Using renewables intelligently
Simply adding renewable energy to existing buildings may not get the best returns. Andrew Percival stresses that they are just part of the energy-reducing package
With new the Feed in Tariff (FiT) and Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) being designed to stimulate the micro-generation and renewable market and successive Building Regulations driving even higher energy-performance standards it is ever likely that there is frenetic activity to fit, amongst other things, large scale PV installations
Most certainly this sits with cross-party policy to deploy some form of renewable energy solution in every home by 2030. Many models being proposed offer free electricity to those occupants who are fortunate enough to have south-facing roofs. However, this does throw up the moral dilemma of whether we should be continuing to raise householders’ expectations on the back of a pending energy crisis and also, given a substantial increase in energy costs, whether this will trigger a greater demand for homes with a north-south facing aspect to the detriment of other dwellings. Only time will tell.
There is no doubt that the advent of renewable technologies is turning into a bit of a beauty parade, with manufacturers queuing up to demonstrate the technological potential of their products and how they can outperform the competition in terms of energy efficiency and carbon. There are unquestionably a number of good, and some not so good, products out there — and it will inevitably be maintenance costs and reliability that determine which ones will emerge as market leaders.
At Kinetics, we still consider it is vital to get the homework done before we offer a renewable-energy solution to our clients. This not only includes helping with product selection but also embodies a service that gathers as much information about the archetype and characteristics of the property, using EPC methodology, before we prepare a proposal.
For example, it seems that air-source heat pumps provide a new dimension in space heating for properties without mains gas, saving potentially 40% on electric bills compared with storage heaters. However, the deployment of a heat pump is only one part of a number of measures that should be carried out before installation. Like any mechanical device, heat pumps can get distressed when they are working flat out to heat a property that is poorly insulated. This in turn can have a detrimental impact upon the Coefficient of Performance (COP) or ratio of energy input to energy output that is so widely dressed up by some manufacturers. The result is that the potential savings for customers can be significantly undermined.
This is why Kinetics places so much store in the initial property survey and in offering clients a package of measures like loft top-ups, draught proofing right through to cavity, internal and external wall insulation alongside any renewable installation — thus allowing occupants to realise the full potential of the technology.
Intelligent application of renewables is a vital feature of the retrofit agenda. Solar-thermal panels represent one technology where clients would be well advised to consider how they are used and where they will offer the greatest benefits. A case in point is revealed through a number of recent schemes where we have provided solar-thermal installations for care homes. Because care homes constantly use hot water throughout the day for washing purposes, they can optimise on the heat generated during daylight hours. In the case of care homes, the hot water in the system is rarely raised to a point where the heat generated by the panels is wasted because no more heat is needed. As such the full benefits of the solar panels are realised.
This is in contrast to some domestic applications where peaks in hot-water demand do not necessarily correspond with consumption. A morning peak may require a system boiler to raise temperatures sufficiently to enable working families to shower and bathe before going off to work.
Clearly FiT and the RHI have now served to throw into question which renewable energy route is right for property owners and landlords, particularly in social housing, where the capital financing and corresponding financial returns of each scheme will now have to be factored against the potential benefits of each renewable technology. PV is now emerging as a strong contender for domestic applications, which was previously cost prohibitive. The danger, however, is that this may unfairly affect other renewable applications which are not so generously rewarded under the schemes.
There is no doubt that the retrofit agenda continues to gather pace as well as complexity. What will ultimately emerge is difficult to tell in view of the rapid developments of other technologies like fuel cells. It will therefore remain implicit on clients to continue engaging contracting partners and networking with their peers in order to gather the knowledge to continue making informed decisions.
Andrew Percival is consultant for sustainable energy solutions with Kinetics Group.
www.kineticsgroup.co.uk
