Jose Alves, Panasonic Regional Director for UK, Ireland and the Netherlands, commented, “We are deeply honoured by our acceptance into Eurovent. This milestone reflects our enduring commitment to excellence and collaboration within the HVAC industry. We eagerly anticipate the opportunities this membership will bring to contribute to the HVAC community’s collective success.”

Eurovent represents a diverse community of over 1,000 companies, dedicated to promoting a competitive and sustainable industry. As Corresponding Member, Panasonic will actively engage in Eurovent’s extensive range of activities, including technical and regulatory advocacy, as well as standardisation efforts crucial to shaping the future of the HVAC industry.

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Earlier this month engineers from the company attended a site in Skelmersdale, Lancashire, after a tipper lorry collided with the DNO’s overhead lines.

Live current from the 33,000-volt lines surged through the lorry, bursting three tyres. The power network was locally shorted.

Fortunately no injuries were sustained, and engineers worked quickly to make the network safe.

Despite the driver’s escape, the DNO’s asset director Paul Killilea says it could have been very different.

“This was an incredibly serious incident, and I can’t stress enough how fortunate the driver was to walk away unharmed,” he said.

“Luckily, we’re only dealing with burst tyres and a power cut, but this could have been far worse. The driver is lucky to be alive.

“This should be a warning to everyone who drives large vehicles, whether HGV tippers or tractors, “ Killilea stressed, “to look out and look up. You must be aware of your surroundings and by being aware and switched on, these sorts of incidents can be avoided.”

Investigating, ENW engineers found the overhead lines were fully compliant with safety and engineering standards.

Killilea added: “I urge people to take note of our yellow ‘danger of death’ signs on our electricity poles, pylons, and substations. Keep an eye on your surroundings and stay clear of the power network.”

Parents and guardians are also asked to warn their youngsters of the dangers, including not to use items or equipment such as kites or long tent poles near overhead lines.

Killilea said; “Electricity can jump from the lines and travel down directly to the person holding them, causing serious injury or even worse. Anglers are asked to look out for overhead lines when casting and if people lose a ball or Frisbee in a substation, they are urged not to retrieve it”.

Anybody who sees anything dangerous in or around the power network can call Electricity North West on 105. For more safety advice, including a safety game for kids, go to www.enwl.co.uk/safety.

The Skelmersdale near-fatality follows a similar warning earlier this month. A man climbed onto an electricity substation roof with a pair of metal ladders to retrieve a cat.

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Christophe Williams, CEO and co-founder of Naked Energy, says, “The need to decarbonise urban and industrial heating has never been more urgent, and the team at EIS share our vision for ambitious energy solutions that are future-proof, smart and efficient. This deal marks an exciting step forward in Naked Energy’s journey as we scale our operations globally. We look forward to beginning our work together.”

The E.ON Group is one of Europe’s largest operators of energy networks and energy infrastructure and a provider of innovative solutions for its city, industry and consumer customers. E.ON runs multiple worldwide Innovation programs like “Free Electrons” to find, test and scale new technology solutions like Naked Energy to drive forward the energy transition in Europe.

The deal will see Naked Energy’s solar technology deployed to commercial and industrial-scale projects across Europe and the United Kingdom run by E.ON´s business unit Energy Infrastructure Solutions (EIS). Once the pilot is completed, it will allow EIS to offer Naked Energy’s solar technology to a range of customers who will benefit from reduced fossil fuel usage and improved financial returns.

EIS provides integrated, sustainable, and digitally enabled energy solutions for cities and industries to reduce their carbon emissions. In 16 European countries, EIS services 1.5 million customers through 4,500 plants, which collectively produce 19 terawatt hours of heating, cooling, and steam and 12 terawatt hours of electricity.

Naked Energy is the British developer of the world’s highest energy density solar technology for flat roofs. Their solar heat collectors save up to four times the amount of carbon as standard solar PV panels and are perfectly positioned for the decarbonisation of heat in the global commercial and industrial space.

