Explore every episode of the podcast BetaTalk - The Renewable Energy and Low Carbon Heating Podcast
Dive into the complete episode list for BetaTalk - The Renewable Energy and Low Carbon Heating Podcast. Each episode is cataloged with detailed descriptions, making it easy to find and explore specific topics. Keep track of all episodes from your favorite podcast and never miss a moment of insightful content.
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Disrupting Zero Disrupt: Inside EDF's 'Express Heat Pump Initiative'
This week on BetaTalk, we're doing something truly special: the FIRST EVER exclusive interview with EDF Heat Pumps about their groundbreaking new "Express" initiative.
EDF's new "Express" initiative is hitting the accelerator, promising faster, smoother heat pump deployments that are directly comparable to the cost of a boiler install.
We sit down with Clay Brown from EDF Heat Pumps behind to unpack:
What "Express" really means for installers and homeowners.
How they're streamlining the process from survey to switch-on.
The vision behind this bold step for #RenewableEnergy.
Sign up to the BetaTeach newsletter to view heat pump installations from engineers in the Guild of Master Heat Engineers
In this episode Nathan chats to two of the Guild Patrons, Rob Nezard from UK Radiators and Nick Baylis from Castrads about the issue of radiators being sold in the UK with overstated power outputs.
Rob and Nick have been working with the Manufacturers Association of Radiators and Convectors (MARC) and now have the help of the Government body: Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS), the National Regulator for construction products, enforcing the Construction Product Regulations. This level of government involvement is a significant development, and it validates the nearly nine-year campaign for transparency and accurate performance claims across the radiator and convector sector
Meet the Guild Patrons
Guild Patrons help support the Guild of Master Heat Engineers disseminate quality information about current good practice. Sign up to the Newsletter to see case studies from the Masters
Expanding Horizons: BetaTalk's New Newsletter and Website!
We're thrilled to announce that BetaTalk is growing! In addition to our regular podcast episodes, we're launching a brand new newsletter and an associated website. This expansion will allow us to bring you even more in-depth content, industry news, and valuable insights into the world of heat pumps and sustainable building.
Our newsletter, launching shortly, will be your go-to source for the latest industry developments, insightful opinion pieces from the third sector, and crucially, real-world heat pump case studies from experienced engineers in the Guild of Master Heat Engineers. This is an exciting step in our mission to inform and empower.
As Chris Stark, former CEO of the Climate Change Committee, remarked about this new venture: "Nathan is one of the UK’s clean heat leaders, so I always watch him closely. This collaborative media venture is an exciting next step. We need positive voices like Nathan’s to help broaden knowledge around retrofit and heat pump installations."
Don't miss out! Be among the first to receive our new newsletter and stay ahead of the curve:
Welcome back to BetaTalk! In this fascinating episode, we delve deep into the world of air-to-air (A2A) heat pump systems for domestic properties. We were incredibly fortunate to be joined by two distinguished guests: Es Tresidder, a consultant specialising in Passivhaus design and low-carbon building design optimisation, and Michael Cosham, a seasoned HVAC engineer with 47 years of invaluable experience.
Our conversation began by exploring air-to-air systems in general, including Michael's personal experience building an A2A system for his first home on Canvey Island. Es then shared insights into the A2A system installed in his own highly efficient home, providing a real-world perspective on their performance.
We thoroughly discussed the numerous advantages of A2A systems in domestic properties, highlighting their efficiency and effectiveness. We also touched upon some perceived disadvantages, but as our conversation unfolded, it became clear that many of these concerns, such as fan speeds, comfort, noise, and even dry skin issues, may be simple to resolve with proper system setup and design. Indeed, with the right configuration, these issues may not even exist.
For more on this, and avoiding potential pitfalls, Es has provided these insightful articles:
A key takeaway from this episode was the remarkably low cost of A2A heat pumps, making them an increasingly attractive and accessible option for homeowners looking to embrace sustainable heating solutions.
Join us for a truly enlightening discussion that challenges preconceptions and sheds light on the true potential of air-to-air heat pump technology.
