Upcoming: webinar on how connected hot water cylinders could improve energy security
The Hot Water Association (HWA) and the Chartered Institute of Plumbing & Heating Engineering (CIPHE) are hosting a dedicated webinar to provide heating engineers with guidance on energy storage potential and ‘grid enabled’ hot water stores.
The event will be hosted by the HPA’s technical manager Kevin Lowe and technical consultant Alan Clarke and takes place on 13 February between 6pm and 7pm.
Its follows the release of an industry report from the HWA, Connected Homes, which identified the potential for hot water cylinders to be used as thermal stores for grid electricity to build resilience in peak periods.
Kevin says: “As tackling energy security remains one of the UK’s primary challenges, it’s crucial that industry awareness continues to grow of the potential role of hot water cylinders in the energy mix. By making existing and new cylinders connected in homes across the country, heating engineers have an important part to play.”
The report revealed that if the 9 million cylinders in UK homes were connected through smart controls and used as batteries, the National Grid could unlock 23GWh of energy storage – nearly half the UK’s daily energy usage. Given the introduction of technologies like heat pumps, which require hot water cylinders, this number could soon increase to 40GWh.
Kevin continued: “To make the most of this energy storage potential, cylinders require smart functionalities introduced either via retrofitting smart controls, or brand new cylinders must be installed with gas boilers or heat pumps. It’s imperative that homeowners are convinced to make this project a reality. As many rightfully rely on the knowledge of the nation’s heating experts, they are key to ensuring that hot water cylinders are used to relieve pressure on the electrical grid.”