Naked Energy’s range of solar heat collectors are called Virtu. Virtu^HOT is TÜV-certified and converts the sun’s energy into heat up to 120°C while its revolutionary solar PVT collector, Virtu^PVT, simultaneously generates both PV electricity and solar heat up to 75°C. The business has also developed a complementary platform, Clarity²⁴⁷, to monitor the performance of Virtu as well as integrated technologies like PV panels in real time – something rarely seen in the industry.

The deal builds momentum for Naked Energy as they now scale their technology for a global market and complete their Series B funding round, targeting £30million.

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Replacing high voltage cables between pylons along 50 miles between Bramley, Hampshire and Melksham, Wiltshire will allow them to operate at a higher temperature and thus boost power flows.

New generation projects as far afield as south Wales will benefit, as the NG-ESO begins talks with developers.  Some were previously left to anticipate connections as distant as 2028.

Upgrades to approximately 3000MVA will allow increased flow of electricity over the link.  Engineering improvements will begin next month and last until October 2025.

The Bramley-Melksham upgrade follows National Grid’s recent announcement of accelerating up to 20GW of grid connections across its transmission and distribution networks, the same as six Hinkley Point C nuclear power stations.  Accelerating 10GW of battery storage projects by up to four years is included.

It also builds on pledges this week by the Energy Networks Association to free up 139GW of capacity with operators sharing more information with developers.

National Grid says it is working closely with both the ESO and ENA on their plans to reform the connections process, both of which are key parts of the government’s recently published Connection Actions Plan.

Networks minister Graham Stuart said:   “We recently announced the most radical grid upgrade since the 1950s. The plans will halve the time it takes to build power lines from 14 years to seven, and cut the average delay to connect projects to the grid from five years to just six months.

“This £90 million upgrade to the power network means clean energy projects will be hooked up earlier, boosting our capacity and accelerating our path to net zero and greater energy security.”

RenewableUK’s director of future electricity systems, Barnaby Wharton, said:  “This is a great example of the way the grid is being upgraded to enable everyone to benefit from the vast quantities of electricity we’re now generating from renewables.

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Operating since 1988, Sheffield’s District Energy Network supplies low carbon energy from the Sheffield Energy Recovery Facility which transforms non-recyclable household waste to generate heat supplies for the district heating scheme. Over 50% of the heat qualifies as renewable under the Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin (REGO) scheme and is fed to over 125 commercial and public sector buildings including the Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield City Hall, Weston Park Hospital, the Universities and the Millennium Galleries.

To achieve the major increases in efficiency the AI software takes data inputs from multiple sources and sensors across the network, and combines this with external data, to provide full network modelling and scenario planning. The system then calculates potential heat losses in individual underground pipe sections, internal pipework in plant rooms and energy centres and optimizes the energy consumption of the buildings. This means common problems such as hydronic bottlenecks are avoided, which limits any potentially disruptive and costly retrofits on the underground heat networks, and improves fault tolerance and estimation of energy consumption.

Commenting on the extended capabilities from this technology, Donald Macphail, Chief Operating Officer – Treatment, at Veolia  said, “In the UK, almost half of the final energy consumed is used as heat, and the domestic, commercial and public sectors account for two-thirds of this consumption for space heating and water heating . As we move to reduce climate impact we need to decarbonise these important heat requirements, and district heating systems are a proven technology to help reduce this carbon footprint. By integrating the network in Sheffield with the latest artificial intelligence we have advanced efficiency, and taken another important step towards a net zero future”

In the UK Veolia currently manages the energy plant and networks across 60 sites and operates over 120 community heating schemes serving large campuses and hospitals. These distribute low carbon or renewable heat from combined heat and power plants, waste wood biomass and Energy Recovery Facilities. Globally the company currently operates around 600 district heating networks covering 7000km of heat mains.

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The last of the T-structures’ 232 diamond-shaped insulators – which hold the National Grid‘s voltage conductors in a diamond ‘earring’ shape – was recently lifted into place on a T-pylon between Yatton and Kenn in north Somerset. Principal contractor Balfour Beatty operated the crane.

