EIBI Nov/Dec 2020

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020

PROMOTING ENERGY EFFICIENCY

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In this issue

Boilers & Burners CPD Module: Heat Pumps Batteries & Energy Storage Energy in Education Data Centre Management

Power to the students In control of their energy use

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Fully charged and ready Transforming energy storage

Ten steps to efficiency Making boilers work harder

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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020 PROMOTING ENERGY EFFICIENCY

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In this issue

Contents

www.eibi.co.uk

Boilers & Burners CPD Module: Heat Pumps Batteries & Energy Storage Energy in Education Data Centre Management

Power to the students In control of their energy use

Fully charged and ready Transforming energy storage

Ten steps to efficiency Making boilers work harder

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NOV/DEC 2020

35 07 29 Energy in Education

FEATURES

12

Boilers & Burners Are your boilers not working at optimum performance?

Ben Churchill outlines ten ways to reduce maintenance and make your boiler more effective A conversion to hydrogen may be a likely long-term solution to decarbonisation of heating. But what can be done to improve the efficiency of existing boilers, asks Pete Mills (14) Thermal fluid heating has grown in popularity in recent years. Chris Horsley examines how this technology can bring energy saving and maintenance benefits (16) A new hydrogen boiler comes to the UK while a burner makes its debut. And a Dorset school upgrades its boiler system (18) Nottingham City Hospital replaces inefficient boiler plant.

And new additions to boiler and burner ranges (20)

28 Batteries & Energy Storage Alex Thompson explains what hurdles will need to be overcome if energy storage is to transform our relationship with renewable power

Many buildings in the education estate change character between term and vacation times. So how do you analyse building performance? Vilnis Vesma explains how Karl Walker explains how the latest advances are prompting the next generation to think about energy efficiency in their schools, colleges and universities (31) Lucy Holland discusses how a ventilation strategy is so important for energy managers working in the education sector (32)

One of the UK’s oldest schools benefits from new boilers and water heaters, while a Texas University shows the way to $6m savings (34)

36 Data Centre Management

Ted Pulfer takes a look at some of the improvements data centre operators can take to ensure that their facilities begin to move forward with efficiency improvements James Smurthwaite examines how data centre owners are having to come to terms with surging demand and meeting Climate Change Agreements (38) Peter Ruffley discusses how we can best use artificial intelligence and its role is within the data centre, particularly reducing the amount of energy consumed (40)

REGULARS 06 News Update UK energy consumption continues to fall in 2019 and government ministers are set to makes changes to the Green Homes grant

10 The Warren Report The recently completed analysis of EPC data reveals little or no progress in improving energy efficiency in housing stock in recent years

21 The Fundamental Series: CPD Learning The government is putting a great deal of faith in heat pumps to cut emissions, Here, John Pooley

assesses the potential for expansion in the UK in the coming years This month’s CPD module is sponsored

by LG

41 New Products New to the market are LED tubes, a current transformer tester and an R32 air curtain

26 ESTA Viewpoint Despite the disruption to our lives and business world in 2020 ESTA has launched some important new initiatives. And more are planned for the coming year, writes Mervyn Pilley

35 Products in Action Air conditioning for a new football stadium and pipe insulation in a refurbished, luxury hotel are among the products saving energy this month

42 Talking Heads A new business model promises to reduce the risk and network management workload associated with high-voltage infrastructure, says Stewart Dawson

Follow us, ‘like us’ or visit us online to keep up to date with all the latest energy news and events www.eibi.co.uk NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020 | ENERGY IN BUILDINGS & INDUSTRY | 03

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Editor’s Opinion

Follow us on @ twitter.com/energyzine and twitter.com/markthrower1

Keep consumption falling

T

he last issue of the year is traditionally the time to take a look back over the year and reflect on the highlights of the last 12 months. I’ve racked my brain but finding anything positive to come out of 2020 is proving elusive. The coming 12 months can only be an improvement.

The fact that energy use plummeted during the first lockdown (it remains to be seen if this is repeated in lockdown 2.0) can be seen as a wake-up call to the UK that cutting energy is not an impossible dream that can never be achieved.

But even before lockdown, energy consumption had been on a downward slope.

In 2019, it fell by one percent overall in every sector of the economy. It is now three per cent lower than 50 years ago despite gross domestic product growing by three times over the same period. Since 2000 the industrial sector has shown decreases in the energy used to produce a unit of output by a third. In other words, during this century efficiency investments are now delivering 33 per cent more output of wealth per unit of fuel consumed. These improvements have been driven particularly by improvements to intensity in the vehicle

manufacturing, chemicals, and iron and steel sectors.

Much has been written on the subject of a green recovery next year. A recent report (see page 9) states that there could be a 7 per cent reduction in global greenhouse gas emissions with the introduction of a five-pronged plan at the heart of which is public investment in energy efficiency. The Conservative manifesto set out £9.3bn of relevant expenditure was committed.

Getting the go ahead for this would secure jobs and allow industry to plan for the future.

Perhaps the election of Joe Biden in the US will give the UK a nudge towards a more serious commitment. He has pledged to convene a climate world summit in his first 100 days in office to engage world leaders in making more ambitious national pledges. Boris Johnson has stated that climate change is one area he feels the UK can work with the incoming administration. And with the need for the UK to make a trade deal with the US it may be a good idea for the UK to go along with Biden’s plans.

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The EiBI Team Editorial Managing Editor Mark Thrower tel: 01483 452854 Email: editor@eibi.co.uk Address: P. O. Box 825, Guildford GU4 8WQ

Advertising Sales Managers Chris Evans tel: 01889 577222 fax: 01889 579177 Email: chris@eibi.co.uk Address: 16-18 Hawkesyard Hall, Armitage Park, Rugeley, Staffordshire WS15 1PU Russ Jackson tel: 01704 501090 fax: 01704 531090 Email: russ@eibi.co.uk Address: Argyle Business Centre, 8 Leicester Street, Southport, Lancashire PR9 0EZ Nathan Wood tel 01525 716 143 fax 01525 715 316 Email nathan@eibi.co.uk Address: 1b, Station Square Flitwick, Bedfordshire MK45 1DP

Classified sales Sharon Nutter Tel: 01889 577222 Email: classified@eibi.co.uk

Circulation MANAGING EDITOR

Mark Thrower

Sue Bethell Tel: 01889 577222 Email: circulation@eibi.co.uk

Administration/ production Fran Critchlow Tel: 01889 577222 Email: info@eibi.co.uk

THIS MONTH’S COVER STORY Data centres and IT server rooms are the backbone of almost every sector in the UK. This is especially true in 2020, with millions of homeworking employees relying on servers and databases around the country to continue to work collaboratively with colleagues and clients. But keeping these systems running, and crucially, making sure they stay cool 24/7 and ensuring they operate at full capacity requires a lot of energy – making data centres and IT rooms very energy-intensive spaces.

James Smurthwaite of Mitsubishi Electric examines how data centre owners are having to come to terms with surging demand and meeting Climate Change Agreements.

See page 38 for more details Cover photo courtesy of Mitsubishi Electric

Publishing Directors Chris Evans Russ Jackson Magazine Designer Tim Plummer For overseas readers or UK readers not qualifying for a free copy, annual subscription rates are £85 UK; £105 Europe airmail; £120 RoW. Single copies £10 each.

Published by: Pinede Publishing Ltd 16-18 Hawkesyard Hall, Armitage Park, Nr. Rugeley, Staffordshire WS15 1PU ISSN 0969 885X This issue includes photographs provided and paid for by suppliers

Printed by Precision Colour Printing Origination by Design and Media Solutions ABC Audited Circulation Jan-Dec 2019 12,175

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news update For all the latest news stories visit www.eibi.co.uk

Telecoms giant slashes its carbon footprint Vodafone UK has reduced its carbon footprint, saving 100GWh of energy, equivalent to 25,000 tonnes of CO2, in three years. The energy saved could power a town with a population of 65,000 people for a year and represents a financial saving of around £10m.

The energy savings were achieved by optimising heating and cooling systems in offices and managing air flow to keep technical sites cool in the most energy efficient way. Thirdparty energy auditor Energy Efficiency Verification Specialists (EEVS) validated savings.

Vodafone has pledged to power its network using 100 per cent renewable electricity by July 2021 and to help its customers save 350m tonnes of CO2 by 2030 through its connectivity and Internet of Things (IoT) technology.

Working with facilities management company Mitie, and as part of its energy performance contract, Vodafone has so far audited 90 of its buildings, including offices, contact centres, data centres and Mobile Telephone Exchange (MTX) network sites, to assess energy usage and ensure efficiencies.

The audits checked that a building’s lighting, heating and air conditioning systems were operating at the highest energy efficiency rating. At more complex locations, such as data centres and MTX sites, where 24/7 power is essential to keep the network running, sensors providing real-time data were used to identify energy saving opportunities.

For example, temperature sensors in data centres enabled the airflow to be automatically adjusted up or down remotely, ensuring the correct environment for this critical equipment in the most energy efficient way.

INDUSTRIAL SECTOR LEADS THE WAY

UK energy consumption falls again Energy consumption fell again last year, by 1 per cent overall - and in every sector of the economy. It is now just 142m tonnes of oil equivalent (mtoe) - almost 3 per cent lower than fifty years ago. Gross domestic product has grown by three times over the same period, according to the Government’s latest “Energy Consumption in the UK.” Last year, the industrial sector recorded the largest decrease in consumption, dropping from 22.9mtoe in 2018 to 22.3mtoe in 2019, a fall of 2.8 per cent in a single year.

Almost all of this reduction was due to improvements in energy efficiency in industry.

Overall consumption decreased in all industry sub-sectors, except iron and steel where there was a 3.3 per cent increase. The largest decrease in percentage terms was in vehicle manufacturing which fell by 5.0 per cent, followed by mechanical engineering, down by 4.5 per cent.

Practically all subsectors saw a decrease in overall consumption, with the largest falls in chemicals (down by 70ktoe) and mineral products (down by 64ktoe). Consumption in bioenergy and waste did increase slightly (by 25ktoe), though it fell in the food and drinks sector; this was partially due to the volatility associated with a small number of sites, and also ongoing improvements by government statisticians in estimating final consumption levels.

However, when considering impacts at the industrial sub-sector level, there was some variation. Most recorded an increase in output, with improvements in energy intensity

more than offsetting any potential increase in consumption due to increases in output.

The most notable success was in the chemicals sector which saw the largest relative impact of intensity improvements. The vehicle sector saw the largest increase in output factor in absolute terms. Although this was more than offset by intensity effects, this was to a lesser extent than in the chemicals sector, relative to actual consumption.

On a longer-term basis, since 2000 the industrial sector has shown decreases in the energy used to produce a unit of output by a third.

In other words, during this century efficiency investments are now delivering 33 per cent more output of wealth per unit of fuel consumed.

These improvements have been driven particularly by improvements to intensity in the vehicle manufacturing, chemicals, and iron and steel sectors.

Green Bond funds aimed at energy-efficient homes Funds worth £400m raised from Barclays Bank’s 2020 Green Bond will be allocated for mortgages designed to improve homes already deemed to be energy efficient.

Back in 2017, Barclays issued its first ever Green Bond, providing funding for domestic residential assets. More than half the new money now raised is being allocated to refinance Green Homes mortgages issued by Barclays. The bank is offering discounted mortgages for properties that achieve the highest energy efficiency thresholds.

The money raised from the latest issuance - reported to have been four times oversubscribed - is also going towards the re-financing of existing mortgages, enabling the homes covered to install more energy efficiency measures. The bond offers a yield of 1.7 per cent.

The Carbon Trust is acting as assurance provider for the bank’s wider green bond framework. The bank is also providing £175m for investment over the next five years in innovative energy saving companies.

Much of this activity is being stimulated by a critical

shareholder resolution tabled this January. This followed research published by the NGO ShareAction. It revealed that Barclays was the single biggest investor in fossil fuel projects in Europe. Sums of over $85bn had been provided for coal, oil and gas companies.

This March Barclays joined several other household name finance companies to reduce its financing emissions to net zero by 2050.

Leading UK insulation manufacturer failing ‘to show climate leadership’ One of the UK’s largest insulation manufacturers, Rockwool, is facing a legitimacy issue in expounding the environmental benefits of using its products to save energy in buildings, particularly when the manufacture of them is a major source of carbon emissions.

Buildings account for over 40 per cent of the UK’s total energy bill and

36 per cent of CO2 emissions. Better insulation could slash their total energy demand by 50 per cent by 2050 according to the Mineral Wool Manufacturers Association (MIMA).

“Rockwool has so far not been showing climate leadership. Talking about avoided emissions is not enough, and does not excuse it from cutting its own emissions,” says

Maxfield Weiss from the European office of the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP). CDP gives Rockwool only a “B” grade in its 2019 climate score.

Weiss argues that, to reduce its emissions in line with climate science, Rockwool’s initiatives should lead to absolute emissions reductions as the company grows its business, not just emissions measured per unit of

production. Production of mineral fibre insulation is among the most energy-intensive industrial processes.

He has calculated that “companies need to decrease their own carbon footprint by an average of over 4 per cent each year in order to live up to the 1.5°C target. We need companies to achieve absolute decarbonisation,” he warns.

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news update For all the latest news stories visit www.eibi.co.uk

CRITICISM LEADS TO GREEN HOMES GRANT CHANGES

IN BRIEF

Changes ahead for £2bn grant scheme

New chair at smart heating specialist

Government ministers are set to make significant changes to the operation of the £2bn Green Homes grant scheme for England. This follows considerable criticisms from MPs and newspapers of the way in which the scheme was initially designed, which is now acknowledged to be acting as a deterrence to potential participants.

These apply both to householders and to installers.

Initially, all householders seeking to receive grants in the scheme which can amount to up to £5,000 per household - were required to have obtained three separate quotations for each measure.

But reluctance by installers to become involved meant that many householders complained this was impossible to do. For instance, by November just 10 per cent of doubleglazing companies had opted to become eligible to participate. Now such consumer comparisons are merely “advisory”, and it is up to the

Mixergy, a developer of solutions for domestic water heating, has appointed two new executives to its leadership team.

David Pinder, formerly chief executive of Baxi Heating UK Ltd – the global leader in heating and hot water solutions, joins as Mixergy’s chairman. Martin Allman, who was UK and Ireland country director for sonnen, the global energy storage systems company, joins Mixergy as its chief commercial officer.

Mixergy’s smart hot water tanks use thermal stratification to prevent hot water mixing with cold, Mixergy tanks heat only the water required instead of the whole tank at once.

householders to decide themselves whom they wish to employ.

Second, pressure was placed upon the accrediting organisation Trustmark, to widen its scope for eligibility to include innovative insulation schemes like small ventilation “airbrick-style” systems, and insulating “magic” wallpaper.

Energy Minister Kwasi Kwarteng (above) is also known to be seeking to dissolve the artificial distinction between “primary” and “secondary” measures, which is reckoned to deter those with already well-insulated

homes from participating via installing other measures.

Throughout, there have been complaints that all installation work, plus the relevant paperwork for the entire Green Homes grant scheme, must be completed by March 31 2021. This is in contrast to a parallel scheme created for local authorities, called GHG Local Authority Delivery (LAD 1b), completion of which have now been extended to the end of September.

To get more energy efficiency deliverers motivated to respond longer term to this “huge” (as the Prime Minister describes it) programme, his Government will need to set out details of a far longer-term energy efficiency strategy. In the 2019-2024 Conservative manifesto, a minimum £9.3bn of relevant expenditure was committed. Confirming its go-ahead should help ensure that industry will properly invest in training to deliver the 140,000 jobs.

Low-carbon heating to come to heart of Surrey town Vital Energi has been awarded a £6.58m contract to deliver ThamesWey Energy’s Woking Power Station project which will create a combined heat and power energy centre providing low-carbon heating and power to local businesses and residents.

When complete, the energy centre will produce enough heat and power to supply the equivalent of 2,500 homes. Its first customers will be the new Hilton hotel, shops and over 400 apartments currently being delivered as part of the Victoria Square development. The energy centre has been designed to be scalable and highly flexible, capable of generating up to 10MW of heat, and

adopting progressively lower carbon technologies over the next ten years.

The energy centre comprises a three-storey building at the junction of Poole Road and Butts Road, with energy plant and equipment based on

the ground and first floors and a new headquarters for ThamesWey on the third floor.

In addition to initial energy production by a CHP engine and generator there will be gas boilers to add resilience and three large thermal stores which will serve the dual purpose of releasing stored heat during peak times of demand and adding an interesting architectural landmark to the development.

This energy centre will feed a new low temperature district heating network, delivering low-carbon heat to local buildings. In addition to delivering heat, the energy centre will also provide electricity via an 11kW network within central Woking.