Gas prices have risen. This is having a dramatic effect on the poor. Nathan discusses the sorry state of ECO, the Energy Companies Obligation and how boilers have been installed in such a way that the heating systems in the homes of the fuel poor are not as efficient as they should be. Is anyone to blame? Is anyone researching this?
To listen to the bonus episodes, including one coming shortly on how radiators are sized correctly for your home please sign up
In an experimental podcast episode Nathan chats to his friend and world renowned Michael Liebreich who hosts the Cleaning Up podcast. It is a dual podcast and will go out on BetaTalk and Cleaning Up. You can even watch it here on YouTube
Nathan and Michael discuss how we have the technology for low carbon heating but lack the skills to implement it. As an expert on finance Michael touches on the fact that investment money is there ready and waiting.
If you would like to hear extra bonus episodes please sign up to our patreon site to help support us. Thank you and enjoy the show
Planning permission and planning allocation are complex topics and Nathan invited along his friend Rico Wojtulewicz, the head of housing and policy at the National Federation of Builders, for a chat about how the planning process hinders the uptake of low carbon heating technology such as heat pumps.
A fantastic episode where Nathan learns new terms and concepts such as
Open Spaces
Local Development Order
Reserved Matters
Biodiversity Net Gain
Call for Sights
Subdivision of large sites
HousingDelivery Test
The National Federation is similar yet different to the Home Builders Federation where you will find the big developers such as Barret Homes.
The NFB has around 1200 menbers of which about 400 are exclusively house builders. These are made up of the SME's who like to deliver a good product.
Nathan was joined by a very special guest on the first episode of a new season sponsored by the Heat Geek Team.
Nathan has been trying to help the heating industry realise there needs to be a paradigm shift in the way we train people. Many people are now involved in the training and education discourse, but unfortunately they have little understanding around the science of learning. So, for this episode, Nathan interviews one of the world's leading experts on the subject Nick Shackleton Jones.
Nick has worked for Siemens , the BBC and BP and has his own consultancy. Nathan studies the science of learning himself and you will enjoy hearing them discuss psychologists such as Piaget, Vygotsky and Bowlby. There is even a bit of Plato.
Education and learning are two completely distinct things and in fact education gets in the way of learning. We possibly won't break the paradigm of the whole of education but now the world needs to decarbonise can the heating and renewable industry reshape how people learn?
In this episode we also hear Nick discuss his affective context model, which is his general theory of learning
Are we training all the heating engineers we need for the energy transition the right way or are we sticking to convention?
Nick has en excellent book which you can find here.
It is Nathan's favourite book on the subject of learning. Enjoy the show
You can find a discount code to the heat geek course here
Corrosion is a big problem in wet central heating systems. The water within the heating system is the cheapest yet regarded as the most important component. Unfortunately, it's perhaps the least understood and often neglected.
Many boiler breakdowns are caused by corrosion and in a transition to heat pumps we will need to be careful about water quality.
Nathan chats to his good friend Ricky from Thoroughflush and Simon from elexion about VDI2035.
VDI2035 is a German standard for water quality and unlike the BS7593 (2019) it understands the importance of system design.
Simon explains how in the commercial sector, where heating equipment is very expensive, it is vital to have a good water quality regime. elexion is known for understanding how to condition water using a non chemical method and they were recently involved with the new update to BG50 (BSRIA) which is the bible of water quality used in the industry.
The methods Simon and Ricky uses to test and condition water are now being used in the domestic sector and many of the engineers Nathan has on his show now use this chemical free method to protect heating systems from corrosion.
The method relies on removing the salts and minerals from the fill water which reduces the conductivity of the water and helps slow down the process of corrosion, especially if too much oxygen is getting into the system. This demineralisation process uses ionic exchange. The good news is, if your water tests for low conductivity, good system design (such as the use of a deaeration device) can be all you need
If you are a housing association, university or a Local Authority and you are interested in learning more about water quality contact BetaTeach at learn@betateach.co.uk as Simon and Nathan are able to offer some training around this area.