T-pylons are quicker to erect than the traditional lattice design. A total of 48 T-pylons were completed – including installation of the conductors – by the end of 2022.

Representing a world’s first for pylon design, the first T-pylon to be built was constructed in September 2021 near East Huntspill.

36 new T-pylons between Woolavington and Loxton were energised in early 2023, meaning high voltage electricity is now running along the new T-pylons, and through cables under the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, via the newly built substation at Sandford.

Meanwhile work began on erecting the 68 T-pylons running north of Sandford substation to Portbury. With the hanging of the final diamond insulators, those 68 structures are now complete.

All the T-pylons will be passing current by the end of 2024. Before then, conductors will be hung from the T-pylons, and the last of 249 traditional lattice pylons and 67km of overhead wires will be removed from the landscape to make way for the new electricity connection.

Roxane Fisher-Redel, Senior Project Manager for National Grid on the Hinkley Connection Project, said:

“National Grid’s T-pylons are the first new design for overhead electricity lines in over a century and will play a central role in connecting low carbon energy to millions of people when Hinkley Point C begins generation.

“Erecting all the 116 T-pylon structures is a huge milestone and now we look ahead to 2025 and full completion of this project, which will play such a key role in transmitting cleaner, homegrown energy around the UK – enough to power six million homes and businesses.”

The T-pylons were designed in response to community feedback. They are intended reduce the visual impact of transmission lines over its 57 kilometre connection route.

At 35m high, they are a third shorter than National Grid’s traditional lattice transmission pylons and take up less room on the land.

The new arrivals replace the old four-footed lattice, little changed since it won a competition run by the Central Electricity Board in 1927.

The classic design was submitted by Milliken Brothers, an US engineering firm, and chosen by architect Sir Reginald Blomfield, designer of London’s Lambeth Bridge.

Derived from ‘pyle’, the Greek word for ‘gate’, the first pylons were impressive obelisk-shaped towers guarding temple entrances in ancient Egypt.

British transmission engineers prefer to know the steel skeletons as suspension, tension or transmission towers.

Proving that the US and the UK are nations “divided by a common tongue”, west of the Atlantic ‘pylons’ are traffic cones.

The post Pylons, to a T: all of Hinkley C’s new Ts R now in place appeared first on theenergyst.com.

The heating industry is at a crossroads with a period of exciting policy led growth for heat pumps on the horizon. However, with the recent Progress Report from the Climate Change Committee urging imminent action and faster delivery to reach required heat pump targets, policy framework will still need adapting to increase uptake.

The Clean Heat Market Mechanism (CHMM) aims to incentivise 90,000 heat pump installations in year 2 alone, with the possibility of 400,000 by 2028. Whilst these targets are ambitious, the industry has potential for scalability. On the continent, Germany is requiring almost all newly installed heating systems to be 65% renewable energy. This coupled with a rebate scheme for consumers for the cost of buying and installing a heat pump has accelerated uptake. Heat pump sales have ramped up 122% over a year (Q1 2022 to Q1 2023) and over 100,000 new systems were sold in Germany in Q1 alone.

The UK is also no stranger to fast paced change, with the introduction of the condensing boiler a great example of this. Despite industry reluctance, policy provided a clear, much needed kickstart for the industry to embrace a new, more efficient technology. The industry ramped up installations, adapting with only two years notice – a similar time frame for the CHMM announcement, demonstrating that change within this timeframe is possible.

 The CHMM also has huge potential to drive growth of the industry, but other policies must work in tandem with the scheme to maximise progress. The main focus must be on incentivising consumer demand and increasing installer numbers. Confirmed phase out dates for fossil fuel boilers, alongside greater financial support through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) can support this.

