Electric heating in a low-carbon future
With more low-carbon electricity becoming available and planned for the future, Paul Rivett believes that electric heating has a great future.
Electric heating products have a positive and secure future ahead, despite the fact they are currently viewed as carbon intensive and actually penalised in Government figures. However, we at Heatrae Sadia Heating believe that critics are being short-sighted, as they have not considered that in the future electric heating will be a very attractive offer.
The arguments against electric heating are based on the way electricity is principally generated in the UK, rather than on the efficiency of the products themselves. Electric heating products are actually highly efficient at the point of use (Heatrae Sadia’s Amptec electric boiler, for example, is 99.8% efficient). If electricity can be generated in a way that is less carbon intensive, then this type of heating becomes much more sustainable.
According to the report ‘Building a low carbon economy — the UK’s contribution to tackling climate change’ from the Climate Change Committee, a radical de-carbonisation of power is on the way. In fact, an almost full decarbonisation of the power sector will be required by 2030.
The grid is set to become decarbonised because of the development of nuclear power stations and renewable electricity production. In January 2008 the Government announced its backing for a new generation of nuclear power stations — meaning that low-carbon, more efficient electricity generation will be introduced. Alongside this, ‘green’ electricity is already being produced via renewable methods such as wind farms and hydro-power, and it is already available from some energy suppliers. The Government has set a target for 10% of electricity produced in the UK to come from renewable sources by 2010, so it is safe to assume there will be further investment.
In addition, electric heating works well with renewable technologies, and the report from the Climate Change Committee Report actually states that further carbon emission reductions will require the introduction of new technologies based on electricity. Electric water-heating products are highly compatible with renewable technologies, especially solar-thermal water heating and heat pumps.
This is all very positive news for the electric heating industry, and we believe it secures its future. In fact, it is likely that in the future low-carbon electricity will be used to provide space and water heating, rather than fossil fuels. So alongside BEAMA (British Electrotechnical & Allied Manufacturers Association) and TEHVA (The Electric Heating & Ventilation Association), we are lobbying the Government and EU officials to change the current stance on electric heating — and to ensure its merits are recognised and that new product development is encouraged.
After all, the Government is encouraging investment in electric cars because it recognises the carbon savings they can offer; hence the same principle should be applied to electric heating. The benefits of electric cars (battery storage and load management) can be equally applied to electric storage water heaters — where both base-load nuclear power (once on stream) and intermittent renewable technologies can be utilised. Our message to Government is therefore to encourage the installation of energy-efficient electric and other forms of storage water heating now to bank long-term carbon savings.
Nonetheless, electric heating products continue to be given a relatively hard time. Even though SAP ratings for dwellings with electric heating can be improved with good insulation and the inclusion of renewable technologies, there is a real threat that there could be a shift away from electric heating if the Government does not act now.
In years to come, electric heating products will be very much in demand — so we need to invest in product development today. Electric-heating manufacturers must step up to the challenges set by current legislation, by making sure their products are as energy efficient as possible and compatible with renewable technologies. This will ensure we are ready to capitalise on the low-carbon electricity production that the future will bring.
Paul Rivett is managing director of Heatrae Sadia Heating.