Over half of councils aiming to hit net zero 20 years early Local ambition is pushing many councils across the UK to aim for carbon zero twenty years ahead of schedule, according to data compiled by climate change charity Carbon Copy.

It is two years since Bristol City Council became the first council in the UK to declare a climate emergency.

Today, almost three-quarters of all

local councils across the country have formally declared a climate emergency and over half of them have set a goal of reaching net-zero carbon emissions locally by 2030 or even sooner.

As a guide to progress towards this target, Carbon Copy has launched UK Carbon Zero Explorer, an interactive map that lets users explore different

local areas across the country, offering details about targets, Climate Action Plans and current carbon emissions for each local authority area.

As well as providing this key data, the tool signposts users to success stories from councils, community groups and companies that are implementing high-impact, lowcarbon initiatives locally.

Partnership for magnetic solution BMS and energy solutions company BG Energy Solutions has announced a partnership with the creators of the Magnatech System a proven “fit and forget” technology which is claimed to deliver boiler efficiency savings of up to 21 per cent.

BGES has the exclusive rights to install and distribute Magnatech within the UK as a turnkey project or as a licensed product for selfinstallation. Magnatech is based on the discovery that high-powered magnets placed in a particular sequence on fuel feed pipes cause the fuel to burn at a higher temperature, thereby optimising the fuel and increasing boiler efficiency.

Top prize for Danish technology Humidity Solutions recently won the Sustainable Product of the Year award in the recent HVR Awards, for their desiccant dehumidifier from Danish manufacturer, Cotes A/S. The submission referred to use of the desiccant dehumidifier in lithium-ion battery production, where ultra-dry conditions of -60°C dew point are required to ensure a problem free manufacturing process. 60 per cent of energy used in a lithium-ion battery production facility is used on power to the dehumidifier. Cotes dehumidifiers have developed a 3 desiccant wheel set up which reduces the energy consumed by as much as 44 per cent.

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Heat pumps could help US buildings towards net zero Replacing gas-burning heating systems in commercial buildings in the United States with efficient electrified heat-pumps could reduce these buildings’ total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 44 per cent, according to a new report by the American Council for an EnergyEfficient Economy (ACEEE).

The conversions would help enable the buildings to ultimately become “zero carbon” as the electric grid moves toward renewable energy sources. But policymakers will need to act to spur a widespread shift to heat pumps.

Buildings are responsible for nearly one-third of GHG emissions in the United States, both from fuel burning on site and the emissions from power plants serving the buildings. The new report models the impacts of replacing several types of gas-based heating systems in existing commercial buildings with various electric heat pump systems.

In some cases, electrifying heating already pays back for building owners. ACEEE found that about 27 per cent of commercial floor space heated with fossil fuel systems can be electrified today with a simple payback of less than ten years. If policymakers enacted a package of public investments, incentives, and carbon pricing policies, the proportion of commercial building space that can be electrified with this payback would increase to 60 per cent. But electrification of remaining buildings would likely require more-aggressive policies or government investments.

“Ultimately, we’re going to need to upgrade most building heating systems to electric heat pumps, running on renewable energy, to get to zero emissions,” said Steven Nadel, ACEEE executive director and co-author of the report. “Heat pumps use less energy and reduce building operating costs, but the upgrade is often a tough sell for building owners when payback periods are long. Policymakers are going to need to make major investments in incentivising the technology to get it adopted widely.”

TRADE ASSOCIATIONS FORM SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP

Group to focus on energy in buildings The Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) has established a joint Special Interest Group with the Energy Services Technology Association (ESTA) to promote energy efficiency in buildings to government and industry.

The Energy Efficiency in Buildings Group will include members from both associations. Its focus will be to promote the economic benefits of energy demand reduction, energy efficiency and management to all demand-side users and professionals.

Jason Hemingway, BESA membership director, says: “Our goal in working with ESTA is to raise the energy consciousness of

building owners and managers.

Harnessing smart technology in the built environment will be vital for achieving the UK’s net zero carbon target by 2050. It will also help to ensure that our sector can emerge stronger from 2020 .”

ESTA is the UK’s leading energy management industry association and has been active for over 30 years in energy management. Both BESA and ESTA are well known for promoting members’ interests in the UK, Europe and internationally. The joint group will help to raise awareness of better energy management with government, business organisations and other relevant trade associations.

Mervyn Pilley (left) , executive director at ESTA, says: “The new joint

Special Interest Group will allow us to share knowledge, while making the most of the two associations’ government and industry contacts to amplify this important message.”

The two associations will retain their independence, but plans for the Energy Efficiency in Buildings Group include a combined newsletter and webinars to share information with a wider audience. The group will also enable the associations to work together on areas such as the Youth Stem Summit and Young People in Engineering.

The Energy Efficiency in Buildings Group will meet quarterly and include a cross-section of ESTA and BESA members. A chair for the group will be announced shortly.

Behaviour change programme to drive efficiency Energy Services and Technology Association and the Energy Institute have launched a behaviour change programme to help drive energy efficiency measures.

The programme is aimed at businesses and organisations of all sizes, types and sectors, both public and private. It has a five-pronged approach to expanding the market: • to tackle the climate emergency an approach is required to embrace behaviour change improvements, particularly from an energy perspective. These can be equal to or greater than improvements using technology - which currently receive significant investment; • a short-to-medium-term vision is that Energy Conscious Organisations (EnCOs) will generate 10 per cent

of energy reduction savings through Behaviour Change by 2025/30; • this target can be exceeded by organisations embracing a more structured, code of practice driven, approach to behaviour change; • the potential is significant as this market is largely untapped.

Furthermore, evidence shows that behaviour change projects are quick payback and low investment; • EnCO provides the methodology and approach for delivering behaviour change programmes as a holistic, robust, best practice approach; • the initial Energy Conscious Organisation vision is to generate 50 to 100 proven case studies using IPMVP in the next three years such that EnCOs become mainstream.

ESTA says that there is now a structure in place to train and accredit registered EnCO consultants and approved EnCO Practitioners.

Guidelines will shortly be available on how end user organisations will be able to gain the EnCO accreditation.

• Full details can be found at: www. energyconsciousorganisation.org.uk

Greenwashing presented as obstacle to investors’ goals Environmental issues are the most important engagement issue for shareholders, but at the same time frustration is building at the failure of some firms to come forward with sufficiently ambitious and quantifiable climate strategies.

That is the headline from an annual survey undertaken by asset managers Schroders, which assesses the views of institutional investors managing $25.9trn across 26 countries.

However, as sustainable investing has become an increasingly mainstream investment

consideration, the study found greenwashing has emerged as a significant challenge for investors.

Some 60 percent of investors felt greenwashing - “a lack of clear, agreed sustainable investment definitions” - was the most significant obstacle to delivering on their sustainable investment goals.

In addition, 48 per cent of investors said a lack of transparency and reported data was restricting their ability to invest sustainably.

Indeed, 55 percent of respondents - up from 49 per cent a year ago -

said data and evidence that proves investing sustainably delivers better returns would encourage them to increase their green investments.

Investors widely regard active engagement with companies as a crucial mechanism for driving climate and environmental action, according to the survey of 650 institutional investors, but asset owners’ efforts to accelerate the adoption of credible decarbonisation strategies are hampered by greenwashing from corporate boardrooms that offer scant details on their sustainability plans.

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news update For all the latest news stories visit www.eibi.co.uk

SEVEN PER CENT REDUCTION IN GLOBAL EMISSIONS POSSIBLE

Five-stage plan for a green recovery There could be 7 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 if a five-point green recovery plan was implemented, says a new report.

Analysis, commissioned by the We Mean Business coalition and conducted by Cambridge Econometrics, shows that green recovery plans boost income, employment and GDP better than return-to-normal stimulus measures, with the added benefit of reducing emissions.

In all geographies modelled (global, the EU, Germany, Poland, the UK, USA and India), green recovery plans were found to be

more effective than a return to normal stimulus approaches that reduce VAT rates and encourage households to resume spending.

The green recovery plan includes a (smaller) reduction in VAT and: • public investment in energy efficiency; • subsidies for both wind and

solar power; • public investment in upgrading electricity grids; • car scrappage schemes in which subsidies are only provided to electric vehicles; and • tree planting programmes.

The green recovery plan in the EU would result in 2m more jobs by 2024 while a green US recovery would deliver nearly 1m more jobs than a return-to-normal plan.

While not enough to be consistent with the Paris Agreement, the reductions delivered by a green recovery plan would provide a starting point for further policy, concludes the analysis.

Campaign to support schools’ efforts to cut emissions A new campaign has been launched to support UK schools’ efforts to reduce their emissions while calling for government action on greening schools.

Led by climate solutions charity Ashden, Let’s Go Zero will officially launch at the week-long Youth Climate Summit starting 9 November with a series of daily presentations and discussions.

According to Ashden, by joining Let’s Go Zero, schools are stating their ambition to be zero carbon

by 2030, agreeing to do more, while acknowledging that they need government help to reach the target.

The aim is for Let’s Go Zero to help schools learn from their peers, share best practice and connect with sources of support.

“Young people are demanding action on climate [change] and we must all get behind them, starting in the UK’s 32,000 schools,” said Harriet Lamb, CEO of Ashden.

Ashden claims radical energy

efficiency improvements will make significant carbon savings – 60 per cent of energy used by schools is wasted out of hours, and English schools alone spend £600m per year on energy – the second largest budget item after staff salaries.

For instance, St Francis Xavier School in Richmond, North Yorkshire made energy efficiencies that, reportedly, saved the school over £8,000 per year, which the trust it is part of would like to replicate across its 17 schools.

Octopus takes over software developer Octopus Energy Group has acquired Upside Energy, a Manchester-based energy software company.

Upside Energy was founded in 2014 with a vision to enable people to make greener energy choices. Its cloudbased platform connects with clean energy technologies such as electric vehicles, heat pumps and batteries, allowing it to manage those devices to match real-time energy demand and supply.

This helps to balance the grid and enables customers to capitalise on cheaper, greener power. Upside has established an impressive customer base with both utilities and asset owners across the energy industry which Octopus plans to build on whilst rapidly expanding Upside’s capabilities internationally and into the consumer sphere.

The integration of Upside’s data science and AI expertise will add further capabilities to Octopus’s proprietary cloud-based technology platform ‘Kraken’. The scalable platform, which is now contracted to serve 17m energy accounts globally, is designed to drive the smart grid globally, giving customers access to cheaper electricity when the grid is greener. The new partnership will enable ‘Kraken’ to automatically manage energy devices, adding another layer to its tech stack offering. The fast-growth disruptor is targeting 100 million energy accounts on its platform by 2027.

Greg Jackson, CEO and founder of Octopus Energy Group, said: “I’m hugely impressed by Upside’s team and efforts in building a deep-tech platform that does fantastic things with realtime energy, connected home devices, and renewables.

Forward-thinking businesses like Upside are one of the reasons why I’m convinced that we can make the UK the ‘Silicon Valley of Energy.’ ”

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THE WARREN REPORT

Andrew Warren is chairman of the British Energy Efficiency Federation

Snapshot reveals the state of UK housing The recently completed analysis of EPC data reveals little or no progress in improving energy efficiency in housing stock in recent years

A

pproaching half the energy the UK consumes each year is used in buildings. Twothirds of that consumption happens in our homes. But the latest official statistics underscore the scale of draughty, inefficient homes and buildings which urgently need attention to drive down greenhouse gas emissions.

Back in 2008 the law changed so that, whenever the occupancy of any building alters, an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) must be provided. The formal conveyancing process now ensures that, whenever a building is newly constructed or sold, this certificate is made available.

The purpose is to show prospective occupiers the relative theoretical energy efficiency of the property.

An EPC grades homes from ‘A’ as the best and cheapest to run, right down to ‘G’ as the worst and most expensive - or least energy efficient. Within these categories, too, are more precise numerical markings, going all the way up to 100. An EPC doesn’t necessarily provide the most up to date information, because they still only have to be reassessed every ten years.

When the government’s Clean Growth Strategy was launched almost exactly three years ago, the then-Energy and Clean Growth Minister, Claire O’Neill -née Perry - announced on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that “all housing stock should be up to at least Band C by 2035.” Last year, the average EPC rating issued for an existing house was - only just - band D. Now that half of all homes in England and Wales have acquired an EPC, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has published its first ever detailed analysis of EPC data. This provides what is probably the largest in-depth snapshot of the energy efficient state of our housing stock.

Unsurprisingly, new homes tend to be far more efficient than older homes, producing less than half the carbon dioxide emissions and half the energy costs. Those built over the last 40 years have, theoretically, all been built to minimum building regulation standards for the conservation of fuel and power.

Gradually these standards have been tightened, each time to make any new homes that little bit more energy efficient.

The most recent change took place eight years ago. Hence the sad revelation that the ONS median energy efficiency rating bands for both types of homes - new and second-hand - have not improved at all in recent years. No strengthening is due before 2025.

Median score difference The ONS survey reveals some surprising facts. Amazingly, no less than 14 local authorities seem to have managed the unlikely feat of having lower median energy efficiency scores for new flats, than they do for the existing ones in their locality.

Harlow in Essex had the biggest energy efficiency median score difference between new flats (a derisory 61, EPC band ‘D’), and existing flats (71, band ‘C’).

During 2019 there were also big differences between the standards required for new flats. Cambridge had the highest median energy efficiency score for new flats, with 89 (EPC band ‘B’). But North Lincolnshire the lowest, with an astonishingly low average of 59.5 (band ‘D’).

It is genuinely difficult to see how a new flat which can score so poorly on an EPC rating is actually complying with the relevant Parts of the Building Regulations (L and F). And of course, if this is the average score, then inevitably there will

‘EPCs for buildings remain a great concept. But only if they are accurately assessed. And all transgressors pursued’

have been some new flats sold in North Lincolnshire or Harlow which scored even lower.

There is no restriction upon sales of even the worst gas-guzzling homes.

Earlier this year, the main professional organisation for estate agents and surveyors formally demanded that the Government ensure that practically every home sold – new or old- should achieve a minimum Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of C. Traditionally the least outspoken of construction professionals, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) is now demanding radical initiatives to modernise the UK existing housing stock.

The Scottish Government is responding by proposing that from 2024 all owneroccupied properties will have to reach a C rating when they hit certain “trigger points”, such as sale or renovation. The former building regulations minister Lord (Don) Foster has introduced a Domestic Premises (Energy Performance) Bill to press for similar requirements in England.

On average, in both England and Wales, socially rented flats and houses with an EPC are rated more energy efficient than privately rented flats and houses respectively. But since April 2018 it has been illegal to let out any home with an ‘F’ or ‘G’ rating, and government is now consulting on tightening that requirement. Even so, just 6 per cent of councils have taken any enforcement action against landlords letting out substandard homes.

There remain major concerns regarding the large numbers of buildings still being rented out without any EPC, estimated to be approaching half of those in the private rented sector. Anecdotally, it is thought that such law-breaking accommodation is likely to be fairly sub-standard.

Some 43 per cent of privately rented homes are overseen by a professional letting agent. Fortunately, agents are mandated by law to ensure that EPCs are available. Have they been doing so? A recent Parliamentary Question from Lib Dem Sarah Olney elicited the admission that the Housing Ministry hasn’t the faintest idea, and has no intention of finding out.

EPCs for buildings remain a great concept. But only if they are accurately assessed. And if any and all transgressors are actively pursued. 

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Ten steps to a more efficient boiler Are your boilers not working at optimum performance? Ben Churchill outlines ten ways to reduce maintenance and make your boiler more efficient

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oilers are an easy place for businesses to save money. Why? Because they are often overlooked in terms of maintenance and performance. Furthermore, many businesses run old and inefficient boiler systems.

There are two main areas where a boiler can lose efficiency: expelled flue gases and boiler water. If you ensure that your boiler expels the least amount of energy to your flue and you are maximising the use of your boiler water, you will save money.

• Cleaning - clean the fireside of your boiler. This will ensure that soot or ash build up is not reducing your heat exchange capacity. Soot effectively insulates the boiler tubes and reduces efficiency. Boiler efficiency is also impacted when the boiler isn’t getting the right amount of air.

• Water treatment - poorly treated water will destroy

your boiler and your steam distribution systems. If boiler water is too hard or treated improperly, or the boiler isn’t being blown down regularly, scale will accumulate on heat transfer surfaces. This scale will impede the heat transfer, reducing your boiler efficiency. The scale will also keep the water from cooling heat transfer surfaces. If left untreated, scale can cause the boiler to overheat, leading to costly boiler repairs and leaks.

Regular manual testing or online water and efficiency testing can detect problems before they escalate and restore the efficiency of the boiler.

• Control air settings - optimise oxygen for differing conditions.

Low air generates soot, smoke and carbon monoxide, all of which are very dangerous and cause reduced heat transfer. Too much air also reduces efficiency as the extra air is cold when acquired and has to be heated, which increases fuel use and

reduces efficiency. In some cases, this may require sensors to be fitted and burner replacement. However, the investment may generate significant payback and savings, all which can be sustained well into the future.

