GR E E N T E C H N O LO GY sm a r te r te ch nolo g ie s
A SMART BALANCE: HOW CONNECTED TECH IS TRANSFORMING UK’S ENERGY REUSE REMIT Businesses across the UK are under pressure to achieve Net Zero by 2050. But cutting down on emissions is not enough. Matthew Margetts, from Smarter Technologies, investigates current energy reuse options, and how the impending demand on the electricity grid can be balanced effectively with IoT technology to build an effective smart net zero future. Technologies for energy reuse are beginning to receive a lot of attention from governments and other stakeholders.
SMARTER TECHNOLOGIES smartertechnologies.com
Over the last decade, the UK has been developing technological options for the removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide removal (CDR) and energy recycling have an important role to play in UK climate action. Carbon dioxide removal includes nature-based approaches, such as reforestation, as well as technology-based approaches. These include capturing carbon dioxide emissions from power plants and industries for underground storage or re-use.
Combined heat and power (CHP) In the UK, the government is backing the combined heat and power (CHP) model, also known as ‘cogeneration’. CHP is a highly efficient process that captures and utilises the heat that is a by-product of the electricity generation process. The heat generated is supplied to an appropriately matched heat demand (one that would otherwise be met by a conventional boiler and require
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additional fuel to be burnt). By making use of heat that would otherwise be wasted when generating electrical or mechanical power, CHP systems offer an efficient means of working towards reducing emissions. In fact, CHP systems avoid network losses and reduce emissions by up to 30% compared to conventional generation via a boiler and power station. Thus, for many organisations, CHP offers the most significant single opportunity to both reduce energy costs and improve environmental performance. The CHP process is especially welcome for sectors that use significant amounts of energy, such as food production. An example of CHP is The Shard in London, the tallest building in the EU with 72 storeys. This landmark building is powered by a natural gas fuelled CHP plant to operate at the highest level of energy efficiency. The plant provides energy for electricity and water heating to the surrounding area, reducing carbon emissions and contributing to the low-carbon footprint of the building.