Year one of the BUS had a shaky start with over 56% of available funding unused. For the remainder of the scheme, which has been extended to 2028, the grant can be increased to incentivise greater uptake, particularly for ground source heat pumps, which have considerably lower uptake than under the Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive. The role of other policy schemes, such as the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) and Homes Upgrade Grant (HUG) can also be reviewed to further drive progress towards the 600,000 target. These schemes do not fully take advantage of the benefits of heat pump systems. For instance, heat pumps make up only 2% of the measures installed under SHDF[3] and only 10% of all measures installed under HUG based on the latest statistical release.

Installers are at the heart of supporting the growing industry, and there are currently large skill gaps leading to poor installs and lacklustre performance. Many often comment on minimal training capacity, how available training is not currently up to standard, and the bureaucracy with becoming MCS accredited. The route to becoming an MCS accredited installer will be addressed through the MCS Scheme Redevelopment Consultation, and this will be crucial to driving installer uptake. Additionally, for those looking for an easier route to MCS today, the NIBE Pro partnership scheme streamlines the route to MCS accreditation, removing bureaucracy, whilst rewarding installers.

Whilst high-quality, tailored installations are key to an efficient heat pump system, running costs can be artificially inflated due to high electricity costs, reducing the incentive to install a system. More detail on plans to rebalance energy levies this year will be crucial for lowering heat pump costs and driving consumer demand. Rebalancing energy levies can lower the cost of running an air source heat pump relative to a gas boiler by £250 lower per annum.

Industry and policymakers still have work to do. We are less than 5 years away from the 2028 target of 600,000 annual heat pump installations, and UK sales in 2022 were just over 10% of this. So, despite there being potential boom on the horizon for the industry from the CHMM, installers and consumers must be supported through policy to deliver the supply chain and demand required to reach decarbonisation targets.

Written by Phil Hurley, Managing Director of NIBE Energy Systems

The post How can policy intervention add an extra boost to the UK’s growing heat pump market? appeared first on theenergyst.com.

The government aims to give out 30,000 vouchers annually but only managed 9,888 between the scheme’s launch in May and the end of last year. So far, annual air source heat pump installation is under 40,000. As it stands, the government’s target to install 600,000 a year by 2028 seems optimistic at best.

Problematic Pumps

Criticism of heat pumps and in particular their lack of suitability for many UK homes may account for the poor uptake. Complaints from homeowners include heat pumps struggling to reach comfortable temperatures in colder weather and unwelcome noise can often be an issue due to the outdoor fan which is usually placed in the garden.

For the millions of UK homes that suffer from poor insulation, heating experts remain sceptical on the effectiveness of heat pumps, which may also require an upgrade to larger radiators for users to feel any benefit.

Price is also an issue for many homeowners with purchase and installation costs ranging anywhere between £7000 and £14000 – considerably higher than the £2000 average for a replacement gas boiler.

If net-zero targets are to be achieved, it is clear that we need to change the way we heat our homes sooner rather than later. So what are the alternative options for homes that are not suitable for an air source heat pump?

Keith Bastian, CEO of electric heating company Fischer Future Heat says, “There’s no question that heat pumps will play a part in helping us to net zero. But heating homes in the UK is not a one size fits all solution. The Government needs to put just as much effort into highlighting other forms of zero emission heating – giving consumers greater choice to suit their circumstances.”

Here are five alternative options to a heat pump that may be more effective.

Electric Boilers

Electric boilers offer high levels of efficiency and produce zero emissions in the home. With no requirement for external flues, and minimal moving parts, maintenance is a lot easier compared to heatpumps and gas boilers. They are available as a Combi-Boiler which can be swapped directly with a gas boiler to provide heating and hot water. Similar to heat pumps, a well-insulated home is important but installation is relatively straightforward and can be completed in under a day.

Electric Radiators

Modern electric radiators are a far cry from the big and bulky storage radiators of the 1970s and can be an effective and efficient method to provide your home’s heating. The best electric heaters come with individual thermostats which can be programmed to suit the user’s lifestyle and may even help reduce energy use.

