Making our homes energy-fit

CARDIFF CAPITAL REGION Discover.

Making our homes energy-fit for the future

In July 2019 the Decarbonisation of Homes in Wales Advisory Group reported that 750,000 homes in southeast Wales were responsible for 27% of all energy consumed across CCR.

Their report stated that the CCR has some of “the oldest and least thermally efficient housing stock in Europe” - and recommended a 30-year ‘decarbonisation’ of homes across the region by 2050, with every property meeting the ‘climate-resilient’ standards of being low carbon, water and energy efficient; and all housing stock retro-fitted to attain a band A energy rating by the mid-century landmark.

“750,000 homes are responsible for 27% of all energy consumed across CCR"

With policy experts at the Institute of Welsh Affairs (IWA) predicting that CCR could meet all of its energy needs from renewable energy sources by 2035 (through a blend of electricity and hydrogen produced by solar, offshore wind, tidal power, hydropower, geothermal and fusion energy) as well as creating thousands of new jobs and billions of pounds of extra GVA to the region, the domestic energy transformation can’t come quickly enough.

So what will the forthcoming domestic refit ‘look like’ - will there be a solar panel on every roof, a heat pump and smart meter in every home and a private electric vehicle charging point in every property? How will this refit be rolled-out to ensure that every home has low-carbon sources of heating and high levels of home energy efficiency? And what is the blend of green energy that will power our homes in the 21st century? Some of the above is already apparent, some still open to refinement, but this much we already know…

“CCR could meet all of its energy needs from renewable energy sources by 2035"

Heat Pumps are one of the most obvious replacements, using a refrigerant to absorb the natural heat that can be found in the ground, air or water. This refrigerant is compressed to further increase the temperature, which can then be used to heat the cold water in the system - before being pumped to our radiators or supplied to our hot water taps. Heat pumps work solely by using electricity, which can be generated from renewable sources that don’t directly produce any carbon emissions - and can even generate excess energy that can be sold back to the National Grid.

Hydrogen-ready Boilers

Many argue that solar energy and heat pumps will not be sufficient to power every home in the UK - and hydrogen-ready boilers are seen as the most viable alternative to the present fossil-fuel systems, as they can make use of the existing infrastructure and engineers (with a price point that is likely to remain competitive). The first homes with hydrogen boilers in the UK commenced build in April this year (in Gateshead) and from next year (in Fife, Scotland), hydrogen appliances will be trialled in over 300 homes fed with hydrogen gas directly from the National Grid.

“Fully decarbonised eco-systems are being trialled and tested on a wider scale"

With heat pumps, hydrogen boilers and the whole spectrum of renewable energies emerging on the horizon, a number of collaborations are trialling and testing fully decarbonised ecosystems on a wider scale…

Active Buildings

The Active Building Centre is a joint project between Swansea University and a number of pioneering organisations, using active building technologies to transform how buildings use energy, turning them from energy consumers into energy providers. The centre has secured a £36 million investment through the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund’s (ISCF) Transforming Construction Challenge Programme - and has already successfully piloted beautifully designed homes and comfortable workspaces, powered by self-generated clean

Green Industries Wales CARDIFF CAPITAL REGION

Discover.

energy that makes energy bills and carbon emissions a thing of the past, integrating renewable technologies for heat, power and transport (and when connected with other Active Buildings in a network, even possessing the ability to trade energy as part of a circular economy).

Hydrogen-blended Heat for Housing

Hoare Lea, Pobl and Ynni Glan are currently working together to develop an apartment complex for older people in Newport, South Wales - exploring options to blend hydrogen with natural gas to reduce emissions from the onsite heating system. This pilot is part of the UK programme to deliver the Prime Minister’s target of blending up to 20% hydrogen into Britain’s gas network from 2023, so that Britain’s homes can reduce their carbon emissions by the equivalent of 2.5 million cars a year - achieved without anyone having to change their household appliances.

Smart Local Energy Systems

The Milford Haven Energy Kingdom project is exploring what a decarbonised smart local energy system could look like for the Milford Haven Waterway - including the potential of hydrogen as part of a multi-vector approach to decarbonisation. The local energy system is being designed to put local communities and industry at the centre of the project - achieving a net-zero target through local renewable energy (solar, onshore wind, future offshore wind and biomass) and diversified markets for hydrogen across heat, power, transport and industry sectors.

This two year project will run until 2022, creating investable propositions - and including the demonstration of hydrogen-ready features and technologies such as a hybrid heat pump and hydrogenready boiler demo for heating (as well as a hydrogen vehicle refuelling station for Riversimple’s fuel cell RASA cars), allowing people to test real-world hydrogen heating equipment and vehicles, using a comprehensive energy systems architecture.

Building the Gas Goes Green Pathway

Wales & West Utilities has commenced its work programme for the Energy Networks Association (ENA) Gas Goes Green Programme in 2021 - a six-step programme making the changes necessary to convert Britain’s £24bn of gas network infrastructure to run on hydrogen and biomethane instead, without the need for people to change their household appliances. Biomethane alone could deliver a 6% reduction in the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, providing heating for 6.4 million homes.

The initial Planning & Research step is moving towards the second step - Facilitating the Connection of More Green Gas - which includes putting in place the right licensing arrangements to build the infrastructure through Britain’s industrial heartlands, blending 20% of hydrogen into the domestic gas network by 2023 (as detailed in our earlier Newport pilot) - and boosting biomethane production by creating more space for farmers and other biomethane producers, by converting existing biogas power plants and streamlining the gas grid connection process for biomethane and hydrogen.