Some nice science in this episode such as cations and anions, the positive and negative ions found in our tap water such as calcium carbonate. Like measuring heat loss is so important when working out the design of a heating system, measuring the conductivity and pH of the fill water is also extremely beneficial and can lead to the correct strategy for water quality control. Enjoy the episode
Nathan chats to a good friend of the podcast, Guy Newey, about decarbonising our homes and heating
Guy is Director of Strategy and Performance at the Energy Systems Catapult - (sponsor of season 3 of BetaTalk) He was the Energy Adviser to the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), Greg Clark and Special Advisor to former Energy Secretary Amber Rudd.
He has also worked as Head of Policy at OVO, one of the UK's energy suppliers, and was Head of Environment and Energy at think tank Policy Exchange.
The episode discusses the work at the Energy System Catapult and some of the challenges for home owners. But Nathan and Guy are interested in the business model Heat as a Service or otherwise known as Comfort as a Service. These models can be beneficial to homeowners as well as incentivise innovation, efficient energy use and a race to the top rather than the bottom in the heating sector.
Nathan has a conversation with industry veteran Bob Beattie about air to air heat pumps which have been heating and cooling us for many years outside of our homes.
Bob and Nathan discuss mini splits, multi splits and variable refrigerant flow (VRF) systems (otherwise known as variable refrigerant volume VRV
Often, discussions around heat pumps in the media only concentrate on air to water heat pumps e.g. air source heat pumps which transfer heat to a wet system such as underfloor or radiator circuits or ground source heat pumps which transferor heat energy to wet heating systems.
Air to air heat pump systems are very efficient and will work well in some domestic situations. They also provide heat removal from a room otherwise known as comfort cooling and often called air conditioning.
Enjoy the episode and please share on social media and with friends and work associates
We chat with Kim from the Heat Academy. Kim was asked to help train the supervisors of a large plumbing and heating company who install the heating on large developments (New Builds). He was shocked that in this case it seemed the boiler manufacturer had designers specifying heating systems that will not work very well with modern boilers.
Heating system design is critical in this energy transition...does it help if the manufacturers are not fully understanding heating design themselves?
Rhiannon and Nathan discuss the recent Installer Show 2025 at Birmingham NEC, covering current trends within the heating industry, including issues related to training.
You just have Nathan on this episode who wanted to help explain further what is going on with heat in a home e.g. how does heat move, how is heat measured, what is the relationship between energy (joules) and power (Watts)
Sit back and enjoy. Please, please share this episode with others as it will help.
If you are a heating engineer, PAS assessor or coordinator please sign up to the email list in the link below if you would like to be part of the Learning Support Platform Nathan is developing.
Big heat pumps powering district heat networks is the topic of conversation. Nathan chats with a well known figure from the vapour compression industry Dave Pearson, the Group Sustainable Development Director from Star Renewable Energy.
Star Renewable Energy, based in Glasgow, Scotland is responsible for the world’s largest 90°C natural heat pump for district heating based in Drammen, Norway.
Star uses ammonia, a naturally occurring refrigerant with zero ozone depletion potential for their heat pumps. They have just built the water source heat pump for the Clyde Bank district heating system run by West Dunbartonshire Council.
As well as chatting big heat pumps Nathan speaks to Dave about his business model idea for decarbonising domestic heat.
At the end of this episode Nathan speaks with Jayesh about transitioning to heat pumps for the Optimized Retrofit Bulletin
In this very honest episode Nathan chat's to Martyn Bridges from Worcester Bosch about 100% hydrogen boilers and hydrogen ready boilers, also known as H2 ready boilers.
Worcester Bosch are a very well known boiler brand here in the UK who are also involved with renewable technology such as solar thermal, air to air heat pumps, air to water heat pumps and ground source heat pumps.
There is a lot of confusion around hydrogen and the decarbonisation of heat and hopefully this episode is able to answer some questions.
Nathan also discusses the new online benchmark system which has recently been introduced along with the topics of BS7593 and VDI2035 which are standards around corrosion in heating systems.
