How do we successfully decarbonise heat? That’s the big question of the moment, and the answer is simple – we need scalable solutions which are right for both the planet and the consumer.

As with any major transition, there will be challenges. Taking UK heating as an example, millions of properties need to decarbonise, but if we want to deliver electrified heating at the scale required while ensuring consumers receive a heating (and cooling) solution appropriate for them, there cannot be a one-size-fits-all approach.

Air source heat pumps and district heating will have a role to play, but for large parts of the UK where these options may not offer the most efficient, cost-effective all-around heating and cooling, we will need to look elsewhere. We at Kensa are confident we have an answer.

We’ve developed a customer-centred, scalable solution, which can be rolled out street-by-street to provide heating and cooling to millions of homes. It’s as perfect for newbuilds as it is for buildings considered ‘complex to decarbonise’ – that’s terraced streets, flats, tenements and tower blocks. This is networked ground source heat pumps.  

Ground source heat pumps
Ground source heat pumps work by absorbing free renewable heat stored in the ground, generated by solar energy, which the heat pump takes advantage of to deliver usable heat energy for a building’s hot water and heating system. As well as heating buildings, this system can also provide cooling.

Stable ground temperatures deliver up to five times more efficient heating than gas and more efficient heating than most other renewable options, which translates to the lowest grid impact as the electrification of heat and transport ramps up. Most importantly, it offers the lowest possible bills for the customer, all thanks to the small white box stored in a cupboard inside their home, shielded from the elements.

However, these benefits are elevated when individual heat pumps in multiple properties are connected using a shared network of underground pipework (networked ground source heat pumps). Kensa has pioneered this electrified heat solution, which is proven to deliver the heat load requirements of whole tower blocks and entire streets, along with everything in between, without needing any visible, above-ground external infrastructure.

Networked ground source heat pumps have been successfully installed in numerous retrofit tower blocks and across various new housing projects. They’re also installed under streets for a world-first development in Cornwall, delivering a mass retrofit project that has presented the roadmap for further installations across the UK.

Legal & General and Octopus Energy see an exciting future in this technology and have invested £70mn in Kensa. With this support, we’re able to make our solution more accessible and affordable.

With private investment in the form of pension funds deployed to cover the upfront cost of the network installation, millions of households can gain access to a green heating source without any initial expense. Once installed, consumers will simply pay a monthly standing charge to connect their heat pump.

We’ve developed a customer-centred, scalable solution, which can be rolled out street-by-street to provide heating and cooling to millions of homes – networked ground source heat pumps.  

Consumer and system savings
A landmark Element Energy study highlighted the consumer savings this funded heat network approach could bring. The Low Carbon Heat Study concluded that networked ground source heat pumps are up to 20% cheaper to install and operate over the product’s lifecycle than air-source, while upfront costs are 8% less when installed at scale using private investment funding in this way.

Element Energy’s study also presented how mass adoption of networked ground-source heat pumps could reduce Britain’s annual electricity consumption by up to 24 TWh a year, compared to the use of mainly air source heat pumps, also reducing annual peak electricity demand by up to 36 GW. Due to the reduction in required grid capacity, it would also present potential savings of up to £15bn/y in electricity system costs between now and 2050.

Driven by these findings and supported by our investors, everyone at Kensa is constantly striving to innovate and deliver what’s best for consumers. Earlier this year, I unveiled the Shoebox NX ground source heat pump. This compact heat pump, designed with the mass rollout of networked heat pumps in mind, is small enough to fit in a cupboard, is five times more efficient than a gas boiler and is capable of heating anything from a flat to a four or even five-bedroom home.

While it’s perfect for newbuild homes, the NX’s high efficiencies and SAP (standard assessment procedure) score also mean it’s capable of lifting retrofit properties by up to two EPC (energy performance certificate) bands on its own – a game-changer as properties, particularly in social housing, look to meet higher energy efficiency requirements.

With products like the Shoebox NX and solutions in the form of networked ground source heat pumps, the means to achieve widespread heat decarbonisation are ready to be deployed. As we strive for a future without fossil-fuelled heating, ensuring consumers have access to affordable systems that will work as part of the UK’s energy system is critical to ensuring a successful transition.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are strictly those of the author only and are not necessarily given or endorsed by or on behalf of the Energy Institute.

• Further reading: ‘Heat pumps, refrigerants and UK district heating networks’. Lee Hermitage of Honeywell Advanced Materials focuses on the advantages of the refrigerant used with heat pumps being installed for in one district heating system in London.
• Find out more on recent progress in the district heating sector in the UK.