Energy Matters

Cross-sector coalition to support green transition

Worcester Bosch has announced that it has joined the ‘Sustainable Homes and Buildings Coalition’, a group run by the NatWest Group that aims to raise awareness about what a move towards a Net Zero economy means for building owners and tenants/occupiers.

The cross-sector coalition, which also includes British Gas and Shelter, seeks to ensure both environmental and social outcomes are considered in any transition to green technologies. Citizens Advice will act in an advisory capacity to the Coalition on the needs of and challenges faced by consumers.

A new system for controlling the use of electric heating and household appliances is claimed to have the potential to save consumers £ a year on bills. The system, which is still in the research phase, would allow people to take advantage of by automating their use of appliances and heat pumps to shift electricity usage to periods

The Group aims to work with government to provide a clear direction on the policy framework to drive decarbonisation in the building sector, and establish incentives to support building owners and consumers with the upfront costs needed to make and low carbon heating upgrades.

Carl Arntzen, CEO of Worcester Bosch, comments: “Net zero approaches quickly, target can be met when the government, industry, and

Energy saving system in development

A two-year trial of the system, called the Optimised Forecasting project (OFfSET), has found that consumers could save between £ - per year for each electrical appliance tested, while heat pumps could save up to £ per year.

The project, funded by Innovate UK, is a collaboration between Samsung, smart energy platform Passiv UK, energy comparison site MyUtilityGenius, and the BRE.

Kevin O’Leary, business manager for heating products at Samsung, comments: “Shifting some usage away from expensive periods can help make the cost of running air source heat pumps cheaper than gas powered heating

Hydrogen homes open for visitors

-heated homes in Low Thornley, near Gateshead, are now open to public glimpse into a hydrogen-fuelled future, the two semi-detached homes have been built to demonstrate how hydrogen could eventually replace natural gas in a domestic environment and have

Baxi Heating, which has pledged to make only products compatible with low carbon energy from , recently invited housing providers and industry colleagues to see its % hydrogen boiler in action. No bigger than a standard domestic boiler, the hydrogen-fuelled combi boiler on display will help to show that homeowners will experience very little change from any future fuel conversion. Heating and hot water is currently responsible for around one third of carbon emissions, but unlike natural gas, hydrogen produces no carbon at the point of use, with the only by-product being water.

Nick Wilson, commercial and marketing director at Baxi Heating, (pictured) comments: “We are developing new technologies that will help customers to heat their homes and businesses without warming the planet. While we are not wedded to any one technology, hydrogen represents a great opportunity. It is carbon-free at the point of use and enables families to use their heating and hot water in the same way they do today, without major changes to their central heating systems or homes. What starts today with one house will become a community of houses next year, and then we could see hydrogen boilers in millions of homes by

The two properties have been built by Northern Gas Networks in partnership with the government’s Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and gas distribution network company Cadent, each investing £ into the project. As well as customers and housing providers, it is hoped that the houses will be visited by schools and other educational establishments, and could also be used as a training facility for gas installers and heating engineers.

In , Baxi’s parent company BDR Thermea Group showcased boiler, and Baxi Heating is already planning to produce boilers that are ‘hydrogen-ready’, meaning that they can easily be converted to work with hydrogen in the future.

Find out more about Baxi Heating’s pathway to the energy transition by clicking on the online readerlink below. phamnews.co.uk

Solar sector welcomes Scottish commitment

Solar Energy Scotland has welcomed the inclusion of solar in the Scottish government’s draft policy programme, recently unveiled as part of the agreement between the SNP government and the Scottish Green Party.

The document outlines the joint commitment from both parties to respond to the climate emergency, supporting economic recovery and strengthening a green and fair recovery from the global pandemic. Included in the agreement are measures to help decarbonise some of Scotland’s most-emitting sectors, including energy, transport and buildings.

Solar Energy Scotland chair Thomas McMillan says: “The solar energy industry in Scotland welcomes the clear recognition of the important role solar can play in Scotland’s drive to meet our climate obligations. As the cheapest, most readily deployable renewable technology, with substantial helping to tackle fuel poverty, it is time for the sector to be

Solar Energy Scotland is calling on the government to set a minimum solar deployment target of GW by .