More than a decade since the Renewable Heat Incentive was introduced to support the uptake of non-traditional heating solutions, heat pumps remain something of a Marmite technology for sections of the public still suspicious about their benefits and deterred by the cost, yet there are strong indications that air source models in particular are gaining traction thanks to new funding and improvements to the technology winning new friends.
The argument is also often clouded by unflattering and even unjustified coverage by the press and the broadcast media. A recent Channel 5 documentary – ‘Heat Pumps: should you get one for the winter?’ – did make the effort to weigh up the pros and cons, but it also highlighted some obstacles which were very much out of the ordinary. These included relating the story of one poor homeowner who suffered not just months of delay but spent more money on obtaining planning permission to have an outdoor unit fitted on the balcony of her flat than many customers do on a new kitchen.
Despite its unrelenting ambition for decarbonising our economy, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero is having to make massive investment in balancing the Grid due to the intermittency of renewable wind and solar generation, as well as connecting these often remote sites to centres of demand.
There are also areas – both urban and rural – where local supply capacity is insufficient to permit the connection of new heat pumps. Thankfully, such issues can be resolved if a new sub-station comes online, and the Government is committed to seeing the National Grid updated to meet its wider agenda on electrification and the needs of sectors like AI.
One development in heat pump technology that the Channel 5 programme omitted to cover was the advent of next generation ‘indoor’ heat pumps where the adoption of ducted air connections avoids the need for visually obtrusive and sometimes noisy outdoor units. Instead, specifying the recently launched Trianco Activair Indoor Heat Pump model means it becomes possible to benefit from renewable heat in virtually any type of property, irrespective of it having a balcony or any other sort of outdoor space. The whole heat pump and hot water tank, if fitted, are relatively compact and the installer connects the inlet and outlet through the nearest exterior wall.
The tabloid press has also regularly covered stories where heat pumps have been poorly installed or where their lower output temperatures compared to conventional boilers have proved inadequate for heating older, generally poorly insulated dwellings. There is no question that, like any other heating system, heat pump installations must be correctly sized, along with the heat emitters, while sensible upgrades to the fabric efficiency of the building envelope are a no-brainer. As for standards of workmanship, the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS), and trade bodies such as the Heat Pump Association UK, have been hugely successful in uplifting the knowledge and skills of engineers.
So, with the availability of higher performing pumps, valves and other hydronic components, is there really any reason a heat pump won’t achieve its design performance potential, even during the coldest spells of the heating season? In fact, like biomass boilers, heat pumps have frequently suffered from inefficient use due to the building occupant’s lack of understanding, but again add-on technology can provide the foolproof solution.
EMBRACING 4G CONNECTIVITY
The availability of heat pumps featuring 4G connectivity has proved a boon for installers and affordable housing providers alike, including councils and housing associations who remain responsible for long-term maintenance. Now, not only can the engineer allow the manufacturer to carry out the crucial commissioning process remotely, but the 4G linked controller will routinely pass analysis and fault alerts to the landlord’s maintenance department. This advancement means that expert help is on hand for any occupant who may be elderly, have some sort of visual impairment, or is simply intimidated by everyday technology: with the manufacturer’s own technical team being able to troubleshoot or simply reprogramme the heat pump remotely. www.trianco.co.uk