The Government has committed to hydrogen heating for UK homes in a landmark speech by one of the key ministers responsible for energy strategy. In a debate on the potential for hydrogen and a new HyNet Hydrogen Village trial at Whitby near Ellesmere Port, which is running alongside the Hy4Heat
Researchers at Queen’s University Belfast will play an integral role in a new £7.7m collaborative project, aiming to change how important parts of the UK’s infrastructure are monitored and maintained. Healthy infrastructure, which includes bridges, telecom masts and wind turbines, is critical to ensuring the continued functionality and growth of
Following the Queen’s speech delivered today, leading energy trade association, the not-for-profit Energy and Utilities Alliance (EUA), has declared the time has come for the Government to deliver on the many promises made by Ministers around the hydrogen economy. Mike Foster, CEO of EUA, said: “We welcome an Energy Bill
Dunore Utility Connections, a UK-wide utility and connectivity startup, has achieved rapid growth in the nine-months since launch thanks to the disruptive thinking of its founders. In July 2021, two industry veterans, Tim Carroll and Jon Newsham joined forces to challenge the traditional working practices and standards that have “long
Speaking on World Earth Day, Baxi calls emissions reduction an “important step forward” Baxi’s carbon emissions[1] last year were 35 per cent lower than they were two years ago, the company’s sustainability report will say when it is published next week. The biggest reason for this reduction was the decision
City Plumbing is anticipating a further rise in demand for solar photovoltaic (PV) solutions after seeing a notable rise in sales during the first quarter of 2022 as well as other emerging factors affecting the market. The merchant’s specialist renewables business, Energy Efficiency at City Plumbing, has reported an unprecedented
Against a backdrop of climate emergency and soaring energy prices, Arloid Automation provides smart technology that can enable any building management system to produce substantial energy savings on their bills. Through efficient optimisation of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system performance, arloid.ai boosts energy efficiency – the most effective
Over three quarters (77.7%) of Brits would support the UK generating and distributing alternative, low-carbon gas through the existing grid to replace the imports of natural gas from countries such as Qatar and Russia, a survey has found. The research of 2000 UK consumers, conducted on behalf of trade association
Across the UK, the overwhelming majority people are crying out for help with their energy bills, claims Mike Foster, CEO of the not-for-profit trade body Energy and Utilities Alliance (EUA). Faced with a Price Cap increase on 54 per cent from 1st April. with many people finding their direct debits
K2 Management, a leading international renewable energy consultancy, will consult on the development of a pipeline of offshore wind projects in the Baltic Sea, after signing a framework agreement with Sunly, the independent power producer in the Baltic States and Poland. K2 Management will undertake pre-development studies and research for
BDC 319 : Aug 2024
The Government has committed to hydrogen heating for UK homes in a landmark speech by one of the key ministers responsible for energy strategy. In a debate on the potential for hydrogen and a new HyNet Hydrogen Village trial at Whitby near Ellesmere Port, which is running alongside the Hy4Heat programme, the Rt Hon George Freeman, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, welcomed the trials as a vital first step towards gathering the necessary evidence for a wider roll-out. “We want to make sure that the trials lay the foundation for a wider nationwide roll-out.” He continued: “The BEIS-funded Hy4Heat programme has shown that the use of 100% hydrogen can be made as safe as natural gas when used for heating and cooking in the types of houses that were studied.” “[The trials] are designed to provide the Government with the necessary evidence to take big strategic decisions on heating within a matter of two or three years. I know the ambition that colleagues have shared today to go further and faster is shared by the Secretary of State, The Minister for Energy and the Prime Minister. It is not lack of political will that is holding us back.” Responding to the Minister’s comments, Mike Foster, Chief Executive of the Energy and Utilities Alliance (EUA), commented: “The government’s endorsement of a hydrogen future using our world-class gas distribution network is a tribute to the hard work of the heating industry in developing hydrogen technologies.” Mr Foster also praised the commitment of boiler manufacturers to provide hydrogen boilers at no greater cost than current technologies – a commitment that was brokered by the EUA. “The Big Four boiler manufacturers price promise was noted by BEIS and has proven to be a decisive factor in the government’s commitment to a hydrogen future. The benefits for the climate, consumers and the heating industry have been made very clear and the government has responded.” He continued: “This is also very good news for the UK’s installer base, whose knowledge and expertise will be needed to roll-out the installation of hydrogen boilers across the UK. I am glad that the EUA’s representations to government about the importance of having a ready-made workforce, skilled in the installation of gas technologies, has won the argument.” Building Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction & Property News