Electric Water Heating

Keeping your water heating separate from the heating in your home can prove more efficient. Electric water heating systems have also come on in leaps and bounds in recent years and you no longer need huge water tanks in the loft or airing cupboard to enjoy a long hot bath. The Aquafficient uses phase change material to heat hot water and can fit into much smaller spaces than water tanks.

Bastian is a firm believer in separating hot water systems and heating and says, “Having individual systems to focus solely on your hot water is far more efficient as every kilowatt will be used for that single purpose. In the summer, you can also turn off the system that supplies heating saving you money on your energy bills and if anything goes wrong with your heating system you will never be without hot water.”

An electric hot water system can be paired with an electric ‘heat only’ boiler or electric radiators.

Infrared Radiators

Infrared heaters transmit heat through thermal radiation generating infrared rays around the room. It’s the same way as the Sun works (but thankfully without the UV rays and temperature levels). Heatcomes from infrared light warming your skin and clothes and bouncing off other objects in a room to heat the space.

Biomass Heating

Biomass uses wood, plants and even manure to heat homes. While it is thought to be a renewable form of heating, there is an argument that emissions released from this type of heating can cause health problems.

A biomass stove burns logs or pellets for heat and can also be fitted with an additional boiler for hot water. They don’t come cheap though, with average costs reaching £16,000 for an average sized home.

The post Net zero heating – why are we only talking about heat pumps? appeared first on theenergyst.com.

The ground-breaking trial will be hosted by Northern Gas Networks (NGN), the gas distributor for the North East, northern Cumbria and much of Yorkshire, at its Low Thornley test facility, near Gateshead.  

Pre-heating is an essential part of distributing gas. Before it can be transported to homes and businesses through the network, the pressure of the gas must be reduced. This process can cause it to freeze, so pre-heating takes place to allow the gas to flow. Traditional pre-heating units are highly energy-intensive, so over the last decade, the gas industry has been exploring a range of low carbon technologies capable of carrying out the process. 

Heat-in-a-box is a containerised first-of-a-kind solution, combining electrolysis, H2GO’s proprietary low-pressure hydrogen storage and Baxi’s hydrogen boiler, the first-ever pure hydrogen boiler for commercial applications. The end-to-end system will be powered by solar PV and supported by an AI-enabled optimisation software platform developed by H2GO Power (HyAI), the world’s first optimisation end-to-end Software as a service platform specifically designed for hydrogen value chain systems. HyAI will be installed on NGN’s existing infrastructure to integrate them as part of the solution and optimise the overall system operation. The solution introduces the concept of a Smart Hydrogen-Gas Network (SHyGaN). 

The SHyGaN initiative is among projects funded through the BEIS £1bn Net Zero Innovation Portfolio under the Industrial Hydrogen Accelerator Programme, which delivers funding for innovation projects that can provide evidence on end-to-end industrial fuel switching to hydrogen. The IHA will develop blueprints for the implementation of hydrogen solutions for industrial uses.

The system has been designed for maximised energy efficiency and minimal system maintenance ensuring a secure carbon-free and safe autonomous operation.

Karen Boswell, managing director at Baxi UK & Ireland, said, “There are challenges associated with electrification of industry, particularly where systems and processes have been designed for higher temperatures. Hydrogen is a viable alternative net zero energy carrier that can meet the needs of these hard to decarbonise sectors and can be used for mass storage of curtailed renewables – such as wind and PV – to use at times of peak demand for heat. Developing practical, cost-effective ways of storing hydrogen addresses both decarbonisation and energy reliability, making this project a particularly interesting solution for multiple use cases.” 

Dr Enass Abo-Hamed, H2GO Power CEO, said, “Heat-in-the-box is revolutionary as it can decarbonise heating processes from multiple industries including cement, glass, ceramics, chemical, food & drinks, paper & pulp and more. Furthermore, the demand for heat is three times higher than the demand for power and is responsible for 40% of all global emissions.” 

