looking to see what innovations can be embraced to reduce the water required for its data centres.
Since its first generation of owned data centres fired up back in the early 2000s, the company has succeeded in reducing its water intensity (water consumed per kilowatthour) by more than 80 per cent.
To achieve this, Microsoft has worked to minimise the amount of water required for cooling across all its locations, including operating data centres at temperatures that enable outdoor air to be used for cooling for the majority of the year, which drives down the need for ambient cooling and helps save water day by day.
Regular audits of its centres are carried out to identify weak and inefficient areas, with its 2022 review leading to targeted improvements that successfully eliminated 90 per cent of instances where excess water was being consumed.
Furthermore, advanced prediction models are now being built that will help Microsoft anticipate its water requirements based on incoming operational and weather data in real time.
Tailoring its conservation strategies to its specific locations is another tactic that’s proving beneficial, such as in Texas, Singapore, Washington and California, where use of reclaimed and recycled water has been expanded. Meanwhile, in Ireland, Sweden and the Netherlands, rainwater harvesting is the priority.
Elsewhere, innovative cooling technologies are now being adopted as a key part of the brand’s water strategy, such as cold plates where direct-tochip cooling technology provides heat exchange in a closed loop system.
This way of working dissipates heat more effectively than traditional air cooling, providing the silicon with direct chilling and then recirculating the cooling fluid, much like a car radiator works.
To help make this way of working even more efficient, a new generation of data centre designs is now being developed that is optimised for direct-to-chip cooling. This involves changing the layout of servers and racks to make room for new thermal and power management methods.
In existing centres, sidekick liquid cooling systems are now being brought in to circulate fluid that draws heat away from the cold plates attached to the surface of the chips.
As Microsoft observes: “Our newest data centre designs are optimised to support AI workloads and consume zero water for cooling. To achieve this, we’re transitioning to chip-level cooling solutions, providing precise temperature cooling only where it’s needed and without requiring evaporation.
“With these innovations, we can significantly reduce water consumption while supporting higher rack capacity, enabling more compute power per square foot within our data centres.”
Are you inspired to reduce your water footprint?
If you’d like to follow in Microsoft’s footsteps and do more to become water positive in the future, get in touch with the SwitchWaterSupplier.com team to find out more about water efficiency and what can be achieved in this regard.
WHAT IS THE OPEN WATER MARKET?
Back in April 2017, the English water retail market opened up, bringing it in line with that of Scotland (which opened in 2008) – meaning that businesses of all shapes and sizes are now able to choose their own water supplier1, finding one that serves their individual needs more effectively, reducing their bills and enjoying better customer service, as a result.
There are more than eligible businesses and non-household customers
in England, and it’s a great opportunity for them to be able to switch supplier and choose one with experience of working with companies in their particular sector.
Much like you would with gas and electricity, you are now able to shop around for your waste and wastewater retailer, and the market is becoming more competitive as time goes on and more retailers emerge.
You will be eligible to choose your own supplier if you use more than five million litres of water each year, but eligibility is also based on whether premises are mainly for business use, rather than domestic, as well as where the existing water and wastewater supplier is based.
Being able to choose suppliers affords you a greater level of protection by taking advantage of a competitive market, meaning that if you’re not happy with the service you’re receiving, you can find someone else.
There are all sorts of benefits associated with switching, including being able to reduce your bills by negotiating a lower price with the retailer of your choice. Enjoying a better service with a different supplier can also help you to slash your water and wastewater usage2, so your bills will fall as a result, as well.
Should you decide to switch, you will be sent a formal contract that will set out the price you pay for received services, which will have the same legal protections as any other similar contract for the supply of goods and services.
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If you decide to stay with your current supplier, know that there is a This is what is known as a deemed contract.
price that the company can charge you for a standard level of service.
especially because the market is so new, so if you’ve been looking into it and have come a bit unstuck, get in touch with the team here at H2o Building Services to see how we can help find the right supplier for you and your business. a bit tricky, can be
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