Researchers at Queen’s University Belfast will play an integral role in a new £7.7m collaborative project, aiming to change how important parts of the UK’s infrastructure are monitored and maintained. Healthy infrastructure, which includes bridges, telecom masts and wind turbines, is critical to ensuring the continued functionality and growth of UK society and the economy. Unfortunately, monitoring and maintaining the buildings and transport network is expensive. In the UK, a backlog of maintenance works, which were identified in 2019, will cost £6.7 billion. With bridges, inspection is usually carried out visually by human experts. However, resources are stretched, so mistakes can be made. In a few extreme cases structural failure can result in fatalities. Collapse is not the only problem; extreme weather events driven by climate change can also test the performance of infrastructure beyond its limits. The offshore wind (OW) sector is another area for concern. OW has driven down energy costs and increased power output, pioneering a global change to clean energy. The UK leads globally in OW energy, providing almost one third of the UK’s annual electricity demand and helping meet the UK’s net-zero-by-2050 target. The drive for turbines in deeper water demands new ways of asset management, controlling and limiting operation/maintenance lifetime costs. As turbines increase in numbers, size, and capacity, these issues become even more important. To address the challenge and come up with innovative solutions, Queen’s University experts have joined a collaborative team of researchers and will work with the University of Sheffield, University of Cambridge and the University of Exeter, as well as key industry partners, including Northern Ireland’s Department for Infrastructure, Translink, Arqiva, Cellnex (UK) and Siemens Gamesa. The ROSEHIPS (Revolutionising Operational Safety and Economy for High-value Infrastructure using Population-based SHM) project aims to solve the infrastructure asset management problem in the UK for maintaining our infrastructure, such as bridges, via transformative new research to automate health monitoring. Instead of expensive scheduled inspections, diagnoses can be provided economically by permanently-installed sensors, collecting structural data continuously and interpreting it via computer algorithms. The researchers from Queen’s will focus on developing novel sensing – this will be customised for infrastructure and will help to overcome obstacles to the real-world implementation of the research. The project brings together expertise on bridge structural health monitoring from Dr David Hester and Professor Su Taylor from the School of Natural and Built Environment at Queen’s and sensor and embedded AI expertise from Professor Roger Woods in the School of Electronics, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. Dr David Hester comments: “Our initial work developing innovative sensing solutions and our considerable body of bridge monitoring experience has provided a critical practical platform for this project. Through cutting-edge research, experts at Queen’s are continuing to develop solutions to real world problems on our doorstop, which has a positive impact right across the globe.” Professor Keith Worden, from the University of Sheffield’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, says: “Population-Based Structural Health Monitoring is a game-changing idea, emerging in the UK very recently. It has the potential to overcome current technological barriers and transform our ability to automatically infer the condition of a structure, or a network of structures, from sensor data.” Professor Gerard Hamill, Head of the School of Natural and Built Environment at Queen’s, said: “Queen’s University has a strong track record of undertaking world-class research applied to the solution of practical engineering problems. This project has the potential to radically change how we undertake structural health monitoring, with direct application to infrastructure in Northern Ireland through our links with asset stakeholders.” The EPSRC project will extend and exploit Population Based Structural Health Monitoring (PBSHM), which allows data from one structure, where its state is known, to be used to make inferences about another structure. The project will also develop machine learning, sensing and digital twin technology for automated inference of health for structures in operation now, and drive new standards for safer, greener structures in future. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction and Property News
