HYBRID HEATING PROGRAMME
LOCAL GAS NETWORK OPERATORS PHOENIX ENERGY, KINECX ENERGY AND EVOLVE ARE LAUNCHING A LARGE-SCALE HEATING GRANT TO STUDY THE PERFORMANCE OF HYBRID HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS IN OWNER-OCCUPIED HOMES ACROSS NI, WRITES NEIL MCCRACKEN FROM TRADE BODY NINGA… Hybrid Heating Programme
Neil McCracken, NINGA.
The Climate Change Act (Northern Ireland 2022) sets the framework for the Northern Ireland Executive to address climate change and reduce regional greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. To meet this challenging target, it is vital that the major emitting sectors - power, heat, transport etc – are decarbonised through coordinated, evidence-based action. Space and water heating contribute around 80% of built environment emissions, with gas and oil the dominant fuels. By switching to gas and adding heating controls, an average home can reduce its annual carbon emissions by up to 2 tonnes CO₂e. The gas industry is focused on supporting the c200,000 homes which have gas available to them, but have not yet taken up the opportunity
to switch and generate immediate carbon emissions reductions. While we are working with industry partners to advance biomethane production and delivery in Northern Ireland - recognised by the NI Executive as a key component of its decarbonisation strategy - another opportunity lies in hybrid heating. This combines the energy efficiency of an air-source heat pump (ASHP) with the peak-demand reliability of a gas boiler in the form of a hybrid heat pump (HHP), accelerating decarbonisation of the NI residential sector. Phoenix Energy has undertaken extensive research into hybrid heating systems including carrying out several small- scale HHP trials in partnership with a number of local installers and housing associations. The results of these trials have demonstrated that HHPs can deliver significant carbon and cost savings in a
single consumer-friendly package. HHPs can utilise a home’s existing heating system and therefore be installed much quicker than an ASHP installation, causing minimum disruption. The ability to reuse the existing pipework and radiator network means consumers will benefit from a lower cost of install compared to a full ASHP system. HHP control systems can also be configured to be cost optimised to ensure that the lowest-cost energy vector (gas or electricity) is used to minimise energy bills. Local gas network operators Phoenix Energy, Kinecx Energy and Evolve are delighted to confirm the launch of a large- scale Hybrid Heating Programme, that will study the performance of hybrids in owner-occupied homes across NI. The programme seeks to understand the carbon reduction, consumer and network
14 | PLUMBING & HEATING MAGAZINE
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