The new heat pump courses from the heat pump association and the new low temperature heating course from the CIPHE are also on the agenda
Nathan would like to say a personal thank you to Martyn for the kind words he wrote in a about his grandfather in a private message last year. Nathan misses his grandfather lots as he passed away just before the world started talking about the heating industry. Martyn knew Van very well and, like Nathan, knows how much of an asset his knowledge would have been in the discussions we all now find ourselves in regarding the decarbonisation of heating.
What is the best boiler features on some consumer sites. Unfortunately, these consumer sites have very little knowledge around boilers so it is best to take their advice with a pinch of salt .
In this episode Nathan chats to Si Posket who is going to be doing a lot more heat pump work with his friend Craig from https://cbrookesheating.co.uk/
REMEMBER: a boiler or a heat pump is part of a heating system. It is the system which needs to be efficient. ALL boilers (which nowadays are condensing boilers) are designed for low temperature heating systems just like heat pumps are designed for low temp heating systems.
Zoning heat pumps and heating systems is the topic of this episode. We chat with Adam Chapman AKA Heat Geek who is one of the BetaTalk Heat Architects about a recent video he published on youtube https://youtu.be/zpTVIeUh04E
Adam runs the Heat Geek Hydronics course and you can find a discount code at Nathan's website https://www.betateach.co.uk/
We also get to chat with Jez Climas who is a very rare breed of merchant who actually understands the technology he sells along with the heating systems it will be going on to. He has made an interesting career move from being and M&E consultant designing BIG heating systems to working at a company https://midsummerwholesale.co.uk/ who have experience with PV systems and have branched into the area of heat pumps.
We obviously cover the topic of zoning along with other topics such as commercial building management systems (BMS)
Other topics include thermostatic radiator valves TRV's, valve authority, mass flow rate, mean water temperature of radiators and Delta T. We also discuss a favourite topic of Adam's: weather compensation controls.
In the Optimised Retrofit bulletin we chat to Dr Rhiannon Wreede who has made the transition into heating and works for https://www.solarpvtech.com/. We hear how colleges running courses and the Awarding Bodies getting payed for issuing hundreds of thousands of certificates often leave learners high and dry with no progression into industry, a topic very close to Nathan's heart e.g. why is tax payers money for funding education going straight to colleges when it's the employers who need financial support to train our industry.
Rhiannon has also written articles in HIP magazine about her journey
John Cantor has been working with heat pumps since the late 70s and with refrigeration much earlier. He wrote his book along with Gavin DJ Harper (one of the BetaTalk guest battery experts) back in 2010 just before the renewable heat incentive came into play. He is joined by regular guests Ken and Steve who are big fans of John's pioneering work. It's a longer than usual episode so please use the chapter markers if you wish to find specific topics being discussed.
Decarbonising heat is a world wide challenge and Nathan had a conversation with Nate in Virginia USA to see what is going on over there.
Season 4 has a short bulletin at the end of each episode where Nathan and the Welsh Government Optimised Retrofit team listen to coal face engineers to learn about any issues and barriers they think they may face with a transition to renewables.
In this episode Nathan chats to his friend Colin King from Sero group who manage the Welsh Governments Optimised Retrofit programme and are season 4 sponsor of BetaTalk. Colin spent time at the BRE and is highly regarded voice within retrofit. He helped develop the PAS 2035 standards which came about from the Each Home Counts review.
Nathan is also joined by Isaac Occhipinti from HHIC and Phil Mason from TrustMark to discuss how PAS2035 and TrustMark can fit into the transition to renewable heating and retrofitting our homes.
In the BetaTalk Bulletin at the end of the main show we speak to Jack McGovern from the Glow Heat Group to hear his view on any of the barriers to retrofit.
We have a great chat with regular guest Steve about a solar thermal hybrid system he has recently commissioned for a customer. In the bulletin at the end we speak with Paul, a past president at the CIPHE about any barriers into renewables and retrofit.
Join James P and James C from Elite, a renewable and gas installation company based in Hull. We hear about their experience with the green homes grant and the renewable heat incentive and the uptake of heat pumps. James P comes from the PV industry and we learn how he teamed up with partner James from the gas boiler industry. We also chat with Lee Fischer who now works at Sero.