Following the Queen’s speech delivered today, leading energy trade association, the not-for-profit Energy and Utilities Alliance (EUA), has declared the time has come for the Government to deliver on the many promises made by Ministers around the hydrogen economy. Mike Foster, CEO of EUA, said: “We welcome an Energy Bill designed to promote Carbon Capture and Storage and help deliver large scale hydrogen heating trials. This puts consumers at the heart of decarbonising homes in the UK, giving people the choice between the relevant technologies – heat pumps, heat networks and hydrogen gas boilers. The latter will involve no additional upfront costs to the consumer and minimal levels of disruption and creates a secure energy supply free from the blood-stained hands of President Putin. “We need to hear details of the business model that will deliver UK domestic production of this zero-carbon wonder-fuel, and practical action to make sure every home that wants cheap, zero carbon gas for their boilers, cookers and fires gets it. “We need to urgently shift away from fossil fuel gas to hydrogen, using the world-class gas networks already underground to supply our homes and businesses. Now is not the time to consider re-wiring Britain; ripping out boilers to be replaced with £10 grand a time heat pumps would be a folly when clean gas is just around the corner. “From our recent research of 2000 UK consumers, the majority of Brits agree. Over three quarters (77.7%) of respondents saying they would support the UK generating and distributing alternative, low-carbon gas through the existing grid to replace the imports of natural gas from countries such as Qatar and Russia. An overwhelming 82% also believed the government should prioritise affordability in the development of renewable technologies for heating homes in the UK. There is a clear message that costly alternatives like heat pumps will not be favoured by households in this cost-of-living crisis. “Meanwhile, let’s also hear what the Government plan to do to keep bills down this winter. Massive investment in economically-viable energy efficiency schemes would be an entirely sensible step while the Energy Bill progresses through Parliament, creating the hydrogen future the Prime Minister and others have spoken about.”
Dunore Utility Connections, a UK-wide utility and connectivity startup, has achieved rapid growth in the nine-months since launch thanks to the disruptive thinking of its founders. In July 2021, two industry veterans, Tim Carroll and Jon Newsham joined forces to challenge the traditional working practices and standards that have “long plagued the utility industry”. In a short space of time, Northampton-based Dunore Utility Connections has developed a reputation as a trusted partner for construction and development companies who are faced with the challenge of navigating the complex maze of utilities. Together, Carroll and Newsham are renowned for their unrivalled knowledge, expertise and transparent working practices and have been helping businesses solve utility changes for more than 40 years combined. The demand for Carroll and Newsham’s expertise is evident in both their strong project pipeline and the month-on-month growth of incoming enquiries. Since its launch just nine months ago, the utility duo has appointed five new team members to meet the continuing client demand and to elevate its service. As a direct response to significant success in the North of England, Carroll and Newsham have appointed a new recruit, Liam Percy, as Project Manager who will lead operations in the region. Percy brings a wealth of industry experience, having managed utility projects across a range of sectors, including construction and food and beverage. With over 12 years working in the utilities industry, Percy has specialised in stakeholder management, supply chain management and application management, and is driven by finding solutions to complex projects for his clients. Percy has joined the team at Dunore Utility Connections from CNG Energy. Newsham, Director of Dunore Utility Connections, said: “Core to the sustainable growth of the consultancy has been challenging the complex rulebook that has long plagued the utility industry. We believe construction and development companies deserve a better quality of customer service than has been traditionally offered. It is no secret that utilities are inherently complex and in such a fragmented and disjointed industry, a single point of contact saves time, stress and unforeseen costs. Dunore Utility Connections exist to solve complex problems and that will always remain our guiding light.” Carroll, Director of Dunore Utility Connections, said: “We are proud to not just be surviving, but thriving in what has been a rapidly evolving and rocky time for the power and utilities sector. Construction and development projects are notoriously stressful due to the many moving parts and it is easy to let utility connections fall to the bottom of the list. We are here to make an arduous process simple for our clients and our agility, trusted supply chain and understanding of the market makes this achievable. “We are immensely proud of our ever-growing team who bring a wealth of multi-faceted expertise to the consultancy. We have expanded into a bigger office for the second time since launch to facilitate our future growth – in this new, hybrid working world, it is important we have a central hub for our team.” Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction and Property News