Climate and Energy Minister Graham Stuart said, “I am excited to see H2GO Power in collaboration with Baxi moving towards delivering hydrogen-powered heating systems on an industrial scale, made possible with over £3.1m government funding. Innovative, government-supported projects like this will help industries reduce their dependency on fossil fuels, strengthening our domestic energy supply whilst establishing the UK as a world-leader in hydrogen-based heating technology.”

The post Pure hydrogen commercial boiler used in industrial scale demonstration appeared first on theenergyst.com.

Operating since 1988, Sheffield’s District Energy Network is one of the largest, oldest and most successful district energy networks in the UK and is supplied from the Veolia operated Energy Recovery Facility. This takes non-recyclable household waste and uses this to generate heat supplies for the district heating scheme, and delivers enough electricity for over 22,600 homes. The low carbon heat is fed through underground pipes to over 125 commercial and public sector buildings including the Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield City Hall, Weston Park Hospital, the Universities and the Millennium Galleries.

The integrity of heat distribution pipes, which distribute pressurised hot water at 110°C, are key to ensure that the district heating scheme can deliver the low carbon energy to the communities and businesses in the city. By accurately monitoring and assessing the network effective upgrades can be implemented to ensure future resilience and continuity of heat supply .

Carbon lining, which has a minimal impact on system operation, now provides long term security and longevity of the pipe system as the material has very similar expansion, contraction, strength and durability properties to a steel pipe. The inherent strength of carbon lining makes it self-supporting and is designed to completely take over the workload of the host pipe, supporting the weight of the system water, and maintaining the integrity of the system. The initial works commenced during August.

Commenting on the extended capabilities from this technology, Donald Macphail, chief operating officer – Treatment, at Veolia  said, “As energy managers we know that the efficiency of buildings and decarbonising them is now key to establishing the sustainable cities of the future. District heating schemes will have a growing role to play as we move to net zero, and this latest innovation will ensure we can continue to deliver the guaranteed, cost effective energy to the communities and businesses they serve”

The post Veolia use latest pipe relining innovation to maintain district heating in Sheffield appeared first on theenergyst.com.

Hoval General Manager Ian Dagley explained, “Whilst technologies such as heat pumps offer opportunities to reduce the use of fossil fuels, it is clear that combustion will continue to be the only viable option for many heating applications. In ensuring our boilers are hydrogen-ready we are enabling end users to meet zero carbon aspirations without compromising on the performance of their heating systems.”

Thanks to the standardised Hoval TopTronic E controller, UltraGas 2 boilers can be easily combined with any type of heat generator and solar energy system to create hybrid systems that deliver optimum efficiency with minimal emissions. With a maximum operating temperature of 95°C they are ideal for use in district heating/heat networks.

Efficiency is also inherent in the UltraGas 2 design. For instance, the patented Hoval TurboFer heat exchanger uses injection technology to generate turbulence and boost efficiency, while high and low temperature return flow, a large water capacity and the Ultraclean combustion system combine to deliver unparalleled performance.

UltraGas 2 models are available with output ratings from 125kW to 1550kW (250kW to 3,100kW as a double boiler), and in 10 bar versions for 720, 1100 and 1550kW units. Ease of installation has been a key element in the design, so there is no need for system components such as a circulating pump or hydraulic separator. The amount of pipework in the TurboFer heat exchangers has also been reduced to minimise weight, resulting in a lightweight, compact design.

The post Hoval’s UltraGas 2 is ‘hydrogen-ready’ appeared first on theenergyst.com.

We generate more data than ever before, with 44 zettabytes of data in storage as of 2020 and this expected to increase to over 200 zettabytes by 2025. To put this into perspective, a single zettabyte is equivalent to one trillion gigabytes. Much of this data is stored in data centres; dedicated facilities containing servers to store large amounts of data. Data centres are an integral part of the global economy, storing everything from our personal information to business and infrastructure data.

With the nature of data stored in these centres, and the extreme sensitivity of some content, they require their own infrastructure, security, networks, and backup power supplies to limit the damage of potential problems. Environmental conditions are also highly important to ensure function and keeping data centres at an appropriate temperature round the clock can prevent overheating and failure of critical equipment, especially as they produce large amounts of heat as a by-product.

