There’s no doubt that rising energy costs, the drive to reduce carbon emissions and concerns over the long-term security of our energy supplies are having a significant effect on the need for energy efficiency in today’s building services sector. Karen Trewick, Marketing Communications Manager at Dimplex takes a look at why electric heating is set to be the system of choice as reserves of fossil fuels dwindle and the use of renewable energy sources grows.
Electricity – fuel of the future
With the Energy Review seeing the government actively supporting renewable sources of energy, such as wind, wave and solar, and opening the door to a new generation of nuclear power, electricity really is the fuel of the future. Electricity generated from renewable and nuclear sources is going to make green, clean low-carbon electricity readily available, with prices likely to reflect this, while gas prices are set to increase as reserves of fossil fuels are exhausted and the need for UK plc to import more gas continues to grow.
Take control
As renewable energy becomes more mainstream over the next 5-10 years, it is important to consider whether the system you are installing today will be able to take advantage of renewable energy in the future, as one of the issues raised by incorporation of renewables is the need to store energy once it has been generated. Some sources of renewable energy, for example wind and solar, are intermittent and the amount of energy generated could fluctuate considerably throughout the year. Electric space and water heating has the advantage of being able to store this energy and then realise it when required, especially when used with electric radiators such as the Dimplex DuoHeat radiator, or in unvented water storage cylinders such as the Dimplex SCx range. These appliances are inherently renewables-ready, using electricity from renewable sources when it’s available and topping up with mains electricity when the renewable system is unable to fully deliver.
Heat pumps - low carbon heating
Today’s buildings need heating which delivers both carbon savings and low running costs, and the search is on for alternative efficient and effective forms of heating. Heat pumps have been around for decades in Europe, where they are readily accepted, but it’s a fairly new technology to the UK. They provide highly efficient, low carbon space and water heating using inexhaustible, freely available solar energy stored in the soil, ambient air or underground water.
Heat pump systems collect this energy, and by compressing it, raise the temperature so that it can be converted for use in the heating system. Up to 75% of the energy needed by the heating system can be obtained from the environment, with the only running cost being the electrical energy needed for the compressor. So for every 1kWh of energy used, up to 4kWh of useful heat is provided.
Heat pumps are ideal for commercial and public buildings, since they are insulated from the sudden price rises that affect systems running on other fuels such as gas or oil, helping to plan and control budgets. They are also one of the safest heating systems available today, with no storage of fuel on-site, eliminating the risk of combustion or fuel leakage. The Dimplex heat pump range offers nominal heating capacities from 5 – 28kW and typically the heat pump is installed with a low-temperature heating system such as underfloor heating.
Ground source heat pumps use flexible PE pipes which are buried either horizontally or vertically, depending on available space, and offer high levels of efficiency year round due to the consistency of temperatures below the surface.
An air source heat pump obtains its energy from the ambient air and surprisingly, can provide an efficient heating system even in air temperatures as low as -20ºC. They are suitable for either indoor or outdoor installation and provide significant installation cost benefits over ground source systems, as there is no requirement for ground loops to be installed.
Take it for granted
As heat pumps are recognised by the government as a renewable system they can attract grant assistance from the DTI under the Low Carbon Buildings Programme, administered by the Energy Savings Trust. This currently provides subsidies of up to £1,200 against the cost of each heat pump installation for home owners, businesses and community groups among others. Grants for medium and large scale microgeneration projects are expected to be available in late 2006.
With renewable sources of energy set to become a big part of our lives in the coming years, electric heating is able to reap the full benefit of its compatibility with renewables. Taking alternative forms of heating such as heat pumps into account, the future’s looking bright for electric heating systems.
Case study
A Dimplex heat pump has been installed to heat a new £1.3million visitor information and community resources centre at Aberdulais Falls, one of the National Trust’s most important industrial sites in Wales. The project combines all the latest principles of sustainable design in a low energy building, and uses energy from the on-site hydro-electric scheme to power the heat pump.
“The new building is on a site that’s been at the forefront of using energy from renewable sources for over 400 years and has played a central role in the industrial development of South Wales. For the National Trust, it was vital that the principles of sustainability and energy efficiency were at the core of the project,” says Sian Jones, Property Manager for the National Trust and manager of the development.
“Aberdulais is a fascinating place at many levels as it’s a site that’s not only rich in history but is very much a real living, working heart of the community today. The falls have been at the leading edge of using nature’s energy for centuries. It was very important for us to ensure the new development is as sustainable and energy efficient as possible, which also fits with the Trust’s aim to reduce our energy footprint.”
The new building is designed for high solar gain, and the National Trust appointed Gower-based Green Dragon Energy, one of a national network of approved Dimplex heat pump installers, to advise and supply the energy efficient heating.
“This is a particularly important project for us,” comments Sian Jones. “We knew Green Dragon and Dimplex would deliver not only in terms of product but also service which has been essential for this project, and we’ve all worked very much as a team to achieve our goal.”
A Dimplex LA20AS air to water heat pump has been installed, which draws the majority of the energy needed by the underfloor heating system from the ambient air. Power to drive the heat pump is supplied by a hydro-electric water turbine, meaning the entire heating system is entirely sustainable and effectively zero carbon emission. It is planned that the system will also form part of the exhibition display for visitors who come to view the dramatic waterfalls and gorge.
Construction of the centre, funded with contributions from Objective 1 European Funding, the Friends of Aberdulais Falls and the Welsh Assembly Government with the support of Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council, was managed by Swansea-based contractors John Weaver.
- Solar powered air conditioning: the facts
- Shedding light on office lighting design
- A Glossary of construction terms
- Time obligations in building contracts and rem...
- Avoiding corrosion
- Why chilled beams have hit the roof
- How underfloor heating drives down whole-life...
- Clarifying the issues
- Providing safe hot water is vital
- How limited are your downlighter covers?
There is an obvious need for the industry to be more energy efficient and pay more attention to the ways in which energy is both used and wasted. Do you think we have the products on the market to meet our needs?