Speaking on World Earth Day, Baxi calls emissions reduction an “important step forward” Baxi’s carbon emissions[1] last year were 35 per cent lower than they were two years ago, the company’s sustainability report will say when it is published next week. The biggest reason for this reduction was the decision to buy electricity only from renewable sources. The company is targeting an annual five per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from its own operations from 2019 to 2030. This is in addition to a 30 per cent reduction in emissions in the supply chain producing the materials and components that go into its appliances, as well as the emissions produced ‘downstream’ by its products by 2030. The latest figures represent an important step in achieving that target, but the company says there is still much work to do. The company has recently changed its company car policy to electric/hybrid only and trialling the use of electric vans for use by its field engineers. Ian Robinson, Baxi HS&E and Quality Director, explains: “We’re working towards a sustainable future and the last year represents an important step forward in reducing the emissions from our own business. Even more importantly, we’re driving the energy transition with the aim of providing low carbon heating and hot water to customers across the UK & Ireland.” While there is still work to do, the figures represent an important step in achieving environmental goals. Baxi will report its progress on several other measures in its Sustainability Report. Having recycled nearly 99 per cent of its waste in 2021, Baxi is targeting a 50 per cent reduction in overall waste by 2025. By the same date, the company is aiming to ensure all of its packaging is recyclable, commencing with a pilot to replace difficult to recycle polystyrene packaging, with an alternative made from waste cardboard. Until now, more than 100 tonnes of Polystyrene have been used every year to protect Baxi appliances as they make their journey from the warehouse to the customer. Most goes to landfill, so Baxi’s trial of recycled packaging using cardboard pulp, aims to reduce the amount of packaging that ends up in landfill. Find out more by visiting www.baxiheating.co.uk
City Plumbing is anticipating a further rise in demand for solar photovoltaic (PV) solutions after seeing a notable rise in sales during the first quarter of 2022 as well as other emerging factors affecting the market. The merchant’s specialist renewables business, Energy Efficiency at City Plumbing, has reported an unprecedented increase in sales for solar PV products during Q1 2022 compared to the same period last year. The business believes the surge in demand is the result of a combination of factors including increasing energy costs, forcing businesses and consumers to look at alternative sources of power. National and regional housing developers are also looking to prepare for changes to Part L of the Building Regulations in June, while Social Housing Landlords are turning to proven technologies to tackle energy efficiency concerns within existing housing stock. Other drivers include the realisation from consumers that solar can be used to charge electric and hybrid vehicles, which have also seen a surge in popularity over recent years. City Plumbing predicts that this demand will continue to rise as the energy cap review for October continues to be discussed and as a result, the business is massively increasing its stockholding in photovoltaic panels, mounting systems, inverters and battery storage solutions, meaning the product can be on site the next day if required. In addition to increasing the amount of stock at its national distribution hub Omega, City Plumbing has allocated more designers to solar PV and is upskilling its branch staff to assist with general queries around this alternative source of energy. Steve Smith, Managing Director of Energy Efficiency, Electrical and Underfloor at City Plumbing, said: “There are a number of factors driving the market, meaning homeowners have seen a significant increase in their energy cost with further rises due in October. This is driving real interest in how they might heat and power their homes with alternative technologies. The increase in energy costs are also having a significant impact on the cost of running businesses, driving business owners to explore how they can reduced their costs We believe this, along with the Chancellor’s recent announcement for a time limited, zero rated VAT rule on the installation of some energy saving materials that include photovoltaic systems, will continue to drive a real appetite for PV throughout the year.” “For housing developers, changes to the Part L Building Regulations in June and The 2025 Future Homes Standard are demanding more sustainable solutions and, we’ve seen a real interest in a variety of energy efficient technologies, including solar PV. With our increased stockholding and in house technical design, we are in a great place to support our customers with all their energy efficiency needs. For more information or advice on Solar PV solutions, visit www.eecityplumbing.co.uk.