• Use VSD controls. If your boiler fans, boiler pumps and burners are not controlled by VSDs, the likelihood is that you are wasting energy. Quite simply, significant savings can be made by using VSDs instead of dampers or valve controls. Modern control systems can optimise these savings while ensuring your system can meet all its load requirements.

• Fully utilise flue gas heat - use a specifically designed economiser. If you are sending excess heat up your flue, your boiler is not running to its optimum efficiency. Modern controls can help reduce heat loss. However, the best solution is a specifically designed economiser for your flue gas system.

Ben Churchill is chief revenue officer at Crowley Carbon

This can be used to preheat your feedwater or to displace some other hot water load in your process. A well-designed and professionally installed economiser can reduce fuel costs by 5-10 per cent.

• Maximise your condensate return - there are a few ways to maximise your condensate return. Advantages include reduced water treatment costs, reduced energy consumption, reduced waste water and reduced fresh water usage. You can do this by: 1) ensuring your steam trapping is working optimally; 2) replacing direct steam heating with indirect steam heating; and 3) considering a pressurised condensate system.

• Insulate - ensure proper insulation. Insulation on your boiler, on your valves and on your pipework deteriorate over time or are removed and not replaced properly after maintenance. Poor or improperly fitted insulation can significantly impact energy efficiency and maintenance costs and effect the overall operability of the system.

• Blowdowns - fit a controlled blowdown system. Blowdowns are fundamental to good boiler operation as the process removes impurities from your steam boiler and minimises scale buildup. However, blowdowns are often not properly controlled and are frequently implemented unnecessarily. Fitting a controlled blowdown system which monitors the conductivity of your boiler water will stop you pouring valuable steam down the drain and ensure that you are controlling the conductivity of your steam effectively.

• Control your steam load peaky steam loads can hurt your boiler. Sudden changes to the steam load can cause carryover which occurs when the steam system pulls water from the boiler along with steam. This can damage pipes, valves and instrumentation.

Peaky loads can often cause boilers to quench on high and low water levels and affect your production.

• Air preheating - it is recommended to pre-heat your combustion air. A boiler takes cold air and heats it. A 5oC lift in input air temperature can increase the efficiency of a boiler by 1 per cent. 

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Pete Mills, is technical operations manager for Bosch Commercial & Industrial

Improving the here and now A conversion to hydrogen may be a likely long-term solution to decarbonisation of heating. But what can be done to improve the efficiency of existing boilers, asks Pete Mills

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e are all aware these days of the need for our heating systems to use less energy and if possible to use energy from a renewable source.

How we get to this stage and what the implications of this transition are will very much depend on the circumstances of the building we are heating, its age and thermal performance.

Government has for some time laid out a broad policy objective that highlights the potential routes of the electrification of heat, connection to district heating or eventual decarbonisation of the gas network. As guidance and regulation develops further, the choices we face when having to replace our heating boilers may be affected by tighter regulation and increased aspirations to meet our social obligations.

We should perhaps start this process with a review of the options that are available for the specific building we need to heat and its location. Many older buildings with poor thermal insulation and high temperature heating systems will require significant investment if the electrification route of using heat pumps is to be realised, while buildings that are more modern may be adapted easier. This can present a significant barrier if businesses simply do not have the money to invest right now. You might be fortunate to be near to a developing district heating scheme, where connection to the scheme may be welcomed. This can certainly be an attractive option, but will typically require some upgrades to the system to ensure the low return temperatures required by heat networks can be achieved. In the years to come, it is highly likely that regulations will tighten, meaning hard choices about how we improve and decarbonise our heating needs will have to be made.

So what to do if your choices are limited, your budget is cut or your boiler is falling over?

For many building operators,

Modern condensing boilers can handle any blends of hydrogen up to the proposed 20 per cent

the only option at this time may be to remain with their gas supply, optimise the control operation and reduce energy use with improvements to building insulation. In the medium to long term, it may be that a decarbonised gas supply has to come to the rescue if we are to tackle these hard to treat buildings. The developments being made in exploring the use of hydrogen in our gas supplies look very encouraging. It is now highly likely that we will see blends of hydrogen being added to natural gas, as the gas grid starts to go green. In the longer term, 100 per cent hydrogen looks to hold the most cost-effective route to

decarbonisation for many buildings, as demonstrated in the recent report from Delta EE.

Genuine improvements Many of our buildings may still have inefficient non-condensing boilers, which could see genuine improvements through installing condensing boilers and reviewing the system operating temperatures.

Modern condensing boilers, like the Bosch Condens 7000 F, are particularly well adapted to the changes we may begin to see to our current gas supply. They will certainly handle any blends of hydrogen up to the proposed 20 per cent as well as the more complicated

proposal for widening of the wobbe band, which helps future proofing. Full 100 per cent hydrogen will require a new generation of appliances, of course, with the most likely route being that of a hydrogen-ready gas appliance. This will largely depend on the outcomes of Government-funded programmes such as Hy4Heat and HyDeploy.

There is certainly some genuine interest for large industrial boilers, which have very long service lifetimes, to see how these could be made ready for a hydrogen conversion. Having a 10 per cent oversized boiler shell at the outset makes this a possibility and is well worth considering if you have appliances running with package burners into the MW size.

Condensing boilers need lower return temperatures to get the greatest energy savings and sadly, this is still often over looked, particularly when a new boiler is installed in a distress situation.

Rebalancing systems from 82/71 to 80/60 is generally achievable for all but the oldest of heating systems.

Coupling this with upgraded control systems that can offer weather compensated control means that system temperatures can be lowered for a significant number of days each year, when the demand will be less due to mild winter temperatures.

Selecting boilers that will offer a good modulation range will help to ensure that loads are matched better by the boiler capacity and boiler cycling is reduced. This is not limited to the individual boiler turn down, but should be considered across multiple boilers within a cascade. This arrangement can give very wide turn down ratios and has a much better load matching capacity.

Making these suggested incremental improvements to energy efficiency is certainly not the ultimate goal for decarbonising heat, but in these strange times when businesses may be forced to make hard choices, steps like this should be seen as a minimum step in the right direction. 

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Live long and prosper Thermal fluid heating has grown in popularity in recent years. Chris Horsley examines how this technology can bring energy saving and maintenance benefits

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or a process heating equipment manufacturer, you might just say thermal fluid heaters are bad for business. They just go on and on - frequently for 20 years and often longer - and maintenance and service requirements are low, in fact a fraction of the cost of maintaining an equivalent heat output steam plant.

Even when the heaters themselves might be at the end of their working life, the pipe work system and other plant is often as good as new, so upgrades are simple and cost effective to implement at any time.

Thermal fluid heating is based on a similar principle to a simple hot water system. It consists of a heater connected to carbon steel flow and return pipework which can provide heat to one or more users or systems. Instead of water running through the pipework, a thermal fluid – typically a specialist mineral oil or synthetic based fluid – is used as the heat transfer medium. Different fluids can be used to meet specific process heating requirements including high temperature operations and processes requiring heating and cooling thereby making it a very flexible system.

Thermal fluid heaters typically operate at up to 350°C at atmospheric pressure and remain pumpable down to -20°C and lower with special fluids, which makes it a solution suitable for a multitude of applications.

Thermal fluid heaters have rapidly grown in popularity across all industry sectors over the years.

This is mainly due to their farranging benefits which include their ease of use, compact size, safer operation when compared to steam generators, precise heat control, low exhaust emissions and their energy efficiency. They also operate outside the Pressure Systems Safety Regulations as the fluid is not maintained in the liquid

Thermal fluid heaters, such as this one at Eastham Refinery, Ellesmere Port, have grown in popularity

phase by pressure, so statutory inspections are eliminated.

When it comes to flexibility in use, thermal fluid heaters often work at high temperatures in a simple closed loop. Compared to a steam system this means no change of state of the fluid, so no condensate and therefore no flash steam losses, no blow down losses or make up water required, no effluent discharge and completely corrosion free operation without the need for expensive chemical treatment. The savings thermal fluid heaters bring are very significant, often up to 50 per cent of the overall cost of running a process heating system.

But one aspect that frequently gets overlooked is the longevity thermal fluid heaters enjoy, which should be a major point when deciding how to heat a process, especially in these uncertain times when many businesses are having to buckle belts that much tighter. With sustainability a key issue, plant longevity is not only about reducing capex, but also reducing wastage and equipment redundancy.

As mentioned, a thermal fluid system should easily serve you 20 or more years without any

reduction in productivity as it ages.

A Babcock Wanson thermal fluid heater will usually run for more than 100,000 hours, although we are still servicing heaters that are more than 40 years old and working away every day quite happily! It would be difficult to find any equipment, process or otherwise, that can match this level of service.

Exceptional longevity There’s no secret elixir for long life when it comes to thermal fluid heaters. Their exceptional Thermal fluid heaters are unaffected by corrosion, contributing to a long service life

Chris Horsley is process engineering director at Babcock Wanson

longevity is a direct result from their passive nature (there are very few moving parts) and the swapping out of water for a thermal fluid as the heat transfer medium. Unlike water- and steam-based systems, thermal fluid heaters are unaffected by corrosion caused by water over time, or by ambient temperature where water freezing within pipes leads to costly failures. In fact, most thermal fluids are mineral oil based so are effectively lubricants that help keep the system components protected in use.

However, not all thermal fluid heaters are equal, so it pays to do your homework. Heaters that will best stand the test of time are mostly designed for a downward fired configuration which ensures stress free and unrestricted expansion of the heater coils during normal operation. Also look for a heater that has been designed with a barrier between the hot combustion gases and the outer structure, as this will help provide long heater life as the higher pressure and cooler outer air helps prevent any escape of combustion gases as the plant ages over time.

Another key factor is overall emissions. With higher process operating efficiency comes lower total emissions which provides savings in operating costs while being much better for the environment.

It’s also vital that the thermal fluid heater you decide upon is correctly installed, commissioned and maintained. ‘Thermal Fluid Systems - A Practical Guide for Safe Design, Operation and Maintenance’ from the Combustion Engineering Association (CEA) proffers excellent advice for designers, owners, managers and operators of new and existing thermal fluid heating systems to operate safe and efficient installations.

With careful system design and careful choice of heater design a thermal fluid system will provide many years of trouble-free ownership, allowing the operator to concentrate on their process needs in the sure knowledge they are getting the best from their process heating investment. 

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Hydrogenbased heating comes to the UK UK-based green hydrogen project developer, Protium, together with its sister company Deuterium, is bringing a hydrogen-based heating solution to the UK. Deuterium was launched this year to develop and commercialise new hydrogen technologies and has signed an exclusive IP licensing agreement with US-based Hydrogen Technologies Inc (HTI). The agreement aims to commercialise the company’s Hydrogen Dynamic Combustion Chamber (DCC), being the first project of its kind in the UK. The DCC burns hydrogen and oxygen in a partial vacuum to create heat and steam. These can then be used for a wide variety of commercial and industrial applications, or to generate emission-free electricity, with the only by-product of the process being clean water. Deuterium acquired the licensing rights for this technology from the California-based Hydrogen Technologies Inc. in May 2020.

Deuterium will initially focus on identifying market participants to manufacture and assemble the system, with partner Protium identifying and working to develop the first commercialscale pilot site in UK. Once deployed and operational, the solution will significantly support the decarbonisation of heating for properties in the UK, by providing a zero emission, low water usage heating system capable of displacing the use of fossil fuels for end-users.

Protium is in discussions with several UK industrial manufacturers to investigate viability of blending hydrogen and natural gas solutions to move towards net zero.  ONLINE ENQUIRY 147

New boilers with weather compensation cut energy use Allenbourn Middle School in Wimborne, Dorset, was suffering from an unreliable heating system. The three condensing boilers were getting old and unreliable.

Having worked on several other capital projects with the Wimborne Academy Trust which looks after the school, Coomber Associates were appointed to undertake the design, tendering, health and safety

and contract administration of a replacement boiler plant.

The project was completed over the winter months. To maintain heat in the school during this period, a temporary mobile boiler plant was required.

A trailer with two of Hamworthy’s Stratton mk2 S2-150 wall hung boilers was provided. The mobile plant room provided heat for three weeks during which the replacement took place.

Other than the temporary plant, the difficulty of the project was to find boilers that would suit an old system and be compatible with the existing pipework. Fortunately, the Hamworthy Purewell Variheat mk2 cast iron condensing boilers fitted the bill with a similar footprint as the old boilers to sit on the same plinths. The cast iron heat exchanger with 10-year warranty and large waterways deals well with existing debris in older heating systems. The three boilers deliver an output of up to 285kW (50°/30°C) and can match the heat demand with a turndown ratio of 9:1.

Stuart Giles, engineering technician at Giles Heating and director at The Temporary Boiler Company, stated: “We have reduced the boiler outputs from 120kW to 95kW per boiler as part of the design.

"Additionally, we have installed weather compensation, so the heating system only turns on when needed according to outside temperatures.

The lower output boilers in combination with this and closer load matching thanks to the high turndown ratio means we’re effectively reducing energy wastage.”  ONLINE ENQUIRY 145

New burner for smaller output boilers Following the launch of the Optimo 2 burner for medium size firetube steam boilers, Babcock Wanson has introduced the Optimo 1 which incorporates all the technological innovations of Optimo 2 but in a burner designed for smaller output boilers with a capacity of 1 to 2 t/h.

Optimo 1 ensures compliance with all applicable regulations, including the Medium Combustion Plant (MCP) Directive.

In addition to good environmental performance, Optimo 1 has been designed for energy efficiency, achieved through precise digital control of low excess air levels throughout the turndown range resulting in an excellent combustion efficiency regardless of the process load. Furthermore, Optimo 1 performs with a very high turndown ratio, enabling the burner to adjust its output to meet the needs of the process. This avoids the costly energy losses incurred by continual stop/start cycles, making Optimo 1 highly cost-effective and further adding to its overall operational efficiency.

Electricity consumption has also been reduced in this latest Babcock Wanson burner through the introduction of three interchangeable combustion air fans, covering the power range 1t/h, 1.5t/h and 2t/h. This enables Optimo 1 to match the boiler requirement and allows greater burner turndown as well as reduced electric consumption when operating at lower power levels.

The wider fan range available with the Optimo 1 has a

further benefit in that noise emission levels are reduced when using lower fan powers. With a new burner casing design, Babcock Wanson is also able to offer sound insulation where required.

The new casing of this latest Babcock Wanson burner has all the electronics of the combustion equipment integrated directly into it, facilitating its interface with a customer’s plant.

ONLINE ENQUIRY 146

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Condensing boiler range extended

Boilers for Nottingham hospital When, as part of a routine maintenance programme, Nottingham City Hospital’s Children’s Centre identified that the old boiler plant needed replacing, they engaged D H Squire Consulting Engineers LLP to advise on the most appropriate solution. Energy efficiency and reliability were the key considerations, along with the need to avoid any disruption to the hot water service throughout the changeover.

Patrick McBennett at D H Squire Consulting Engineers LLP specified two Remeha Gas 220 Ace 300 floorstanding boilers to meet the demand for space heating and domestic hot water.

A temporary boiler was already in place at the Children’s Centre, feeding two plate heat exchangers and meeting the requirement for an

uninterrupted hot water supply. This enabled Palms Facilities, the principle contractor on the project, to begin work immediately on stripping out the two old floor-standing boilers.

The Palms Facilities team installed the two new Remeha boilers using the manufacturer’s cascade system and a low loss header. The latter will help optimise the performance and efficiency of the heating system while protecting the new boilers and increasing their lifespan through hydraulic separation of the primary and secondary circuits.

New flues and pump sets were also fitted as part of the project and the plant room and floors painted once the installation was complete.

ONLINE ENQUIRY 143

Burners help brewery upgrade The largest brewery in the southern hemisphere has recently embarked on a programme to cut its carbon footprint and reduce its emissions.

South African Breweries has installed two natural-gas -fired boilers at its Rosslyn factory, near Pretoria. In addition, two of the existing coal-fired boilers have been converted to gas. A key part of the installation were four burners from Kent-based Limpsfield Combustion Engineering. The result has been a reduction in fuel consumption of almost a third while boiler efficiency has been boosted by 13 per cent.

The brewer reports that the new plant provides quick reaction to plant load and allows easy maintenance. In addition, the boiler house is considerably quieter thanks to an air inlet silencer. A further benefit is that CO levels are kept to below 10ppm.

The burners chosen for the brewery are the LC200, LC88 and two LC44 units.