Subscribe to receive the newsletter which features some of the finest heating engineers and their projects at http://www.betateach.co.uk/
In this episode Nathan chats to his friend Ian Edgeworth, author of the recent books "Wellcome to the Wonderful world of Air source Heat Pumps - What Kept You" and "The Pocket Guide to Low Temperature Central Heating"
In this last episode of season 3 Nathan speaks with Evergreen Energy about how they will train their installers and engineers for the uptake of heat pumps. Gas engineer Ben was also on the show to discuss his training journey.
In part 1 we heard Steve's common heat pump mistakes now we get to hear from another #betatalk heat architect Si Poskett.
It's worth remembering heat pumps are just the heat source on a system, rather like a boiler is the heat source on a system. It is understanding the system as a whole which is the important part.
If you wish to learn about hydronic system design you can use my discount code BETA5 with this course
Heat Pumps are fantastic technology. They first trialed in homes in 1948. But they do have to be installed and used correctly.
In the first episode we listen to Steve, one of the BetaTalk Heat Architects. In the second episode we listen to Si Poskett another BetaTalk Heat Architect
Want to learn all about hydronics to help you in your profession? Whether you are an engineer, sustainability manager, environmental editor or working in the energy sector it will help you. Warning: this stuff can seem complex.
Click the link to watch the video and use my affiliated BETA5 promo code for discount
Nathan talks to Victor Hyman who is the executive director of climate care, a cooperative of around 30 HVAC contractors in Ontario Canada, and Robin Curtis who has been involved with ground and water source heat pumps for many moons.
This episode covers some history of GSHP as well as discussing what open loop and closed loop systems are both in water sources and vertical bore holes
Nathan discusses how he thinks LA's will need to know who the good engineers are and how the self employed may not want to become MCS.
He also introduces us to BetaTeach, the methodology needed for effective training and how LA's, Manufacturers and Associations can all pledge their support.
Local Area Energy Plans are something this seasons sponsors Energy Systems Catapult are keen to promote. Different parts of the country will require different stratagies to decarbonise heat, distribute power and organise transport. In the episode Nathan talks to community hero John Talylor who is involved with Greater South East Energy Hub, one of the five energy hubs across the country. Energy Hubs are made up of local enterprise partnerships such as New Anglia in Nathan's region.
John discusses what funding is available to local communities (e.g. Rural Community Energy Fund) and who can access it.
John knows his stuff, he really does and it was great for Nathan to learn more about how regional energy stratagies are in a way the more localised version of the National Carbon budgets the CCC work on.
A few local projects such as Swaffham Prior which is looking at having a heat network are discussed as well as UK Power Network and their work on future energy scenarios.
Nathan is talking to Evergreen Energy about the Homely device, a thermostat which monitors electricity pricing and can switch your heat pump on and off according to the electricity prices.
Dynamic tariffs being offerd from some companies will price electricity according to how much renewable surplus there is. But for a better explanation take a listen
In the first episode after betatalk won the British Renewable Energy Awards communication category Nathan is joined by two of his favourite engineers Steve and Steve. Along for the ride is Dominic representing the consumer perspective but who ls has vast experience regarding heat loss measurement and building fabric.
Topics and themes discussed are do radiators need to bigger for heat pumps; pipe sizing for heat pumps e.g. can microbore be used for heat pumps.
Electric capacity for heat pumps is also discussed along with buffer types and sizes.
Both Steves talk about the solar thermal system designs and how winter sun is great for helping heat our homes.
Senior Steve also discusses how heat pumps can extract heat from a river or the sea.
It's a great episode this and we hope you gain some value from it.
Nathan discusses heat as a service with Matthew Lipson, Dave Smith and Jayesh Kanbi.
Matthew works at https://es.catapult.org.uk/ (energy systems catapult) and has experience working at the Dept of Energy & Climate Change (now the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy ) and the Climate Change Committee. He regularly engages on social media with Nathan and other engineers in the heating space and is a firm friend of the podcast.
Dave Smith is a heating engineer and has been in the plumbing and heating industry since 1982. He recently set up an innovative company to address a problem with condensate pipework https://condensatepro.co.uk/
Jayesh Kanbi is another innovator and has set up https://myboiler.com/. Jayesh is a second generation heating engineer and known for his technical competence.