Against a backdrop of climate emergency and soaring energy prices, Arloid Automation provides smart technology that can enable any building management system to produce substantial energy savings on their bills. Through efficient optimisation of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system performance, arloid.ai boosts energy efficiency – the most effective way for real-estate to cut carbon and reduce costs. On the 23rd of March 2022, UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced his Spring Statement amidst the growing strain of the global energy crisis. The Treasury document has been widely criticised for its failure to provide immediate support to people navigating the crisis and the absence of a windfall tax on fossil fuel producers – a measure strongly recommended by the International Energy Agency. Whilst there were some budget announcements that will be welcome to business owners such as a fuel duty reduction of 5p per litre, these changes are temporary and will do nothing to facilitate the UK’s journey to Net Zero. The document also promised to spend over £9.7bn on the decarbonisation of buildings, stating that energy efficiency was key to the UK’s long-term Net Zero ambitions. Many critics concur that energy efficiency is the principal way we can overcome the crisis, though say the statement is not doing enough to push this agenda. Buildings are widely recognised as one of the major sources of energy consumption, with the global real estate market consuming 60% of the world’s electricity and emitting 28% of global carbon emissions. Fortunately, whilst the spring budget announcements fail to do more than scratch the surface of the crisis, innovative technology can provide the solution. Arloid Automation uses Deep Reinforcement Learning to automatically manage the operation of HVAC systems in a wide range of buildings via a secure Virtual Private Network (VPN). The innovative AI makes decisions based on reinforced behaviour and real-time data to provide faster optimisation and better HVAC performance. By controlling each HVAC device in the system and dividing the building into distinct heating and cooling microzones, arloid.ai provides more nuanced control of the environment and better user comfort. As a result, the technology is achieving up to 30% energy savings across over 23 million square feet. Buildings all over the world from warehouses to retail premises to hotels to medical centres are realising the potential of machine learning to drive the decarbonisation of the built environment, and reduce operational costs. Recently, Darul Ghufran Mosque became the first mosque in Singapore to harness the power of AI. Darul Ghufran is the largest in the country, and therefore came with unique complexities and challenges. Arloid implemented centralised HVAC connectivity and calibrated the trained algorithm to provide continuous and autonomous HVAC management. Now the AI is proactively and consistently providing the optimum settings for maximum user comfort and energy efficiency at all times. After only 1 month of functionality, the mosque saw a 12% reduction in energy bills. After 3 months, the achieved savings stood at 8,535 kWh – a significant and welcome reduction in the mosque’s electricity consumption. The benefits of using AI to optimise building management systems are numerous. In the current climate, energy savings are the most notable, but AI can also proactively ensure better user comfort, provide nuanced thermal conditions for sensitive buildings like hospitals and logistics centres, and help businesses achieve their carbon targets. Buildings vary considerably in structure, complexity, and usage, and time is always at a premium – that means manual scheduling and manually collected data is always going to be insufficient to the task. AI trained using Deep Reinforcement Learning can process live data in real time, continuously monitoring and proactively adjusting systems to maintain the optimum settings – without the need for time-consuming external input, and quicker than other forms of machine learning. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction Industry News
Over three quarters (77.7%) of Brits would support the UK generating and distributing alternative, low-carbon gas through the existing grid to replace the imports of natural gas from countries such as Qatar and Russia, a survey has found. The research of 2000 UK consumers, conducted on behalf of trade association the Energy and Utilities Alliance (EUA), has also found almost three quarters (73.8%) of people would support development low carbon gas boilers that could be easily swapped with existing boilers to help deliver the UK’s climate change targets. Almost two thirds (64.3%) of respondents also said they would choose a low carbon boiler if replacing their heating system. Amid increasing cost-of-living concerns, 82% of respondents also believed the government should prioritise affordability in the development of renewable technologies for heating homes in the UK. However only 6.2% of those asked would be willing to pay £8500 for a new heating system, the average additional expense of retrofitting a heat pump. Almost two-thirds would be unwilling or unable to pay this much for a new heating system, leaving hydrogen heating as the only way to decarbonise their homes. Mike Foster, CEO of the EUA explains: “It is clear that Brits back action on climate change however, with the cost-of-living crisis causing concern for pretty much everyone, the Government have got to commit to a more affordable route. The vast majority of UK residents cannot afford the price tag for a heat pump, nor do they want to switch away from some kind of low carbon gas. “The gas grid is gearing up for hydrogen, and boiler manufacturers have already made promises around price for consumers. Now it is up to the Government to pull their finger out and prioritise UK people and their finances by progressing hydrogen as part of the UK’s energy mix.” With Energy Minister Kwasi Kwarteng alluding to hydrogen playing a role in the Government’s upcoming Energy Strategy, the UK public have made it clear an alternative to natural gas is their choice. 