The LC range is available in a number of models with outputs ranging from 0.9 to 62MW. ONLINE ENQUIRY 142

The Hoval UltraGas (1550) extends the upper output capacity of the popular UltraGas family of condensing boilers to 1,550kW, with the benefits of a substantially smaller footprint compared to similar sized condensing boilers on the market. With outputs ranging from 15kW to 1,550kW, with the same design and operation throughout, UltraGas boilers now offer low NOx, optimum efficiency solutions for the majority of applications, including heat networks and other large energy centres.

The UltraGas (1550) measures just 1,550mm width, 2,152mm depth and 2,547mm height with a footprint of only 3.3m2. This has been achieved through further refinements to the aluFer heat exchangers and modulating premix burners.

This, combined with flexible connections, makes the UltraGas (1550) ideal for installation in tight spaces, freeing up plant room space for other items.

In keeping with the rest of the UltraGas family, UltraGas (1550) combines high efficiency with low emissions at all outputs. NOx emissions, for instance are just 31mg/kWh (relative to gross calorific value, according to EN 15502). As with other UltraGas boilers, control is via Hoval’s intelligent TopTronic system, which can also act as an interface with building management systems.

The premix burner generates an homogenous, optimum fuel/air mixture which can be adjusted across a wide range to meet varying heat loads by modulating the fan speed. As a result, UltraGas (1550) delivers a ONLINE ENQUIRY 140 modulation range from 328kW to 1,550kW.

Added control with latest burner SAACKE has added a new version to its TEMINOX range of burners.

The new unit has a more advanced burner head and its mixing system, variability in the nozzle geometry and the adjustable stabilisation plate ensure a high control range of up to 1:10 (gas operation).

The standard design is equipped with an electronic fuel-air compound control.

A SAACKE UV flame sensor is provided for flame detection which monitors a wider frequency spectrum resulting in higher operational reliability.

The compact TEMINOX burner is delivered ready for connection to shell and water tube boilers, thermal oil heaters and thermal processing plants. It can be flexibly configured for the use of special fuels. Integrated SAACKE SCanView controls including variable speed drive and O2 control can be included. Because of its simple installation, commissioning and maintenance, the TEMINOX reduces the plant downtime and is suitable for new construction and retrofitting as additional combustion air duct systems are not required.

The monoblock version has an integrated highperformance fan designed specifically for the burner which, together with the energy efficient motors, achieves high efficiency and can overcome large flue gasside draft losses where necessary. The duoblock version provides the additional option of use with preheated combustion air. The optional double gas ring also enables the simultaneous firing of two different gases.

With gas emissions less than 30 mg/m3, SAACKE’s ultra-low NOx TEMINOX burners have a capacity range from 3-28MW. The company says they meet the strictest regulations with low CO and residual oxygen ONLINE ENQUIRY 141 content in the exhaust gas.

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“ Energy in Buildings and Industry and the Energy Institute are delighted to have teamed up to bring you this Continuing Professional Development initiative ” MARK THROWER MANAGING EDITOR

SERIES 18 | MODULE 05 | HEAT PUMPS

The heat pump potential

CPD module sponsored by LG

By Eur Ing John Pooley, CEng. CMC, FEI, FIC

A

lthough the theory underpinning the heat pump dates back to 1824 the first practical heat pump was built by Peter von Rittinger in 1856.

In 1945, John Sumner, City Electrical Engineer for Norwich, installed an experimental water-source heat pump fed central heating system, using a neighbouring river to heat new council administrative buildings. Then in 1951 along came the first large-scale installation in the UK at The Royal Festival Hall in London. This featured a town’s gas-powered reversible watersource heat pump, utilising the River Thames, for both winter heating and summer cooling needs.

The 1950s also saw the advent of the package air-conditioning unit, which is the basis of the modern air source heat pump. The domestic heat pump entered the marketplace in the 1970s but it was not until the 1990s that the heat pump as we know it today became a mass market product.

There were often issues with early heat pump installations – typically because of poor implementation.

Many people see the heat pump as a key technology for low-carbon heating.

For this reason, it is worth reviewing heating as part of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions. In 2016, heating accounted for about 37 per cent of emissions. This comprised 17 per cent for space heating; 4 per cent for hot water; 2 per cent for cooking and 14 per cent for industrial processes. It is suggested that 85-90 per cent of the UK’s heating comes from gas boilers.

For 2018 it is estimated that the UK installed 1.7m new gas boilers but only 27,000 heat pumps.

Overall, natural gas is thought to account for 70 per cent of the heat used in the UK. Green gas (biomethane or hydrogen) is a possibility but there are significant challenges in its implementation as it requires significant infrastructure work. A recent Carbon Trust report suggests that, for London, the overall efficiency

of heat pumps would be higher than that of a hydrogen-based system.

According to the International Energy Agency, heat pumps could satisfy 90 per cent of the global heating needs with a lower carbon footprint than gas-fired condensing boilers.

Low-carbon heating solution Heat pumps provide an alternative, low-carbon heating solution that can be delivered unit by unit – without new infrastructure. However, to be a true low-carbon solution heat pumps are relying on the decarbonisation of the electricity grid – or running on renewable electricity.

Heat pumps work by transferring energy from a low-temperature source (for example, ambient air, water, ground or waste heat) and raise it to a higher, useful temperature. The renewable nature of the heat source makes a heat pump a low-carbon solution – the extent of this dependent on the energy used to drive the heat pump. The most common form of the heat pump is based on the vapour compression system with an electric motor. There are also gas-fired absorption systems.

One way of looking at a heat pump is to see it as a refrigeration system

working in reverse. The objective of a refrigeration system is to make the controlled space cooler and reject the heat. With the heat pump we are making the controlled space warmer.

The key components of a basic heat pump are: • an evaporator to collect the heat from the source (e.g. outside air); • a compressor to raise the pressure and temperature of the refrigerant; • a condenser to deliver the thermal energy into the building/process; and • an expansion valve to lower the pressure and temperature of the refrigerant.

Input energy is required for the compressor (the largest energy use of the system) but also for fans and pumps that are part of the heat pump system. The more efficient these components the better the overall performance of the system. The performance improvements in heat pumps are closely related to those for other refrigeration systems, for example, more efficient compressors, variable speed derives, etc.

When selecting a heat pump the choice of refrigerant is important.

Ideally, the chosen refrigerant should have the lowest possible Global Warming Potential (GWP).

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An important difference between heat pumps and conventional forms of heating is that heat pumps are more efficient when supplying heat at lower temperatures. This suits underfloor heating, warm air systems and fan coil units.

Heat pumps are normally described by the heat source they utilise: • air source heat pumps (ASHP) – typically ambient air; • ground source heat pumps (GSHP) – soil and aquifers; • water source heat pumps (WSHP) – lakes, ponds, rivers, etc; and • waste heat recovery heat pump (WHRHP) – could be air or water.

Air source heat pumps are the most common type of heat pump.

Typically, it is ambient air to warm air. In commercial applications it is not uncommon to combine summer cooling and winter heating with a ‘reversible’ heat pump unit. Where heating is required in addition to cooling this is a better option than direct electric heating. A key aspect is the location of the outdoor unit. As with the outdoor unit for an AC unit there should be free air flow around the unit. Poor air flow and coil fouling can lead to a significant decline in performance.

Ground source heat pumps can be effective as the temperature at around 2m below ground remains between 8-12oC providing a stable year-round heat source.

GSHPs can be further classified by the heat collection system. These can be: • closed loop, horizontal systems.

A heat exchange fluid is circulated through pipes laid horizontally at a depth of 1-2m. The collector system requires a large area of ground, up to 85m2 per kW of heating. Looked at another way, the system needs between 10 and 50m of pipe per kW – so a 20kW unit could require up to 1km of piping. The actual length will depend on the specific installation. Research is currently being undertaken on the use of flat plat collectors for GSHPs. • closed loop, vertical. As with the horizontal system, heat exchange fluid is circulated, but in this case through pipes laid in boreholes that range in depth between 50-100m. Each borehole would support about 3-6kW of heating, with a spacing of 7-10 metres. Site access for the drilling rig

using the system’s condensing waste heat.

A hybrid system is a combination of a heat pump matched with a gas-fired boiler. A hybrid system can supply heat at a higher temperature and as such is a possible candidate for retrofit systems. However, as the system does use gas its carbon benefit will be less than a ‘pure’ heat pump.

For an idea of the uptake of heat pumps we can review the data from the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI). While this is not a full picture it provides a good indication.

Domination of global sales

needs to be considered.

• Open loop. This system takes advantage of ground water extracted from and returned to a suitable underground body of water. Can also provide cooling in summer. More efficient than closed loop systems – but extensive site investigation required and not suitable for all sites.

Environment Agency approval may be required.

Waste heat recovery heat pumps can be used to recover waste heat in manufacturing/process industries.

This can be attractive where the waste heat is ‘low grade’. In these situations the waste heat can provide a ‘stable’ source of heat. Solutions could be: air to air; water to water; water to air.

It is essential that the process

producing the waste heat is fully optimised before considering the heat pump. It is unlikely there is a stock heat pump solution for waste heat recovery and a specialist provider will need to be involved from the early stages.

The dual source heat pump (DSHP) takes advantage of either air or ground heat sources, depending on operating and climatic conditions. It can select the most favourable heat source or heat sink (for heating or cooling, respectively). In winter it can provide hot water for heating buildings, using either the air or the ground as heat sources. Alternatively, in summer, it uses the air or round as a heat sink to provide cooling. The unit can also provide domestic hot water, which in summer it can generate by

In terms of units installed the most significant market sector is the domestic ASHP. Air to air heat pumps also dominate global sales.

When looking at boilers we rate the performance in terms of efficiency i.e. the ratio of heat output to heat input e.g. 95 per cent efficient. However, when we look at heat pumps the input (purchased) energy is significantly less than the output energy. Accordingly, performance is expressed using the Coefficient of Performance (COP). For example, a heat pump that delivers 6kW of heat with an electricity input of 2kW would have a COP of 3.0.

The theoretical maximum COP of a system operating between two temperatures Ts (the temperature of the heat source) and Th (the heating supply temperature) is given by:

Theoretical Coefficient of Performance = Th Th - Ts Where Th and Ts are measured in degrees Kelvin

In practice, the measured COP might only be 60 per cent of the theoretical COP. But what this

Accredited Applications for the Renewable Heat incentive (RHI) Domestic RHI April 2014 to August 2020

Non-domestic RHI November 2011 to August 2020

ASHP

48,407

ASHP

642

GSHP

11,208

GSHP/WSHP >100kW

380

GSHP/WSHP – <100kW

1,166

Note: Above data is from the date of the introduction of the incentive.

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SERIES 18 | MODULE 05 | HEAT PUMPS

equation does tell us is the criticality of the temperature difference. The smaller the difference, the higher the COP. It is for this reason that heat pumps work best with ‘low temperature’ heating systems. For example, warm air, underfloor heating, fan coil systems. Standard heat pumps operate most efficiently in the range 35-55oC (gas-fired heating systems typically operate at 60-80oC).

Therefore, heat pumps should not be seen as a direct replacement for gas boilers. Domestic hot water systems ideally need to achieve a temperature of 60oC for legionella control – this could be achieved with an additional direct electric boost.

With boilers we also consider seasonal efficiency. For heat pumps we use the seasonal coefficient of performance (SCOP) for heating and the seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) for cooling. These methodologies derive from the EU Energy Related Products Directive (ErP). Under EU labelling there is the familiar rating system – which currently runs from D to A+++.

For a typical air source heat pump (ASHP) system delivering water at 35oC water the COP could range from 2.0 at minus 15oC rising to 5.5 at plus 15oC. In contrast, if it were delivering water at 55oC the range COP would range from 1.8 to 3.0.

High temperature heat pumps are defined as pumps capable of delivering output temperatures over 55oC. Higher temperatures are possible and can be achieved by some specialist heat pumps. One approach is a cascade heat pump system which is in effect one heat pump coupled to another through a heat exchanger. Absorption heat pumps (gas-fired) can also reach the higher temperatures, but the carbon benefits are compromised by using natural gas. The typical COP for a gas-fired heat pump is around 1.3 to 1.5.

The relevant standard for heat pump testing is: BS EN 14825:2018 - Air conditioners, liquid chilling packages and heat pumps, with electrically driven compressors, for space heating and cooling. Testing and rating at part load conditions and calculation of seasonal performance.

The cost of an installation will depend on site specifics and the

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system selected. However, it is useful to have a rule of thumb guide for initial appraisal purposes.

Similar maintenance costs Maintenance cost – studies suggest that the cost of maintaining a heat pump are similar to those for an equivalent gas or oil boiler. The Carbon Trust notes that a wellmaintained system will potentially be 10-25 per cent more efficient than a poorly maintained equivalent. The expected life of an ASHP is between 10 and 15 years – arguably a little less than a boiler system.

Where heat pumps are being used for space heating it is important to reduce the heating requirement as much as possible before considering the heat pump. This makes sense as it not only reduces the running costs but may also reduce the capital cost.

With electricity typically costing three times the cost of natural gas, a COP of 3.0 is needed for running cost parity. (This is a simplified view and does not take account of incentives or seasonal efficiency). The seasonal performance indicator for heat pumps

has steadily increased since 2010 to nearly 4.0 for most space heating applications which suggest there are running cost benefits in most cases.

As a retrofit technology heat pump technology works best where the heat pump is replacing a high-cost existing heating system, such as direct electricity, and a low temperature heating system can be used.

The payback of an ASHP, as a boiler replacement, is improved where the existing boiler is at the end of its life.

Under current tariffs and incentives paybacks of more than five years would be common for a heat pump replacement of gas boiler before the end of its life. This is potentially a major barrier implementation unless carbon reduction is a strategic policy that can be used to override the extended payback.

If an organisation is committed to net zero carbon and purchasing carbon offsets it might be appropriate to factor in the cost of the offsets in the payback calculation.

New build provides the ideal opportunity to optimise both building and systems. When looking

Comparative cost of installation of heat pump systems System Type

Cost per kW heating output

ASHP

£250 to £1,500

GSHP – open loop

£1,000 to £2,000

GSHP – closed loop

£1,500 to £3,500

Gas boiler

£70 to £150

Source CTV 072, Carbon Trust 2018

at new build in the domestic sector it is suggested that upgrading to Passivhaus standards would add between 5 and 10 per cent to the build cost but deliver a 75 per cent reduction in heating demand (Source Energy Saving Trust).

Underfloor heating is ideal for heat pump technology as it is typically operated at a maximum of 35oC. Warm air is also suitable – while quite common in the commercial and industrial sectors it is not commonly used in the UK residential sector.

Future regulation (e.g. zero carbon buildings) may positively impact on the uptake of heat pumps.

Heat pumps can qualify under the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI).

The non-domestic RHI closes to new applications on 31 March 2021 with the domestic RHI closing on 31 March 2022. Payments under the nondomestic scheme are for 20 years, while those under the domestic are for seven years. Systems under 45kW thermal require MCS certification. The details of the RHI are not covered here, so check with Ofgem for full details.

The heat pump is a key technology in the provision of decarbonised heating. It is a proven technology that also benefits from the developments in refrigeration and air conditioning.

The most effective deployment of heat pumps is in new build as all systems can be optimised to maximise the impact of the technology. The next cost-effective level is the replacement of high-cost heating systems – such as direct electric. Replacement of good condition, efficient gas-fired systems will give extended paybacks but can deliver carbon savings. When specifying heat pumps it is important to take a whole system view that also includes the building/process that the heat is required for.

Further reading 1) Heat Pumps CTV072, Carbon Trust, 2018.

2) Domestic Heat Pumps – A Best Practice Guide, MCS, 2018.

3) Heat pump retrofit in London, August 2020, Carbon Trust.

4) Options appraisals for heat pump retrofit in 15 London buildings A Carbon Trust report for the Greater London Authority (GLA), August 2020.

5) UK Literature Review for International Energy Agency (IEA) Annex 36 on investigating the effect of quality of installation and maintenance on heat pump performance. Report prepared by The National Energy Foundation (NEF), 2013.

For details on how to obtain your Energy Institute CPD Certificate, see entry form and details on page 24 LG Renewable Heating Solutions

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SERIES SEPTEMBER SERIES 18 17 | MODULE 03 09 | MARCH 20202020

SERIES 18 | MODULE 05 | NOV/DEC 2020

ENTRYFORM FORM ENTRY

SMART GRIDS SPACE HEATING

HEAT PleasePUMPS mark your answers below by placing a cross in the box. Don't forget that some Please mark your answers below by placing a cross in the box. Don't forget that some

might have more than one correct answer.

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the answer sheet, return it to the address below. Photocopies are acceptable.

QUESTIONS QUESTIONS

1) The establishment of the main QUESTIONS 1. Which is the most common heating media in

1) ■ ■ ■ ■ 2) ■ ■ ■ ■ 3) ■ ■ ■ ■ 4) ■ ■ ■ ■ 5) ■ ■ ■ ■

transmission grid began in which wetdecade? systems?