In the UK there are approximately 400-450 data centre facilities, and TechUK estimates they consume 6TWh annually to run, not including the 3-4TWh required for server rooms. This figure is set to rise exponentially as the number of data centres increases, with a 2018 Nature study estimating that they will be responsible for 8,000 TWh of consumption by 2030.

Keeping data centres cool uses a significant amount of this energy, with air conditioning and handler units used by 90% of the UK data centre market estimated to use 26 to 41% of the total energy consumed.

These figures highlight why it is so crucial to find more efficient solutions for data centres — as the need for these facilities increases, the amount of power required to run them while minimising the risk of failures will also rise. This is the motivation behind the Katrick Technologies passive cooling system.

Solutions in technology

Katrick’s solution removes excess heat without the need for any external power, keeping centres at a constant ideal temperature and reducing energy consumption. The patented technology offers a zero-carbon alternative to traditional cooling units, while being cost effective and kinder to the environment.

The passive cooling system uses a Thermal Vibration Bell (TVB) heat engine to maintain consistent cool temperatures in a data centre environment. The TVB has a chamber containing bi-fluids of different densities and expansion rates. The base fluid is high-density with a lower boiling point, and the fluid above is lower-density but with a higher boiling point. When these fluids are exposed to a heat source, a dynamic movement is created as the lower fluid boils more rapidly, creating bubbles which move through the fluid above. This converts heat energy into fluid vibrations.

These vibrations are then captured by an array of fins in the TVB, which protrude both internally and externally. This occurs through a range of different effects, including density change, bubble velocity, and the generation of convection currents within the fluids as they interact with variable temperature levels.

The energy from the fluid vibrations is captured by the fins and transferred to mechanical vibrations, causing the fins to oscillate. This movement dissipates the unwanted heat in the environment, providing cool temperatures to allow the servers to work and avoiding overheating.

The technology has been trialled at iomart’s data centre in Glasgow as of October 2021, where a 120kW capacity TVB system was installed. Initial results from this trial indicate that implementing Katrick’s TVB engine can reduce power consumption by the site’s cooling system by up to 50% and may even reduce a data centre’s total energy consumption by 25% overall.

Alongside the benefits of energy efficiency and sustainability, the bi-fluids used within the passive cooling system have been certified 100% environmentally safe, with next to zero global warming potential and zero ozone depleting potential. They also pose no fire risks or health hazards, allowing employees to safely work with the system.

Katrick’s system is designed to be modular and scalable, tailored to the end-user based on their specific requirements and the size of their facility. The reduced requirements for chillers will also lead to reduced maintenance, prolonging the overall life of the site. The energy produced by the system can even be re-routed to additional server capacity with limited supply, making it a profitable option to increase revenue and margin overall.

The post The hidden cost of data appeared first on theenergyst.com.

Baxi is currently demonstrating a hydrogen boiler as part of the UK government’s Hy4Heat programme in Low Thornley near Gateshead. The boiler produces no greenhouse gases at the point of use.

The UK government currently foresees a potential rollout of hydrogen ready boilers from 2026. Hydrogen ready boilers initially use natural gas but can be easily converted to use hydrogen as a fuel.

Under current plans, the first hydrogen town could be supported with a hydrogen grid by 2030.

Karen Boswell said, “The infrastructure, in our view, will need to move even more quickly in order to get this market going.

“Heat pumps will work in some buildings, heat networks in others but hydrogen represents a strong opportunity to solve this complex puzzle.

“If production is ramped up enough, there are no limits on the number of homes on the current gas grid that could be converted over to utilise hydrogen. This is a race in which every horse needs to be backed.”

Baxi said that it would support the reskilling of installers who will help customers to make the right decisions about low-carbon technology as it is rolled out.

