Here at Passiv, we talk a lot about heat pumps. That’s because they’re our bread and butter – we’ve been optimising them for over 10 years! But they aren’t the only option for decarbonising home heating. Enter heat networks.
What are heat networks?
Heat networks distribute heat from a single ‘energy centre’ to multiple homes and businesses. They’re nothing new, as the history of heat networks dates back centuries! They come in all shapes and sizes and can provide heating for small estates, commercial buildings or even tower blocks. Traditionally, most heat networks have been powered by fossil-fuels, such as large gas or oil boilers providing high temperature heat from a central plant. However, with domestic heating accounting for 18% of all UK greenhouse gas emissions, there is an increasing drive to transition heat networks away from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources.
Diagram of a heat network. Source: Multipipe.
Low-carbon heat networks utilise a mix of electric heating systems including heat pumps and electric boilers. This allows every property on the network to enjoy clean heating without having to invest in individual heating systems. This is particularly beneficial in residential blocks or smaller estates, where space constraints can make it difficult to fit heat pumps on the outside of properties or hot water tanks on the inside. More than half a million households and businesses are already connected to a heat network in the UK, offering a unique opportunity to transition thousands away from fossil fuels to a clean, renewable solution.
This isn’t without its challenges. Simultaneously transitioning hundreds of properties to electric heating creates a significant increase in electrical load. This is a particular problem at a local level. Local substations that convert high-voltage electricity from the grid to lower-voltage electricity that powers our homes are usually not designed to support the electricity demand of heat networks. Transitioning networks to low-carbon heating requires significant build out of local infrastructure which can lead to increased costs and longer development times.
How can smart controls help?
As heat networks transition away from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources, there is an opportunity for heat networks to support electricity networks, reducing the cost of heating and improving energy security. Heat demand can be managed in a smart, coordinated way to ensure that total demand at the heat network energy centre never gets too high for local constraints. Electricity network operators can also request heat provision to be shifted in order to reduce peak demand.
In order to manage this, heat network operators need visibility of the potential heating demand from all properties on the network. Similarly, residents need a way of controlling the temperature in their home that interfaces with the heat network in order to draw the right amount of heat at the right time. Smart, connected controls offer a solution to both of these issues. Residents can schedule their heating according to their needs, while the operator can access information about how that schedule translates to heat demand. Smart controls are essential to ensure that overall network demand can be shifted effectively without compromising on the comfort of any individual resident.
The Heatropolis project
The Heatropolis project is a collaboration between Passiv and project partners UK Power Networks, Metropolitan, Guidehouse, Crossbreed AB and NODA Intelligent Systems. Heatropolis will investigate and implement solutions for providing energy flexibility on decarbonised heat networks. The project will develop technical solutions for managing heat network demand, as well as commercial models for ensuring that end users are rewarded for the flexibility they provide to the wider network.
Running over three winter trials, Heatropolis will see Passiv provide a smart control solution to the King’s Cross heat network, managed by Passiv’s sister company Metropolitan. These controls will provide residents with a simple, optimised way of controlling their heating. They will utilise smart preheating to guarantee residents’ comfort while shifting demand in response to the heat network’s needs. This will be the first UK demonstration of heat network users actively participating in energy flexibility in an optimised, automated way on every level, from individual homes to the distribution network.
You can read more about the Heatropolis project here.