In 2016 what percentage of UK GHGs were to heating?hot water 1940s ■ High temperature ■related 14 per cent ■ Steam ■ 1930s 30 per cent ■ Low temperature hot water ■ 1960s 37 per Cold water ■ cent 2) Which 45 per cent key parameters need to be controlled by smart grids?

2. What is the most common space heating andIEA frequency ■ According to UK? the what percentage fuelVoltage in the and current ■ Frequency of global heating oil could be met with heat ■ Fuel ■ Voltage, current and frequency pumps?

■ Electricity 70 per cent Naturalthe gas ■ What’s 3) main source of large-scale 80 per cent Coal ■ renewable generation connecting to 90 perthe centgrid?

100■ per centis a typical dry bulb space temperature Biomass 3.

What forWind a home? farms ■ Heat pumpsfarms cannot be used as a direct ■ 160C ■ Solar replacement for a gas boiler because: ■ 190C They cannotare maintain the flow rate 4) 220C the main forms of variable ■ What electrical loads at the The temperature of theconnecting heat supplied is 240C ■ household level? too high Electricmost vehicles and heat ■operate They efficiently atpumps lower 4. What is currently the most common ■ Smart meters temperatures construction material for panel radiators?

Home automation devices ■cannot They be controlled in the same way ■ Cast iron Pressed steel ■ 5) What is the main threat to the smart grids?

The year-round temperature of ground Castof aluminium ■ below Cost implementation ■ at 2m the surface is typically: Copper ■ Cyber attacks ■ 2-5ºC ■ Lack of experience and expertise 6-8ºC 5. Which of these is a key component of a 8-12ºC mechanical system?of smart 6) What are ventilation the main benefits 12-15ºC A fan ■ grids?

Reduce the need for centralised power ■ An atrium ■percentage What generation of the theoretical COP is A chimney ■likely most in practice?

■ Encourage connection of electric vehicles Opening windows ■ cent 90 per

6) ■ ■ ■ ■ 7) ■ ■ ■ ■ 8) ■ ■ ■ ■ 9) ■ ■ ■ ■

■ Facilitate the connection of distributed 6. Which is thegeneration ‘delivery end’ ofvariable a vapourloads renewable and oC from compression heatwater pump system?

When delivering at 35and a source such as electric vehicles heat pumps o C evaporator what COP could be expected? at ■15The 2.0 7) does the abbreviation VPP stand for?

The condenser ■ What purchase programme 3.0 ■ The compressor ■ Volume ■ The slinkyprotection programme 4.0 ■ Voluntary ■ Virtual power plant 5.0 7. Which of these factors is used by a weather compensation controlbe system?

8) Electricity cannot storedcost in large What would be the indicative per kW by householders?

Building inertia ■ quantities (heating) forthermal an ASHP? as only large utilities and industrial/ ■ Time of day ■ False £70 to £150 commercial energy providers can provide Outside air temperature ■ storage £250 to £1,500 facilities Date ■ £1,000 ■ Falseto 2,000 householders can store electricity 1,500 toas £3,500 ■ True 8. Which of these factors is used by ancharging optimum in standalone batteries or when start control system? their electric vehicles Which heat pump retrofit would be the least of building occupancy ■ Level cost effective?

Outside airmain temperature 9) is the benefit of smart meters?

■ What Replacing a 2-year-old condensing gas boiler Boileravoid capacity the need for meter readers ■ They ■ Replacing a direct electric heating Boilerprovide flow temperature ■ They accurate and timely ■ installation information on power flows across the Replacing a 30-year-old gas boiler smart grid 9. Which types of space heating system can Replacing an end-of heatofbe pump They facilitate thelife export surplus ■ building management systems used to control? electricity from household solar PV panels ■ Any Which systemstechnology is least suited to ■ Wetheating 10) What does the technology VtG represent? heat pumps? handling plant ■ Air Geometry Turbochargers ■ Variable LTHW radiators Boilers ■ designed to allow the effective aspect

Underfloor ratio of aheating turbocharger to be altered as Warm air is systems 10.conditions What a thermostat? change Fan-coil units of Trapped Gas associated with ■ A temperature sensitive switch ■ Volume A temperature sensor ■ respiration

to Grid EVGSHP batteries to 10)■ ForVehicle closed loopenabling horizontal system Aaproportional control device ■ discharge to theper grid ‘smooth’ high the area required kWtois: A digital display device ■ electricity peak demand profiles.

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How to obtain a CPD accreditation How the to obtain CPD accreditation from EnergyaInstitute

from the Energy Institute

Energy Energyin inBuildings Buildingsand andIndustry Industryand andthe theEnergy EnergyInstitute Instituteare aredelighted delightedto to have up you this Development Energy in Buildings and Industry and theProfessional Energy Institute are delighted to have haveteamed teamed upto tobring bring you thisContinuing Continuing Professional Development initiative. teamed initiative.up to bring you this Continuing Professional Development initiative.

This series and focuses onon Smart Grids.

It It is This the ninth moduleinin the seventeenth series and focuses Thisisisisthe thethird fifthmodule module inthe theeighteenth eighteenth series and focuses onSpace Heat Pumps. is accompanied byaaset set of of multiple-choice multiple-choice questions.

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To certificate readers must submit at eight of To qualify for CPD certificate readers must submit atleast least eight ofthe the Toqualify qualifyfor foraaaCPD CPD certificate readers must submit at least eight of the ten ten of from this series modules to EiBI for tensets sets ofquestions questions from this series of modulesto toEiBI EiBIfor forthe theEnergy Energy sets of questions from this series ofof modules the Energy Institute to Institute to Anyone at of correct Institute tomark. mark.

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Anyone achieving at least eight outeight of tenout correct on eighton separate eight articles qualifies for an Institute CPD This can eightseparate separate articles qualifies anEnergy Energy CPDcertificate. certificate. canbe be on articles qualifies for an Energyfor Institute CPDInstitute certificate.

This can beThis obtained, obtained, and obtained,on onsuccessful successfulcompletion completionof ofthe thecourse andnotification notificationby bythe theEnergy Energy successful completion of the course andcourse notification by the Energy Institute, free of Institute, Institute,free freeof ofcharge chargefor forboth bothEnergy EnergyInstitute Institutemembers membersand andnon-members. non-members. charge for both Energy Institute members and non-members.

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SERIES17 17 SERIES SERIES 16

SERIES 18 SERIES SERIES18 17

MAY 2019 - APR 2020

MAY / JUNE 2020 - MAY 2021

MAY MAY2019 2018--APR APR2020 2019

Batteries & Storage 111 Batteries BEMS & Storage 2 Energy as a Service 22 Energy as a Service Refrigeration 3 Water Management 33 Water Management LED Technology 4 Demand Side Response 44 Demand Side Response District Heating 5 Drives & Motors 55 Drives & Motors Air Conditioning 6 Blockchain Technology 66 Blockchain Technology Behaviour Change 7 Compressed Air 77 Compressed Air Thermal Imaging 8 Energy Purchasing 88 Energy Purchasing Solar Thermal 9 Space Heating 99 Space Heating Buildings 10 Smart Data Centre Management 10 Centre Management 10 Data Biomass Boilers

MAY JUNE- APR 20202020 - MAY 2021 MAY/2019

Energy Efficiency Legislation 11 1Energy Efficiency Legislation Batteries & Storage 2 Building Controls 22 Building Controls Energy as a Service 3 Smart Grids 33 Smart Water Grids Management 4 Lighting Technology 44 Lighting DemandTechnology* Side Response 5 Heat Pumps 55 Heat Pumps* Drives & Motors 6 Metering & Monitoring* 66 Metering & Monitoring* Blockchain Technology 7 Air Conditioning* 77 Air Conditioning* Compressed Air 8 Boilers & Burners* 88 Boilers Burners* Energy&Purchasing 9 Behaviour Change* 99 Behaviour Change* Space Heating 10 Combined Heat & Power* 10 Heat & Power* 10 Combined Data Centre Management*

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ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Installing Smart Meters For further information on Smart Meters visit www.eibi.co.uk/enquiries and enter ENQUIRY No. 138

Control energy bills with a smart meter Avoid estimates and only pay for the energy you use. Take the first step towards savings and ask your energy supplier if you are eligible for a smart meter

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ESTA VIEWPOINT

For further information on ESTA visit www.estaenergy.org.uk

The year to make energy efficiency a priority Despite the disruption to our lives and business world in 2020 ESTA has launched some important new initiatives. And more are planned for the coming year, writes Mervyn Pilley

T

raditionally the last column of the year is a review of the year gone by. I think that we can all agree that 2020 has been one of the strangest, most challenging years in our lifetime.

The growing clamour for a proactive, post-pandemic green recovery is clear but what is not so clear at the time of writing is how the UK Government is going to deliver this. One thing is clear is that the £9.2bn manifesto promise needs to be spent whether the cost of COVID has derailed some of the other spending plans. The furlough scheme has just been extended through the winter months so the potential unemployment figure is not known. However, based on already announced job losses it is clearly going to be multiple times higher than it has been in recent years. We owe it to the unemployed, their families and indeed the UK public to deal with the unemployed situation by diverting people into hundreds of thousands of new jobs supporting the green economy.

The long-awaited energy white paper will hopefully spell out just how the Government intends to give us what we all need.

Making energy efficiency a priority is the theme of our next conference and a new ESTA-backed campaign for 2021 and beyond. Energy efficiency needs to stop being the ‘junior partner’ in all of the activity and policies in the drive towards net zero targets. As important as CCS, EVs, trees and supply issues are surely using less energy has to be a very important focus for every person, business, organisation and Government.

In advance of the white paper there is a great deal of lobbying and campaigning to be done.

Reviewing the year there have been a lot of positives in among the many negatives. Collaboration has been very high on my agenda and we have been

‘Using less energy has to be a very important focus for every business’ very pleased to launch a new Energy Efficiency in Buildings group jointly with the Building Engineering Services Association – BESA. We believe that this is an important new initiative to engage with facilities managers and other engineers to maximise energy efficiency solutions for the UK commercial buildings stock. This group will be meeting regularly starting in the new year. We are also looking to work with the BESA Academy giving us a conduit for our new training products due to be launched early in 2021.

The pivot to Zoom/Teams etc has radically ramped up our opportunities globally. Energy efficiency is needed worldwide and ESTA needs to be global in its outlook. COVID has slowed down many of the exciting initiatives that I have been working on. The remaining uncertainty (at the time of writing)

Mervyn Pilley is executive director of ESTA (Energy Services and Technology Association)

relating to our exit from the EU also means that helping our UK members to trade at scale internationally remains a priority. Helping ESTA members to get work will remain my absolute priority in 2021, hopefully in a better economic environment than we have now.

Two other positives from 2020 have been the launch of our behaviour change programme – the Energy Conscious Organisation. There is a very long waiting list for consultant training and the launch of certification for businesses and organisations around the world. There are plenty of sponsorship opportunities available to support this highly innovative initiative and if any readers are interested please get in touch with me.

Another initiative was the decision to join the Energy and Utilities Alliance.

This will, I believe, help us to move energy efficiency forward far more quickly than if we were trying to do this on our own. It will certainly broaden our scope in terms of supply solutions.

On the less positive side the removal of the Enhanced Capital Allowances scheme on the 1st April has done huge damage to the relevance of the Energy Technology list. In reality, the ETL will now effectively be a marketing list only. The BEIS response to the 2019 SME Energy efficiency consultation that took so very long to be issued was disappointing as the auction option that I believe is the least likely solution to work was chosen as the preferred route. Interestingly I do think that a commercial auction route not involving a Government website and offering solutions to end users may have ‘legs’ and I am exploring options. We are also continuing to work on the UK SME Energy Alliance and again can only hope for a far better environment to operate in than we have had with 18 months of Brexit, general election and COVID. 

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Electric Vehicles For further information on Wilson Power Solutions visit www.eibi.co.uk/enquiries and enter ENQUIRY No. 128

Decarbonising EV infrastructure The latest transformers can ensure that EV infrastructure operates at its most energy efficient at all times

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Vs are at the centre of the UK’s Net Zero plans with the government taking serious measures against diesel and petrol cars. “Road to Zero” puts an end to the sale of new internal combustion engine cars by 2040. This means EVs might finally dominate our roads in 2050s.

Although EVs nowadays make up less than 0.5 per cent of cars in the UK, there are more EV charging points than petrol stations and some companies are launching pure EV service stations for the first time in the UK. This is driven mainly by the projections for EV growth in the coming few decades but more importantly to put an end to a “Catch 22” of less people trusting EVs for the lack of adequate

charging infrastructure.

Making EVs and using them are not carbon neutral. Manufacturing, fuel cycle, mining and building batteries emit carbon. However, a mile driven in an EV in the UK results in 73 per cent less carbon emitted into the atmosphere.

Pushing that to 100 per cent will need a lot of work, but the charging grid infrastructure could be a good starting point given the availability of better technologies to support that.

Wilson Power Solutions installed Ultra Low Loss transformers for

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Gridserve’s first forecourt to complement the company’s effort of decarbonising its charging infrastructures. In addition to using solar panels and battery storage, Gridserve installed Wilson e3 transformers, the UK’s most energy efficient transformers. This will ensure the company saves annually over 44GWh and 10.2 tCO2 emissions once fully operational.

1000kVA Wilson e3 Ultra Low Loss transformers save annually 19,415 kWh of electricity, 4.5 tCO2 emissions and £2,912. This can result in an additional 54,901 EV miles (medium-sized vehicle) annually to an existing charging infrastructure without spending more money, consuming more energy or emitting more carbon.

Batteries & Energy Storage For further information on AceOn Group visit www.eibi.co.uk/enquiries and enter ENQUIRY No. 137

Fully charged and ready Alex Thompson explains what hurdles will need to be overcome if energy storage is to transform our relationship with renewable power

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he promise to achieve net zero carbon emissions in the next 30 years is an ambitious target and one that will require a huge step change in the way we consume energy across all aspects of our personal and working lives. It will also require a big change in the way we generate and use electricity. The widespread use of energy storage batteries in residential and commercial applications will be essential.

Renewable energy generation is variable and difficult to control and unless we can store the power we generate, we will struggle to balance a 100 per cent green electricity supply with the peaks and troughs of end-user demand.

Currently on average just 20 per cent of electricity generated on a traditional domestic solar PV system is consumed on the premises.

This is where energy storage batteries can help as they harness the power generated by renewable generators (from solar panels to wind turbines), and allow the electricity to be used more efficiently by consumers.

They can also provide a smart resource which can be used by the Electricity System Operator (ESO) to balance and stabilise the grid.

Thanks to the global adoption of renewables and the continued electrification of infrastructure, the Consortium for Battery Innovation (CBI) estimates that demand for battery energy storage will jump up to 400,000MWh in the next 5 years alone (compared to 100,000 in 2015).

Interest is being driven by public sector demand for more energyefficient local authority and social housing. AceOn has recently signed partnership agreements with the Association for Public Service Excellence and the National Housing Federation to provide information and advice to their members.

This is because as well as helping

Good connection: but the cost of installing an energy storage solution is currently quite high

councils and housing associations to meet their overarching carbon reduction targets, fitting energy storage batteries in affordable and social housing can reduce electricity bills for tenants. Also, when added to AceOn’s Renewergy virtual power plant (VPP), they can generate extra revenue, as the combined spare capacity of all of the batteries installed in the VPP can be aggregated together and traded with the grid.

Additional income Energy storage technology can also be used in private houses, where homeowners benefit from lower energy bills and an additional income from grid servicing if they choose to be part of the VPP and also the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG), which is paid by energy

service providers for unused ‘green’ electricity.

As larger battery solutions come onboard, there are commercial and industrial opportunities too.

These end users often consume a majority of the electricity they generate during the day from roof panels, so a storage battery could be used to provide back-up power or emergency lighting in the event of an outage, and to generate additional income for the business when it’s closed.

There is no doubt that the installation of energy storage batteries can help the UK deliver a net zero carbon future, but there are challenges to be overcome if we are to realise its full potential.

Like any innovative technology in its infancy, the cost of buying and installing an energy storage

Alex Thompson is sales director at AceOn Group

solution is currently quite high and the payback times are towards the end of the product life cycle, however extra revenue generated from grid servicing as part of the VPP can reduce this payback period. To make them a more attractive prospect, the Solar Trade Association is pushing the Government for financial support for storage batteries, perhaps as part of the Chancellor’s Greener Homes commitment.

As it is a new technology, we need to build confidence in the market and this will come through information and education. We are increasingly seeing companies that normally sell solar panels and inverters now selling batteries but not all have the necessary specialist expertise. This can result in misleading claims which can confuse and potentially disappoint the end user. For example, “unlimited cycles over 10 years” – no battery has unlimited cycles.