Find out more about Baxi’s 100% hydrogen boiler: https://www.baxiheating.co.uk/the-future-of-heat

The post Swifter action needed to speed up the introduction of hydrogen for home heating appeared first on theenergyst.com.

Trials in eight localities have led to newly streamlined internal provisioning permitting quicker approvals, the DSO for the Midlands and the West country said. Now owned by National Grid following March’s £7.8 billion buyout from American utility PPL Corporation, the distribution operator serves around eight million homes.

WPD is currently receiving around 200 requests a day to hook up EV chargers, heat pumps and other low carbon devices to its distribution grids. By 2030, the DSO anticipates 2,000 devices being connected every single day across its area.

New techniques have done away with the need for full technical assessments conducted up to now by WPD network planning teams, the operator explained.  

Any network strengthening on distribution grids running at 132kV or lower can now be performed after installation, and not before. Type approval for consumers’ kit will be granted on application. 

Paul Jewell, WPD’s head of DSO development explained: “Customers will be able to get their heat pumps or EV chargers running faster than before”. 

“Connecting these vital technologies quicker (means) that our network planning team can spend more time getting our network ready for a net zero future”.

WPD spends £1 billion on its network every year. Around £100 of the average £588 home electricity bill across its patch goes on network innovations, it claims. 

Correction: Yesterday’s version of this report stated in error that National Grid ESO owns WPD. We are happy to repeat that the DSO’s correct owner is in fact National Grid; per https://www.nationalgrid.com/document/140931/download.

The post WPD pledges same day or next day hook-up of home heat pumps and EV chargers  appeared first on theenergyst.com.

First steps in construction are scheduled to start early next year, on a venture designed to eliminate 90% of carbon emitted by traditional boiler-fired homes.

Vattenfall, operator of city power grids in Berlin and Amsterdam, was today revealing plans for the project, its three phases split over two decades.  It will draw on the Swedish company’s technical partnership with energy-from-waste firm Cory, with whom it runs a 21,000 home heat network, centred on Belvedere, near Erith.

The boroughs of Bexley, neighbouring Greenwich, Newham and Barking & Dagenham will ultimately benefit from the scheme. Vattenfall made no immediate statement on its costs.

‘Vallhala-ford’

Phase one will see installation of heat piping serving 10,500 homes centred around the Riverside Resource Recovery facility – aka ‘incinerator’ – operated by Cory in Norman Road, Belvedere, itself due for imminent expansion.

For phases two and three, according to the partners, heat sources may extend beyond energy-from-waste, possibly to include data centres, water processing, electric heat pumps.

Phase two foresees up to 21,000 homes in Bexley and Greenwich connected to the pipework. The first homes will be warmed sometime in the early 2030s. Phase three will extend coverage across the same boroughs to 75,000 homes.

By bringing on some of the capital’s poorest, densest housing homes north of the Thames, Vattenfall views the half-million figure as a target, achievable by the 2040s. Besides dwellings, schools, hospitals and public buildings will be connected.

Vattenfall calculates the UK currently has around 14,000 district heat networks, each averaging around 34,000 dwellings.

Mike Reynolds, Vattenfall Heat UK’s managing director told media: “Most of London’s 3.5 million homes, and thousands of commercial buildings, are heated using fossil fuels – yet there are abundant other sources of cleaner heat, such as the ground, water or waste heat from industrial processes.”

“We’ve got to think big when it comes to removing emissions from heating, on a scale which works for global cities like London.

“District heating …. is the cheapest source of low-carbon heat, it’s reliable and it’s resilient against energy shocks.”

Consistent with the detail-aversion which undermines its trumpeted environmental dreams, the Johnson administration is nearly a year late in publishing its over-arching Heat and Buildings Strategy.  Wrangles within the Conservative Party over funding are believed to be the hold-up’s cause.

Next April sees the debut of Beis’ new, £270m Green Heat Network Fund. It will be the latest iteration of the now defunct Heat Networks Investment Project¸ but with tougher targets to cut carbon emissions. The HNIP shared £165m with projects in England and Wales since 2018.

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