71% of respondents believed the Government should make a clear statement that, in future all gas, supplied to UK homes through the gas grid is low or zero carbon. Mr Foster adds: “Mr Kwarteng and the Prime Minister have a decision to make with this Energy Crisis. Either they continue with an electrification of heat, imposing large bills on the public and pushing more people into fuel poverty. Or they can start prioritising the financial wellbeing of the British public and listen to their demands when they say they want an alternative to natural gas, which can be found in hydrogen.” “We have to make progress to Net Zero but this cannot be at the cost of the British people. We have all seen energy bills rise, hurting people in their pockets. The Government must get this call right or risk making a huge political blunder which will see them out of office at the next election.” For more information, visit www.eua.org.uk
Across the UK, the overwhelming majority people are crying out for help with their energy bills, claims Mike Foster, CEO of the not-for-profit trade body Energy and Utilities Alliance (EUA). Faced with a Price Cap increase on 54 per cent from 1st April. with many people finding their direct debits rocketing by even more, the issue of energy bills is now at the top of the political agenda. Research commissioned by EUA last week of 2000 UK consumers showed the sheer scale of concern around rising energy bills. Nearly nine in ten (89 per cent) of people think it is important that the Government tackles rising energy bills; 91 per cent believe the Government needs to introduce new measures to support consumers if the Price Cap increases again in October. A measure promised following Brexit yet not implemented by Government, 86 per cent of respondents also want to see VAT on energy bills scrapped, a figure up 10 points since the same survey in June 2021. Mike Foster said: “The outcry over energy bills is now deafening. It is top of the agenda for people now struggling to pay their way. And the issue is not going away. With the expectation that the Price Cap will increase again in October, ahead of the winter heating season, the Chancellor will have to find a way of supporting consumers. If he doesn’t, given these poll findings, he and hundreds of his colleagues better start brushing up their CVs.” “The Spring Statement, which cut VAT on water turbines for your mill house, failed to help the vast majority. Even more than ever, charging VAT on energy bills is deeply unpopular. At a stroke, the Chancellor could shave £100 off the average energy bill, something nearly nine in ten people want to see. With numbers like that, not only would it be the right thing to do, it would be politically popular too.” “Short-term measures are clearly needed to help ease the current pain, but the Government must also address the longer term energy security of supply concerns that are the root cause of the problem. We need to break away from reliance on fossil gas and switch our gas networks to green hydrogen. Keeping gas boilers but changing the gas they use will help us reach our Net Zero targets, keep costs and disruption to a minimum for consumers and keep Putin’s gas in the ground.”
K2 Management, a leading international renewable energy consultancy, will consult on the development of a pipeline of offshore wind projects in the Baltic Sea, after signing a framework agreement with Sunly, the independent power producer in the Baltic States and Poland. K2 Management will undertake pre-development studies and research for Sunly’s offshore wind projects and will advise the offshore developer strategically and tactically in the Baltic Sea, including in the coming auctions. According to WindEurope, the Baltic Sea could host as much as 93GW of offshore wind by 2050 and while Denmark, Finland, Germany and Sweden have made some inroads, a significant opportunity lies ahead for the Baltic States to enter the offshore market. “The Baltic States are in an excellent position to deploy offshore wind farms in the Baltic Sea, but the countries have yet to tap into this significant offshore wind potential. This is about to change, and K2 Management is proud to provide its technical expertise, while leveraging its global offshore wind experience to make that happen,” said Lars K Hammershøj, the Co-founder & Owner of K2 Management. Priit Lepasepp, the CEO and Co-founder of Sunly commented: “We believe that now is the time to deliver big-scale renewable energy projects that both improves energy security and contributes to the green transition. That is why Sunly’s experienced team is developing offshore wind parks in the Baltic region, and we are happy that K2 Management will be part of this journey.”