To combat false claims and crude kWh per £ calculations, AceOn would like to see more robust metrics used to compare different energy storage batteries, focusing on how much energy a battery delivers over a sustained period so people can see what they are getting for their investment.

Some batteries, even those from world-leading brands, run at 96 per cent depth of discharge, therefore putting the li-ion cells under extreme stress which can shorten the lifespan of the battery.

To make sure consumers get both value and performance, it’s certainly worth buying from an established, reputable battery manufacturer. Unfortunately, there are many cheap imported batteries appearing on the market and many have very low charge rates, meaning they can’t get charge into the battery quick enough, so excess energy generated by the solar panels goes back to the grid rather than to the battery.

There is so much anticipation for the arrival of energy storage batteries in the UK, and if we approach it right, this tech has the potential to transform how we integrate renewable power into residential, commercial and industrial installations and help us achieve a carbon zero future. 

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Vilnis Vesma is a former energy manager and a specialist advisor on energy monitoring and targeting

Energy in Education For further information on Vilnis Vesma visit www.eibi.co.uk/enquiries and enter ENQUIRY No. 129

Buildings with two personalities Many buildings in the education estate change character between term and vacation times. So how do you analyse building performance?

Vilnis Vesma explains how

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outinely comparing actual and expected energy consumption is fundamental to good energy management.

It is the foundation of exception reporting and of cusum analysis (an important diagnostic tool) as well as being the key to meaningful performance indicators. And the more accurately you can estimate ‘expected’ consumption, the better you can do those things. But buildings in the education estate present a particular challenge because many of them change personality between term-time and vacations, in a way that distorts or even defeats the analysis of performance. In this article I suggest a couple of fixes for this problem.

I will start with the more difficult challenge first: monitoring the fuel used for heating. At the risk of repeating basic ideas that most readers will be familiar with, expected fuel consumption in any given week1 will consist partly of a constant ‘base load’ overlaid with a variable, weather-dependent quantity which is usually proportional to the measured degree-day value for the week. For those unfamiliar with them, degree days are simply a measure of how cold the weather has been, in aggregate over the week, relative to the outside temperature at which no heating is required. For an idea of how they are calculated see Fig. 1. The degree-day value is the blue shaded area bounded by the outside-air temperature trace and the base temperature. Anything which increases the blue area— lower temperatures or longer duration of low temperature—will increase fuel demand in proportion to the increase in area.

Figure 1: the degree-day value is the time integral of temperature deficit below base.

Weekly degree-day figures can be obtained from various sources. The essential point is that having once established the linear relationship between a building’s fuel consumption and local degreeday figures, we can use subsequent degree-day values to calculate what the consumption should have been.

Common base temperature With most buildings one would do the assessment against degreedays calculated to one common base temperature (Fig. 1 used the common UK default of 15.5oC).

However, this will over-estimate expected consumption when the building is closed and running with a reduced level of heating, because it assumes normal occupancy. To get around this we can substitute different degreeday values during unoccupied weeks, using values calculated to a lower base temperature. Fig. 2 shows how. The table shows three degree-day histories. One is computed to a base of 15.5oC and the second, derived from the same temperature data, to base

10oC. The third (‘moving base’) column mixes the two. If it was a vacation week it uses the 10oC value; otherwise the 15.5oC value.

Using this kind of modified degreeday history should give better correlation with fuel consumption and—importantly—if somebody leaves the heating running at the start of the winter vacation it will now show up as an exception which can be accurately quantified and costed.

For loads which are not weather dependent (such as general electrical supplies) a different Figure 2: the moving-base degree-day series picks the weekly degree-day value appropriate for the prevailing level of heating

approach can be used in which expected weekly consumption toggles between ‘occupied’ and ‘unoccupied’ constant values.

Looking at Fig. 2, there is a column containing zeroes and ones, with the latter indicating vacation. The formula for expected consumption can be derived from regression analysis using this binary value as the independent variable.

There is a third strategy and that is to treat the occupied and unoccupied manifestations of the building as if they were two distinct installations. Hence for analysis purposes you would set up two histories, recording data only for term-time weeks in one of them, and only for vacation weeks in the other. Each history would have its own formula for expected consumption. You could be forgiven for asking whether this is this legitimate because when we learn about time-series analysis such as control charts and cusum we are told that the observations need to be chronological and at equal intervals. However, there is nothing to say the observations absolutely have to be sequential.

It is quite acceptable for there to be a gap which is closed up so that the first week of one term immediately follows the last week of the previous term in our charts.

And why not? We would expect performance to be the same after the vacation as it was before.

This third strategy is applicable in other scenarios. For example, in a food processing plant with automatic meter reading which has daytime production shifts and devotes the nights to cleaning in place, every consumption stream should have separate daytime and night-time histories. Estimates of expected consumption will be all the more accurate, and energy or water waste which may manifest itself selectively during either production or cleaning operations—or under all conditions—will be all the easier to discern. 

Reference 1) Weekly analysis and reporting is my recommended default for serious routine energy analysis. The method described here is impractical at monthly intervals.

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Karl Walker is market development manager at Beckhoff Automation

Energy in Education For further information on Beckhoff Automation visit www.eibi.co.uk/enquiries and enter ENQUIRY No. 130

Let the students take the lead

Karl Walker explains how the latest advances are prompting the next generation to think more carefully about energy efficiency in their schools, colleges and universities

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chools, colleges and universities are searching for new ways to empower students and spark an interest that will last a lifetime, or at least start them down the road towards a fulfilling career where they can feel like they can make a real difference. Traditionally, this may have been achieved by passing on knowledge and expertise through textbooks and lectures but there is now a move towards combining this method with one that promotes a more ‘hands on’ approach, handing responsibility directly to the student and trusting them to make their own realworld decisions with the help of technology.

A clear example of this is in the educational establishments that have given their students the opportunity to manage energy performance within the walls of the campus.

With an acute awareness of the need for environmental change, the current generation of students – often referred to as ‘Generation Z’ by the media – recognise the urgent requirement to reduce CO2 emissions before the feared ‘tipping point’ is reached. By providing these young people with easy-to-understand charts, building layouts and reports, energy consumption is clearly visible and they are given the opportunity to learn first-hand about energy usage and come up with ways to reduce waste.

In order to facilitate this practical approach to energy efficiency education, an integrated approach to building services is required.

Building control services, often supplied by different vendors and manufacturers, tend to grow and change over time using a variety of communication interfaces and protocols. These systems are rarely integrated; for example, HVAC, DHWS and lighting controls will generally be independent of each other. Interoperable technology can integrate with existing building controls and securely transfer

Students are being given the opportunity to manage the energy performance of their campus

data to the cloud service using the lightweight MQTT messaging protocol.

At a local level it is possible to utilise numerous communications protocols, including BACnet, Modbus, M-Bus, DALI and KNX, to provide a supervisory control layer which normalises and centralises services within the BEMS platform.

Highly expandable technology also provides the backbone for growth with the option to add more building controls and physical IO.

‘Pane of glass’ view Supervisory control solutions offer a transparent ‘single pane of glass’ view of a building’s systems and a gateway integrates with building control systems and sensors, securely transferring building operation data to a cloud service.

By analysing a building’s energy consumption against its control strategy, the BEMS can identify anomalies in a building’s operation,

modify as appropriate so that the building operates within its ‘sweet spot’ and maintain the optimised performance level to retain savings.

Schools, colleges and universities are coming under intense pressure to deliver cost savings at every possible opportunity, therefore the traditional ringfencing of utilities is increasingly becoming an unrealistic prospect.

With a newly installed BEMS in place, savings of between 10-51 per cent can be achieved, dependent on the existing set-up. In one recent example, the school’s actual energy consumption was three times higher than the building design estimate. There was no visibility of consumption profiles for the local premises team, and the BMS schedules, setpoints and exceptions had not been configured correctly. To resolve these issues, automated main meter data capture and reporting was integrated using the BEMs, which subsequently allowed energy profiles to be displayed, reviewed and

modified accordingly. A systematic approach to energy reduction was also implemented, which enabled the local premises manager to modify schedules and setpoints. The result was a 41 per cent energy saving in less than four months.

Taking responsibility for energy performance at their own school, college or university offers students valuable life experience at an early age and will prepare them for the challenges they may face in their future careers.

This is a point made by Richard Dunne, a former headteacher who founded the Harmony Project in 2018. The Harmony Project recognises the impact of human activity on the natural world, and humankind’s increasing disconnection from nature.

Education is one of the sectors in which Richard has applied Harmony and he believes that by rethinking environmental education so that it is at the heart of learning, schools can encourage their students to actively engage with pressing environmental issues at the same time as teaching them valuable life skills.

Dunne says: “For the most part, sustainability in education is seen as an add-on. It might be presented as a one-off environmental day or eco week. It will almost certainly be presented outside of the formal curriculum. It may engage the interest of a good many students, but the mere fact that it is not integrated into the broader curriculum means that the opportunities to link learning together are unlikely to be explored.”

It’s becoming clear that drastically reducing the carbon footprint of commercial buildings will be a crucial battle in the fight against climate change. With the technology now available to them, today’s students really can play a leading role in managing their own environment at a local level, and this will have positive repercussions on a regional, national and even global scale - the children are building their own future. 

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Energy in Education For further information on Airflow Developments visit www.eibi.co.uk/enquiries and enter ENQUIRY No. 131

Effective ventilation is essential for students to maintain concentration

Stay sharp in the classroom It’s not easy concentrating in a stuffy classroom. Lucy Holland discusses how a ventilation strategy is so important for energy managers working in the education sector

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entilating a classroom is just as important as ventilating your home, if not more. With up to 30 pupils in one room, you can only begin to imagine how polluted the air quality is. Effective ventilation is paramount, it will not just improve the quality of air, but will also increase concentration and productivity levels of the students.

This is crucial for protecting the health and wellbeing of the pupils and teachers.

Here are five reasons ventilation in classrooms are essential for everyone: • Air Quality: Children stay in classrooms for long periods of time. However, classrooms often have insufficient ventilation.

This negatively impacts a child’s concentration levels and ability to learn. Effective ventilation ensures

there are constant air changes in the classroom. There is a constant stream of fresh air circulated and polluted stale air is extracted from the room.

It is known fact that poor indoor air quality is linked to many health conditions. The build-up of pollutants and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) contribute to highly polluted air that is inhaled by students and teachers.

Trapped in classrooms Cleaning products, sprays and glue are just some of the contributors to the poor atmosphere found trapped in classrooms. Installing a ventilation system can help reduce the pollutant build up by removing toxic air.

• Concentration: It can be difficult to concentrate in a stuffy classroom.

But in a properly ventilated

classroom, children work faster and are better at solving tasks. When 30 children are in one room there will be extremely high levels of CO2, often exceeding the CIBSE guidelines maximum of 1,500ppm. This will directly affect the performance and attention span of those in the room, causing tiredness, drowsiness, and a lack of concentration. Longer-term exposure to polluted air can also lead to headaches, irritation of nose and throat, and coughs.

• Filtration: Mechanical ventilation units have in-built filters, that not only filter the air that is being exhausted, but the air that is being brought in from outside. High grade filters ePM10 70 per cent (F7) are in place on the supply air in. Although we refer to ‘fresh air’ as the air coming in from outdoors, how fresh do you really think it is?

Depending on your location and

Lucy Holland is marketing executive at Airflow Developments

distance from towns, cities and busy roads, the air pollution differs.

Filtering the air coming into the classroom ensures pollution levels are minimised and ‘fresh air’ really is coming in.

• Control. The great thing about mechanical ventilation is that not only does it let you control your indoor environment, but it also contributes to the temperature of the room.

Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery units transfer the heat from the extracted air across to the incoming air without any cross contamination. This means the heat is retained in the classroom whilst the air is being ventilated. Adding a CO2 sensor to the system provides demand control ventilation, meaning the supply and extract flows ramp up and down according to the CO2 levels.

• Building Regulations: Ventilation is also essential to comply with the latest building regulations and guidelines which include: Part F & L; Non-Domestic Building Services Compliance Guide and Ventilation and Indoor Air Quality in Schools; and Building Bulletin 101 and 93 (BB101 & BB93).

The UK government introduced BB101 Guidelines on Ventilation, Thermal Comfort, and Indoor Air Quality in Schools to ensure that when schools are built and renovated, they provide a healthy indoor air environment for every student.

Adjusting on demand Airflow offers a ceiling-mounted heat recovery solution for classrooms, offices, and conference rooms - the Sussuro. The Susurro’s integral CO2 sensor actively monitors the indoor air quality inside the room or office and enables the unit to automatically adjust its ventilation based on occupant demand; maintaining a healthy, fresh indoor air environment without the occupants having to open a window.

By maintaining healthy CO2 levels, Susurro is claimed to improve concentration and productivity levels of students and employees, lowers occupant fatigue, decreases the risk of long-term health issues, and reduces the number of days lost due to illness. 

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Vincent de Rul is director of EV Solutions at EDF

Electric Vehicles For further information on EDF visit www.eibi.co.uk/enquiries and enter ENQUIRY No. 150

An EV strategy must be included within a much larger energy system

Managing site capacity For businesses looking to begin their transition to EVs, Vincent de Rul urges businesses to consider the management of site capacity when creating their charging infrastructure plans

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ransport is the UK’s largest contributor to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and is a key area of focus for net zero initiatives. The UK Government has been seeking views on bringing forward the end to the sale of new petrol, diesel and hybrid cars and vans from 2040 to 2035, or earlier if a faster transition looks possible.

For those organisations developing their EV strategy and looking to understand the EV eco-system (see diagram) it’s useful to consider this as a component within a much larger energy system which includes not only the EV, chargepoints and supporting technologies (such as Vehicle-to-Grid) but also gives wider consideration to crucial elements like power supply, energy efficiency and storage, as well as the management of these through flexible systems.

Once you’ve begun developing an EV strategy and identified your requirements for a vehicle transition plan, you’ll also need to create a charging infrastructure plan. Mapping and overlaying your requirements onto vehicle leasing or procurement cycles will help to inform charging infrastructure requirements. Charging speeds, energy contracts and capacity

all need to be factored into the planning process.

Having an understanding of your on-site charging requirements will, in turn, help to inform whether or not you have sufficient electrical capacity or whether you may need to consider workarounds. If there is enough capacity from the existing supply, no network reinforcement will be required. However, if any reinforcement is needed, it will be your local DNO who will provide this.

Minimise additional investment So how can businesses minimise additional infrastructure investment?

In the first instance, and dependent on charging requirements, businesses should look to optimise the use of chargepoints through a Load Management System. There are two types of system: static and dynamic.

A static load management system evenly distributes power for all charging stations across several connected EVs, no matter how many of the individual EVs are charging.

Each charging station is allocated the same charging power.

In contrast, a dynamic load management system can intelligently reduce and divert the power to where it’s needed. For

example, reducing the load for charge points where vehicles have been plugged for longer to ensure that those with the least amount of charge can catch up. This type of system can also be programmed to identify “VIP” charge points – so, if for example an emergency vehicle parks in a chargepoint bay, they will be prioritised for charging – by using VIP RFID card.

By using LMS to balance the load, your business can ensure that additional charging processes don’t cause the connection capacity to be exceeded, saving you additional grid expansion and operating costs.

First and foremost, energy efficiency should be at the top of the agenda for any organisation working to support the UK’s net zero ambition. Optimising energy use on site will also ensure better, more efficient use of the capacity that is already available.

Using on-site generation like solar or wind assets, to power your chargepoints could be a solution to capacity constraints. This energy can then be used on-site, reducing the imported energy demand and/ or earning revenues from flexibility services (like EDF’s PowerShift).

If coupled with a battery, this

technology can offer significant savings potential.

Using new technology such as V2G chargers can present another opportunity for managing capacity and costs. By charging your V2G-capable vehicles when your import energy is cheap (e.g. overnight or from a generation source such as solar/wind) and discharging from the car back into the site when energy costs are at their peak (typically 4-7pm) the need to import expensive power can be avoided. By utilising the EV to power your site, you can avoid having to import as much energy as you would normally. This reduces the maximum demand drawn from the grid, and can avoid the need to pay for costly reinforcement or additional KVA. Taking this approach will require careful management of fleet. It will call for the vehicles to be parked, charged and available to be utilised during the peak hours of 4-7pm weekdays (and potentially other times). A single vehicle’s storage only offers a short timescale before the energy is depleted and needs to be recharged. So, multiple vehicles would be required to truly benefit from V2G in a commercial environment.

Battery storage as a solution could take the form of direct connection to a grid-scale battery storage network (like the type of project that Pivot Power, part of EDF Renewable, is developing in the UK) or utilisation of smaller scale on-site battery assets.

Smaller scale on-site battery assets allow you to charge your battery when your import energy is cheaper and discharge from the battery when energy costs are at their peak, helping you to avoid the need to import expensive power from the grid.

Utilising battery storage in this way reduces the maximum demand being drawn from the grid, and can avoid the need to pay for costly reinforcement or additional KVA. This also offers a temporary resilience against outages to the main incoming supply.

At EDF, our team can support you in defining the best options to electrify your fleet and identify your site capacity requirements. We’ll help you in navigating and implementing the option that’s right for you, as well as defining the right EV charging infrastructure.  • https://www.edfenergy.com/electric-cars/ business/consult

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Energy in Education For further information on products and services visit www.eibi.co.uk/enquiries and enter the appropriate online enquiry number

Software helps cut energy use by 33% Since 2000, Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, has lowered its energy budget by $6m and reduced its energy use index by 33 per cent. And this at a time when the campus has grown by 186,000m2 and student population has increased by 63 per cent.

Texas Tech has implemented the eSight energy management software (EMS) as a means of effecting a transition from reactive maintenance to persistent commissioning. Reactive maintenance is the practice of correcting equipment failures after they make themselves known. Persistent commissioning is identifying failures as or even before they occur and taking immediate action to restore as-new performance.

Texas Tech searched for a customisable EMS that harvests realtime energy data to quickly identify energy savings opportunities and improve the response time of repairs.

They needed a modular, scalable solution that was rich in analytic capabilities and low in initial cost of implementation.

Texas Tech selected eSight for many reasons: eSight provides an abundance of user- friendly analytical tools, particularly CUSUM analysis, and modular features that are not offered by any other software. The modularity and scalability of eSight allowed Texas Tech to design a low-cost pilot project and implement the innovation by integrating existing meters before investing in new meters.

During the pilot, eSight Energy worked with several control companies and Texas Tech’s Energy Management Team to integrate data from a select few meters into the eSight platform.

In addition to the industry-leading analytics of eSight, the ease of deployment and low initial costs provided a quick return on investment.

On the day the eSight Energy EMS was powered up in July 2015 (FY15), it identified a $220,000 savings opportunity in the English/Philosophy building, on which Texas Tech quickly capitalised. In the second year (FY16), similar corrections produced savings of over $500,000.

Since that return on such a lowcost implementation, Texas Tech has integrated meters from 49 buildings with plans to expand to 200 buildings over the next several years. 

ONLINE ENQUIRY 135

Massachusetts university looks to optimise air handling units The creation of the University of Massachusetts Medical School’s $400m Albert Sherman Centre, has brought about a new era of biomedical research, medical education and campus collaboration. Standing eleven storeys high, with nine occupied floors topped by a two-storey mechanical penthouse, the facility includes research laboratories, six learning community centres, a 350-seat auditorium, conference rooms, a full-service café and dining area and a fitness centre.

If collaboration is a key output of the centre’s work, it was also a watchword in its construction, which was driven by the needs of the University of Massachusetts Building Authority, responsible for the installation and operation of the building’s cooling system. Also crucial was the ability of Konvekta AG, a Switzerland-based developer and provider of high-performance energyrecovery systems, to meet those needs.

Konvekta determined that the Sherman Centre would require two

dedicated air-handling units to ensure satisfactory cooling during summer extremes. Reviewing which type of heat exchanger would efficiently recover the heat generated when the two air-handling units were operating, Konvekta chose brazed plate heat exchanger (BPHE) technology.

The design and performance of BPHEs distinguish themselves from competing technologies such as gasket plate heat exchangers. They are constructed in such a way as to allow media at different temperatures to come into close proximity and enable heat or cold to be transferred from one media to the other very efficiently.

Other advantages that BPHEs provide include their compact size, flexible installation, self-cleaning operation and lower life-cycle cost.

For the air-handling units at the Sherman Centre, Konvekta commissioned two SWEP B50H BPHEs. Simon Buehler, sales manager for Konvekta, said “SWEP B-type heat exchangers are able to optimise energy use, material and space in cooling systems. They are compact, less costly than other solutions, durable and have high heat-transfer performance.” 

ONLINE ENQUIRY 134

New boilers mark school’s 600th anniversary Boilers and water heaters from Lochinvar are playing an important part in a project designed to mark the 600th anniversary of one of the country’s oldest schools.

The Royal Latin School was founded in 1423 to teach boys the ‘Trivium’ (Latin grammar, logic and rhetoric) in Buckingham. It received royal status in 1597, at which time it was required to teach six boys, and it started admitting girls in 1907.

It has subsequently moved to two different sites with its current campus opened by the Queen Mother in 1963.

As its 600th anniversary approaches, the school has embarked on an ambitious three-phase development programme to provide a new science laboratory, which was recently opened

by Professor Robert Winston, a sports campus and to substantially upgrade many of its other facilities.

Lochinvar provided three Herald boilers along with two EcoCharger water heaters as part of a major plant

room refurbishment to provide the required amount of heating and hot water for the main school building including classrooms, dining hall, assembly hall, offices and kitchen.

These high performance, energy efficient products were installed to replace ageing cast iron boilers and atmospheric water heaters.

Stainless steel is an increasingly

popular material with specifiers because of its ability to resist corrosion of up to 11 bar and can deliver temperatures up to 88oC at Delta T of 30oC. Lochinvar also supplied two CPM wall-hung gas fired boilers in 2018, which continue to provide heating for one of the school’s other buildings. 

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Indoor comfort for new football stadium

Pipe insulation for stunning restoration Kingspan Kooltherm Pipe Insulation has been used to insulate pipework distributing ancient thermal spring water around a stunningly refurbished Georgian spa hotel in Buxton.

The Crescent, Natural Baths and Pump Room were constructed during the 18th and 19th Centuries. The historic buildings have now been restored as part of a £70m project by Buxton Crescent Ltd. The regeneration project includes a thermal natural mineral water spa, visitor attraction (managed by the Buxton Crescent Heritage Trust), retail units and an 81-bedroom luxury spa hotel to be operated by ENSANA. The Crescent building’s Grade 1 listed status, its poor state of repair, and close location to the town’s historic springs presented significant challenges to the project team, which included Vinci Construction UK and Imtech. While the focus has been on sensitive restoration, the building services specification also makes use of modern technologies which will make the building both comfortable and cost efficient to run. As part of this approach, Kingspan Kooltherm Pipe Insulation was installed on concealed pipework throughout the buildings.

Kingspan Kooltherm Pipe Insulation is one of the most thermally efficient pipework insulation materials on the market today, with an aged thermal conductivity as low as 0.025 W/mK (at 10 °C). This performance allowed pipework, including that transporting the naturally heated thermal water, to be effectively insulated with the thinnest possible thickness of insulation. This was a key requirement for the project.

Boston United Football Club’s new Jakemans Community Stadium west stand has been equipped with a high efficiency air conditioning system by Toshiba.

The Super Heat Recovery Multi (SHRM-e) variable refrigerant flow (VRF) solution, installed by Formost Air Conditioning Ltd, will provide indoor comfort for fans and visitors as part of the brand new ground and stadium development.

Facilities include a banqueting room, lounge, boardroom, community hub and four hospitality suites, all air conditioned to the highest standards with a combination of Toshiba SHRM-e systems linked to the company’s VN heat recovery fresh air ventilation units.

The VN systems harness energy from exhaust air to pre-condition incoming fresh air, integrating with the heat recovery VRF system to create a total building solution.

Use of the VN units reduces the cooling and heating load and the overall size of the air conditioning system required, saving energy and reducing capital costs.

“The aim is to give our fans the best ground we can,” said David Newton, Boston United chairman. “Providing a comfortable indoor climate for visitors and their guests is a key part of the experience.”

The Pilgrims’ new stadium is being built to Football League standards with increased capacity of over 5,000. It will provide a range of community, sports, education and training programs, plus in due course a sports hall and an all-weather 3G pitch for community use.

“We positioned the outdoor condensing units installed at either end of the new stadium, with plenty of space for connections and access,” said Simon Murphy, who headed the installation for Formost Air Conditioning Ltd.

ONLINE ENQUIRY 102

ONLINE ENQUIRY 101

Electric vehicle charging in Portsmouth Portsmouth International Port now has the capability to power electric vehicles at a green and cost-effective rate thanks to battery manufacturer, GS Yuasa. Engineers have installed the company’s lead acid and lithium-ion batteries into a dual chemical battery system.

Technicians installed specialist racking, custom built equipment, 240 Yuasa ENL batteries and a lithium-ion energy storage cabinet into a containerised 20-foot weatherproof shelter located at the front of the port’s freight entrance.

The battery system which is being piloted at the port is able to supply 100kW of power. It will provide power for electric vehicle charging and localised grid support, allowing electric vehicles to be fast charged during the day from electricity supplied overnight at a lower tariff. Consequently, it will save time and money while contributing to the crucial environmental needs.

The lead acid batteries are manufactured at GS Yuasa’s Ebbw Vale factory. The system’s lithium batteries come from Japan.

ONLINE ENQUIRY 104

Sports clubs warm up with water heaters Ariston’s electric water heaters offer sports club owners and gym managers a means of providing cost effective and energy efficient hot water throughout their premises. The company’s Velis Evo and Pro1 Eco units ensure sports teams or gym goers can enjoy a comfortable post-match or post-workout shower, thanks to fast reheat times and large storage capacities. Furthermore, the water heaters benefit from Ariston’s renowned anti-legionella function, which automatically increases the water temperature up to 65°C once a month, to eliminate the risk of legionella bacteria developing.

The super-slim Velis Evo electric water heater from Ariston features a versatile, ultraslim (27cm deep) design, while its advanced twin tank technology ensures optimum performance. With a choice of 45 or 80-litre models available, units offer up to 16 per cent more hot water availability compared to an equivalent capacity standard electric water heater. In addition, superbly fast reheat times of 50 minutes ensure sports teams won’t have to endure a cold post-match shower.

Similarly, Ariston’s Pro1 Eco electric storage water heaters have capacities of 50, 80 and 100 litres. They include a display that allows for easy operation, alongside simple temperature setting and control for advanced performance – lending themselves perfectly to light commercial environments and public ONLINE ENQUIRY 103 washrooms with high hot water demand.

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Data Centre Management For further information on Keysource visit www.eibi.co.uk/enquiries and enter ENQUIRY No. 133

Going to a new level Ted Pulfer takes a look at some of the improvements data centre operators can take to ensure that their facilities begin to move forward with efficiency improvements

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ith IOT, AI, 5G enabled networks, and other data dependent technology coming at us thick and fast, it is clear that processing and storage will be in higher demand. With that will come an increase in energy consumption.

Operators can no longer expect manufacturers to create more powerful hardware in half the footprint at smaller costs. Rather, operators will need to find different ways to improve commercial efficiencies and tackle sustainability concerns.

A recent survey by the Uptime Institute that reported an industry average power usage effectiveness (PUE) for 2019 among respondents was 1.67, suggesting that improvements in data centre facility energy efficiency have flattened out and even deteriorated slightly over the past two years. The survey suggests that making small low-cost amendments and optimisation within certain infrastructure assets can in some cases achieve energy savings of up to 20-30 per cent.

This is one the reasons that we launched EOS (Energy Optimisation Service), a service designed to help companies optimise the energy efficiency of their data centres, saving money and reducing carbon emissions. The service includes a dedicated piece highlighting our true understanding of the facility in question, its utilisation and required operation along with an assessment of the power and cooling infrastructure. Opportunities to optimise are then identified along with their savings and return periods in order to distinguish recommendations which suit the lifecycle of the facility and the IT within it.

To mitigate some of the increased power needs, there has been a focus on cooling upgrades. Compressorbased cooling has all but been eradicated from new large data centre builds due to inefficient transfer of heat. Cooling has been

Data centre operators are going to have to find different ways to tackle sustainability concerns

in the limelight for a few years and though the specific technology used for each location is a ‘horses for courses’ approach, DX cooling, although more efficient than it used to be, is no longer appropriate for most larger facilities. For the most part, data centres still operate at an average density of less than 10kW per rack so air is still quite relevant.

Enormous water consumption There are still other sustainability factors that need to be considered and one is the enormous water consumption in cooling systems and in power generation. In simple terms water is required to generate power and electricity is used to produce

water. So, based on the specific method of production, numbers associated with water and energy consumption may be significantly higher than what is being claimed by the larger (and of course smaller) data centres.

In addition, the use of all-air systems results in reduced energy consumption, but increases the water usage on-site and that’s without factoring in the evaporative loss associated with storing water in large reservoirs, or water usage at the power plant which on a 10MW facility increases the water usage effectiveness (WUE) dramatically.

The increase may reach up to +9,000 per cent reaching the 1,180,000m3/

Ted Pulfer is enterprise and end user consultant at Keysource

yr for a data centre in London.

To put this into perspective, this amount of water is equal to the total annual potable water needs of all Cambridge’s resident population.

Keysource is working with data centres of all sizes to focus on the wider environmental issues. These are businesses quietly doing their part for the health of the planet and consequently for the financial health of the organisation, I’ll reiterate, most savings are centred around cooling optimisation.

While AI, AR and machine learning can be used to optimise data centre efficiency, we are not yet at mass adoption and there is certainly an opportunity now to make efficiency gains in the supporting infrastructure.

However, that said, it is worth noting one great example of Machine Learning. In the US the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Centre (NERSC) have created active communications between their Cori supercomputer’s internal blower fans and the cooling towers and pumps of the traditional cooling plant. The Cray XC Dynamic Fan Speed Control feature automatically varies the cabinet blower fan speeds based on processor temperatures. This new ODA link method provides continuous feedback, which enables the Cray system and building controls to shift the load ratio between the blower fans and the cooling water loop depending on outdoor environmental conditions.

Widespread adoption, coupled with the right-sized and appropriate cooling technology and an efficient building to house the equipment, can get the industry to a point of prime efficiency.

When Innovate UK recently undertook a building performance evaluation (BPE) review it highlighted that most buildings were significantly underperforming against expectations. In the nondomestic sector, average total carbon emissions were 3.8 times higher than the average design estimate. Perhaps a BPE study for critical facilities would be valuable to helping the UK meet its 2050 net zero target and could help underpin an accurate energy certificate to further incentivise businesses to look at a sustainable approach? 

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Data Centre Management For further information on Mitsubishi Electric visit www.eibi.co.uk/enquiries and enter ENQUIRY No. 132

Keep up with demand James Smurthwaite examines how data centre owners are having to come to terms with surging demand and meeting Climate Change Agreements

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ata centres and IT server rooms are the backbone of almost every sector in the UK. This is especially true in 2020, with millions of homeworking employees relying on servers and databases around the country to continue to work collaboratively with colleagues and clients. Computing is everywhere - from retailers harnessing the power of data to understand shoppers’ online and instore preferences, a manufacturing company using software to analyse product lines and improve overall quality, or a typically office-based company which needs its computers to link with its global connections.

But keeping these systems running, and crucially, making sure they stay cool 24/7 and ensuring they operate at full capacity requires a lot of energy – making data centres and IT rooms very energy-intensive spaces. TechUK, the membership organisation for technology businesses in the UK, estimates that data centres consume 2.89TWh of power per year.

As the use of data and IT continues to grow, dependence on data centres will continue to increase accordingly.

As it stands, there are 5.9m2 of data

centre space globally, with another 400,000m2 under construction.

Many of these ‘data centres’ will be little more than a room in an office building, rather than a massive computing ‘shed’ but regardless of size, to keep them running reliably, hardware must be kept cool – and this requires energy.

The COVID-19 pandemic has also greatly exacerbated this demand.

Working from home has led to a significant surge in the need for data storage and processing, and many companies have already outsourced IT services and cloud-based systems as a more efficient way to manage IT infrastructure.

The data centre sector already has a Climate Change Agreement (CCA), a negotiated agreement with the government that is offered to energy-intensive industries. In return for a reduction in or exclusion from paying some carbon-related taxes, participants commit to energy efficiency targets which are specific to that industry.

The government announced earlier this year that the current agreements in place would be extended until 2025, meaning that data centres will continue to have their carbon emissions and energy

use measured against agreed targets for the next five years.

The potential annual savings in these carbon-related taxes can run to many thousands of pounds for data centres, meaning it is also cost effective for businesses to commit to reducing carbon emissions.

These cost savings are even more significant when you consider that data centres in the UK also face higher energy costs than many other parts of the world.

Commitment to efficiency It’s fair to say that UK data centres have already shown firm commitments to energy efficiency and sustainability. Now, it’s important to look at what else can be done, particularly in the building services arena. One of the areas with significant potential savings is the reuse of heat.

By nature, data centres and IT rooms produce large amounts of heat as a by-product. This heat is often simply expelled from the building, but there is technology already available which can make heat reuse a highly cost-effective option.

Heat recovery captures heat rejected from a cooling system and applies this to other areas of

James Smurthwaite is business development manager at Mitsubishi Electric

building services such as space or water heating, making it possible to save large amounts of energy while reducing long-term operational costs.

Clearly, in a building or room which ejects large amounts of heat, the ability to use that energy elsewhere has enormous potential.

First, the heat extracted from areas that require cooling, such as where IT hardware is operating, can be provided to other occupied spaces, such as offices, where occupants need comfort heating. It can also boost the temperature of hot water to reduce the load on boilers providing hot water to a building.

Beyond individual buildings, recovered heat from data centres can also potentially be used more widely if we use district heating networks.

Through these networks, waste heat is delivered to other nearby buildings, and they are already playing an important role for data centres in Scandinavia. There, data centres are being built specifically so waste heat can be fed into the local district heating network, and the Swedish government has reduced taxes for data centres to encourage their use. Stockholm in particular is a pioneer in the use of waste heat, with more than 30 data centres already located there, which feed their waste heat into the 2,800km district heating network.

This is a real area of opportunity for the government in the UK to encourage data centres to increase their energy efficiency, by rewarding those data centre owners and operators that offer the ability to recover wasted heat.

For those looking to move away from gas boilers altogether, and make use of clean electricity, for example, there are also chiller solutions which offer simultaneous heating. This approach removes the need for a gas connection all together.

It is also possible to use a dedicated heat recovery heat pump.

A water-source heat pump uses the condensed water or return chiller water as its energy source. It is an excellent approach for large water-cooled chiller applications that improves the performance of large-capacity chillers and dedicated plant – enhancing the ROI of capital expenditure and improving longterm performance. 

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Modular UPS offers data centre operators reduced life-time costs Kohler Uninterruptible Power Ltd has launched its PowerWAVE MF1500 DPA. Exceptionally resilient, flexible and scalable to 6MW, the modular new UPS is claimed to offer best-in-market VFI mode energy efficiency.

The new addition to the KUP product line redefines lifetime cost for data centres and other high-density applications, without compromising on reliability.

Designed with a clear goal in mind, to define that reliability does not require excess, and high power can exist alongside efficient use of energy, the MF1500 DPA combines proven Decentralised Parallel Architecture (DPA) technology with the latest advances in components and software.

DPA products contain all the essential components of a UPS within each module, including the static switch, allowing independent operation. Its innovative slide-in, cable free module design can be hot-

swapped without affecting the rest of the system, easing maintenance, and reducing system repair times to minutes. It also dramatically increases availability allowing a ‘payas-you-grow’ approach and delivers exceptional MTTR. Protection is achieved with 97.4 per cent VFI energy efficiency, reducing

environmental impact, optimising PUE measures and delivering significant financial savings in energy and cooling costs. In addition, the advanced design of the MF1500 DPA maximises the life of consumables such as fans and capacitors, with replacement required only once in a 15-year period.

Customers can opt for a 1,000kW

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or 1,500kW frame size and 250kW modules helping to right-size for the initial load with the ability to scale up or down depending on future requirements paralleling units to achieve 6MW. For additional flexibility and resilience, each DPA module can be fed from either an independent or common battery system. Through its scalability, this product is well positioned to support a wide range of data centres.

David Renton, managing director for Kohler Uninterruptible Power, comments: “To give an example of the likely cost saving, in a 1.5 MW installation, over 10 years the 0.7 per cent extra efficiency of the MF1500 DPA versus a competitor at 96.7 per cent can save over £150,000 in electrical and cooling costs – a hugely significant saving.”

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Data Centre Management For further information on Zizo visit www.eibi.co.uk/enquiries and enter ENQUIRY No. 144

Peter Ruffley is CEO at Zizo

AI can make the difference Peter Ruffley discusses how we can best use artificial intelligence and what role it can have within the data centre, particularly when it comes to reducing the amount of energy consumed

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t present, the IT industry is doing itself no favours by promising the earth with emerging technologies, without having the ability to fully deliver them. This is especially true with AI. If there is a clear business need and an outcome in mind then AI can be the right tool. But it won’t do everything for you – the bulk of the work still has to be done somewhere, either in the machine learning or data preparation phase.

With IoT, many organisations are chasing the mythical concept of ‘let’s have every device under management’. But why? What’s the real benefit of doing that?

All they are doing is creating an overwhelming amount of lowvalue data. They are expecting data warehouses to store a massive amount of data. If a business keeps data from a device that shows it pinged every 30 seconds rather than a minute, then that’s just keeping data for the sake of it. There’s no strategy there. The ‘everyone store everything’ mentality needs to change.

The sheer amount of data often needed to analyse can be difficult to digest, however, with the implementation of AI, the data can be examined quickly and thoroughly. Particularly into energy assets, data can be collated and analysed to help businesses become more efficient than before by identifying savings opportunities and opportunities for optimisation.

By having insight into the management of energy, predictions can be made about energy spikes in order to suggest when things can be turned on and off. By using energy at an optimal level, businesses can contribute to better preservation of energy and efficient application without creating waste.

Additionally, solutions to how to improve the performance of large-scale application systems are being created, whether that’s by getting better processes, better

With the implementation of AI data can be examined quickly and thoroughly

hardware or whether it’s reducing the cost to run them through improved cooling or heat exchange systems. But data centre providers have to be able to combine these infrastructure elements with a deeper understanding of business processes. This is something very few providers, as well as Managed Service Providers (MSPs) and Cloud Service Providers (CSPs) are currently doing. It’s great to have the kit and use submerged cooling systems and advanced power mechanisms but what does that give the customer?

How can providers help customers understand what more can be done with their data systems? How do providers differentiate themselves and how can they say they harness these new technologies to do something different?

Sustainability is riding high on the business agenda and is something providers need to take into consideration. How can the infrastructure needed for emerging technologies work better? Perhaps it’s with sharing data between the industry and working together to analyse it. By applying AI to the energy sector, data can be collated and progressed to make efficient and informed decisions, which

is essential to drive growth and increase cost-savings. Can the industry move the conversation on from being purely technical and around how much power and kilowatts are being used to how is this helping our social corporate responsibility/our green credentials?

Completely air cooled There are some fascinating innovations already happening, where lessons can be learnt. In Scandinavia for example, there are those who are building carbon neutral data centres, which are completely air cooled, with the use of sustainable power cooling through solar. The cooling also comes through the building by basically opening the windows.

There are also water-cooled data centres out there under the ocean.

We saw a lot of organisations and data centres jump in head first with the explosion of big data and not come out with any tangible results – we could be on the road to seeing history repeat itself. If we’re not careful, AI could just become another IT bubble.

There is still time to turn things around. As we move into a world of ever-increasing data volumes, we are

constantly searching for the value hidden within low-value data that is being produced by IoT, smartphone apps and at the edge. As the global costs of energy rise, and the numbers of HPC clusters powering AI to drive our next generation technologies increase, new technologies have to be found that reduce the amount of energy consumed and lower the cost of running the data centre, beyond standard air cooling.

It’s great to see people thinking outside of the box on this, with submerged HPC systems and full, naturally aerated data centres, but more will have to be done (and fast) to meet up with global data growth.

AI is opening new opportunities for various industries to tap into unmapped data and connect it to energy resources, providing real opportunities to address the challenges of the environment.

The appetite for this technology is undoubtedly there but for it to be able to be deployed at scale and for enterprises to see real value, reductions and new business opportunities from it, data centres need to move the conversation on, work together and individually utilise AI in the best way possible or risk losing out to the competition. 

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New Products For further information on products and services visit www.eibi.co.uk/enquiries and enter the appropriate online enquiry number

Next generation magnetic dirt separator

Efficient car park lighting and control The second generation of SubstiTUBE T8 Connected LED tubes have been developed for use in car parks with several points of access, factories, warehouses, and corridors.

The system solution SubstiTUBE T8 Connected from LEDVANCE allows smart lighting without programming or rewiring which can reduce time and labour costs significantly. With both the sensors and the SubstiTUBEs communicating via the new ZigBee 3.0 standard, large groups of up to 200 devices – tubes and sensors – can be wirelessly controlled to extend presence detection and the corresponding automated lighting to cover large areas. For example, with sensors located at several entrances and exits, the tubes can be automatically turned on in sync if someone enters the premises. Therefore, the system is ideal to meet the specific and demanding lighting requirements in car parks.

The new SubstiTUBE T8 Connected features a master and slave mode for multizone control. The factory setting of the multi-sensor is slave mode, yet it can be configured to be a master sensor during network installation.

Thanks to multi zonal dimming, occupancy sensing and daylight ambient setting, the intelligent system of new SubstiTUBE T8 Connected and sensors achieves significant energy savings of 50 percent.

The SubstiTUBE T8 Connected comes in a glass design with shatter protection film, has a very high efficiency of up to 150 lm/W, and a lifetime of up to 50,000 hours. The tubes are available in lengths of 1,200 mm and 1,500 mm with a fiveyear guarantee.

The LEDVANCE Connected Sensors come in two variants for different installation heights: LB (Low Bay) for heights up to ONLINE ENQUIRY 106 4m and HB (High Bay) for heights from 4 up to 14m.

Spirotech has unveiled its ‘next generation’ SpiroCross featuring a magnetic dirt separator for even more efficient magnetite removal.

The SpiroCross XC-M utilises magnetic field amplification to attract magnetic particles that are in the system fluid, the captured dirt then being easily removed via a 360o rotating drain valve.

SpiroCross units combine three functions in one: efficient hydraulic balancing, a deaerator for the effective removal of circulating and trapped air, and dirt separation, now with the addition of a magnet in the XC-M. Rob Jacques, Spirotech’s national key accounts and technical sales manager, said: “The SpiroCross XC-M with magnet is a cost-efficient three-in-one solution designed to maximise system efficiency over the long term.”

Today’s highly energy-efficient systems require optimal hydraulic balancing and can only offer best performance if air and dirt is removed from the system fluid.

With the new SpiroCross design, Spirotech says it has maximised the effectiveness of the magnet by positioning it vertically in the middle of the unit, in the direct flow path.

As well as the magnet, the SpiroCross XC-M has four temperature sensor mounts, which can be used for the temperature measurement of a heating or cooling system that is equipped with an independent control system.

SpiroCross units not only help maximise a system’s energy efficiency, they save on space, and installation and maintenance costs.

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Easy to operate current transformer Portable electrical test equipment supplier Megger has launched the MVCT, a current transformer (CT) tester with the option to test voltage transformers. It offers industry-leading test speeds for CTs, easy operation via a colour touchscreen and the convenience of having VT and CT test facilities in the same unit.

The MVCT can be directly connected to multi-ratio CTs and will perform a full sequence of tests on up to five taps automatically, at the touch of a button, without the need to change the test lead connections. This feature provides enormous time savings compared with conventional instruments where each tap has to be tested separately.

The instrument’s large colour touchscreen makes it easy to perform automatic testing using pre-constructed test routines as well as manual testing for special cases.

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Dual refrigerant air curtain stems losses Mitsubishi Electric has launched a new, R32 Air Curtain which is designed to improve energy efficiency and minimise heat loss from a building while allowing businesses to benefit from an open door policy.

Developed by Mitsubishi Electric in conjunction with air curtain manufacturer Thermoscreens in the UK, and currently available in 1m, 1.5m or 2m lengths as a dual refrigerant solution (R32 or R410A), the units are suitable for businesses looking to future proof their buildings by running completely on R32. They offer lower run costs and carbon emissions through the Mr Slim Power Inverter high efficiency outdoor units.

As the first manufacturer in the UK to launch an R32 Air Curtain, the new Mr Slim HP DX 2.0 Air Curtain completes the R32 offering across splits indoor units and allows customers to move to one sole refrigerant on site.

Flexible and easier installation is achieved with the R32 indoor unit as it is available in a recessed or exposed design offering. In addition, the Mr Slim HP DX 2.0 air curtains can be used as twin systems, using two identical units to serve a wide or double entrance/exit, served by a single common Mr ONLINE ENQUIRY 108 Slim outdoor unit.

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TALKING HEADS Stewart Dawson

A service to give peace of mind

Stewart Dawson is managing director of Vattenfall Network Solutions UK

Dawson: 'contingency planning is likely to be much higher on the priority list from now on'

A new business model promises to reduce the risk and network management workload associated with high-voltage infrastructure, says Stewart Dawson

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f the events of 2020 have told us anything, it’s that nothing can be taken for granted. Unexpected events have the potential to impact significantly on individuals, companies and governments – sometimes in ways that could take years to address or rectify. Contingency planning is likely to be much higher on the priority list from now on.

The energy sector might actually be one or two steps ahead of many others as concerns about consistency of supply have been widely discussed for several years now. In the UK, an ageing electricity network and insufficient investment in new infrastructure – with some proposed upgrade projects being cancelled outright – recently led the CEO of the National Grid, John Pettigrew, to voice his fears about the likelihood of more regular blackouts: “The risk of a loss of supply increases as a result of not spending as much on asset health, because the assets are deteriorating as they age.”

Decaying infrastructure is by no means the only source of concern. Security specialists have been expressing fears about the disruptive possibilities of cyber-attack on energy systems for a long time, while the increase in extreme weather events due to climate change presents another huge potential challenge to energy resilience.

There are also personnel issues to consider; for instance, during the early days of the pandemic, the National Grid urged readiness for blackouts with energy companies suspending non-essential work and anticipating a shortfall of engineers caused by sickness and quarantines.

There’s no question that power outages can be devastating. Not only are they detrimental to productivity, loss of power can also have serious consequences for equipment and systems when spikes in power levels are involved. With digitalisation and automation continuing

‘Power as a Service allows businesses to concentrate more firmly on their core activities ’

apace across huge swathes of industry, the after-effects of power interruptions are only going to become more complex.

It’s no wonder, then, that interest in services that aim to minimise energy-related risk is growing. New models which deliver ‘Power as a Service’ (PaaS) are coming to market, which are specifically designed to provide peace of mind for major electricity users – such as customers in manufacturing, industry, transport and commercial property – while freeing up financial capital.

It’s important to note that Power as a Service is quite distinct from Energy as a Service (EaaS) – a model that has become widely utilised, but which generally refers to energy efficiency-related business models or subscriptions. By contrast, PaaS applies exclusively to major energy users who own, or are looking to invest in new, high voltage electrical infrastructure.

Managing and planning energy usage is becoming an increasingly complex – and time-consuming – task. PaaS addresses this head-on by removing all client responsibility for high voltage networks.

The idea is that the service provider takes on ownership and compliance in return for a fixed monthly fee. All of the associated concerns – including regulatory and environmental issues – are also accommodated within the PaaS model.

Recent experience in Sweden and elsewhere confirms that the model is resonating particularly strongly now because it allows businesses to concentrate more firmly on their core activities.

Especially now, energy is such a fast-moving sector, and keeping tabs on the latest developments is challenging for any business.

Partnering with a specialist allows the entire area of responsibility

to be removed, freeing up personnel and resources. For instance, in the case of technical staff, it could mean they have significantly more time to focus on other core technology issues, such as the maintenance of IT networks.

Moving forward into what promises to be a more unpredictable future (on just about every level!), PaaS also provides guarantees regarding system breakdown. So if an asset should fail during the timeframe of the contract, the service provider will repair or replace the asset at its own expense.

In such challenging times, it should come as no surprise to hear that the ability of PaaS to release CAPEX back into customers’ core businesses has prompted a great deal of interest in the service. But with many businesses also needing to refocus on their core operations to ensure they remain viable, Power as a Service allows companies to take one major source of worry out of the equation altogether. And with continual innovations to reduce the carbon impact of energy services, a customer who gets onboard today can expect to benefit in even more ways in the future. 

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DIRECTORY CONTACTS

To advertise in this section contact classified sales on Tel: 01889 577222 Email: classified@eibi.co.uk www.eibi.co.uk

Air Conditioning

Compressed Air, Industrial Gases & Vacuum

Cooling

Controls & Inverters

Energy Monitoring & Targeting

Industrial Thermometers

Meters - Water, Oil, Gas & Heating

Meters - Water, Oil, Gas & Heating Lighting Controls

TURNKEYaM&T Meter and monitoring any utility. In house designed hardware and software.

Chillers

SME’s, City Wide Projects, Large Organisations. Pulse, Modbus, Mbus. www.energymeteringtechnology.com enquiries@energymeteringtechnology.com Tel: 01628 664056

Meters Heat Networks

Temperature Sensors

METERING DOCTORS LET US SOLVE YOUR METERING PROBLEMS

To find out more about promoting your business to over

12,000* readers

EMT resolve issues with meters and aM&T systems that have been badly fitted and are inappropriate or wrongly installed, systems that have never functioned properly and unsuitable or wrongly configured software.

We have considerable knowledge and can help assess, recommission or replace any aM&T system to render them as useful tools for your utility management needs.

ring Sharon on 01889 577 222 or email classified@eibi.co.uk *12,175 ABC circulation January-December 2019

For more information on how we can help, Tel: 01628 664056 Email: enquiries@meteringtech.com www.energymeteringtechnology.com

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