The topic is heat as a service. Matthew describes what this is and the potential advantages for both consumers and engineers but also in helping reduce emissions and reach netzero targets.
In this episode Nathan speaks with Adam Chapman from https://heatgeek.com/ about his experience with becoming MCS accredited. It's often heard how MCS is very complex for a heating engineer to undertake so Adam tries to help alleviate any of the mystery.
Adam is finding the process enjoyable and hopefully we will see many more smaller companies and sole traders obtain MCS. However, we discuss how the green homes grant, which has driven up demand for technologies such as solar thermal heating systems and heat pumps has also created a bottleneck as installers now need to have trustmark accreditation also.
You will hear Nathan and Adam discuss how a new installer may struggle to find a suitable first installation which wil be assessed by MCS because of the GHG and its attachment to trustmark.
The latest episode of BetaTalk dives deep into a topic of critical importance for the future of skilled trades and green technology: the intricate world of Vocational Training Qualifications (VTQs) and how they stack up against General Qualifications (GQs).
Host Nathan Gambling, always at the forefront of heating and skills discussions, explores a key differentiator in VTQs: the expectation that ALL learning outcomes must be truly mastered for a qualification to be awarded. This isn't just about passing an exam; it's about demonstrating genuine competence.
What makes this particularly "interesting," as Nathan highlights, is the unique assessment model. Unlike GQs, the assessment for VTQs is largely devolved to the training centre, rather than solely residing with the awarding organisation (AO). However, here's the kicker: the AO remains fully responsible and accountable for the quality and integrity of the qualification itself.
This creates a fascinating dynamic. On one hand, it makes it incredibly straightforward to independently assess whether individuals have genuinely mastered every single learning outcome. If something's amiss, it's very easy to trace accountability back to the awarding organisation.
This conversation takes on even greater significance when we consider the millions of taxpayer pounds currently funding crucial qualifications, such as those for heat pump installations. With significant public investment, ensuring that these qualifications genuinely produce competent professionals is paramount.
Tune in to the latest BetaTalk episode to understand the implications of this assessment model, the responsibilities of AOs, and why robust VTQs are essential for building a skilled workforce, especially in vital sectors like renewable heating.
In this episode Nathan speaks with Adam Chapman from Vito Energy and heat geek which is an excellent resource for consumers and engineers. This episode centres around what we can do right now to our heating systems to reduce carbon emissions.
Fabric First is inculcated and for obvious reasons. However, there is often something which can be done to the heating system at no cost (or for very little) and with no disruption to the customer which reduces emissions. Scale this up across the 22 to 23 million gas boilers installed and we can significantly lower carbon emissions from heating
This episode mentions how the Energy Savings Trust (EST) conducted a survey on conventional and condensing boilers and found that they do not work at their badged up efficiencies. This suggests how energy performance certificates and energy assessors ticking a box because a boiler has A+ on it's casing is often completely irrelevant
We hear Adam discuss modulation controls and thermostats, how boilers condense, priority domestic hot water (PDHW) and a host of other stuff.
In this episode Nathan's guests myth bust heat pumps. He is joined by Bean from the Ground Source Heat Pump Association and Heat Pump Federation; Robin who is also from the GSHPA and Bill, a heat pump specialist. All 3 guests are engineers with a vast amount of knowledge with heat pump technology.
Heat pumps are a recognised technology for helping the UK decarbonise heat and reach net zero. Unfortunately, there does seem to be some myths about what they can and can not do.
Here are the myths around heatpumps we discussed:
Inverter driven compressors are more efficient than fixed speed compressors. Bill starts us off with this one. As you will hear, inverters are efficient but again it comes down to design. Different heat pump designs and applications may benefit from fixed speed compressors.
Heat Pumps are maintenance free and free energy. Kind of two myths rolled into one.
Heat Pumps need to run all the time. Robin starts this one off by discussing an energy savings trust study and Bill finishes with a German study on ground loops.
A high temperature heat pump can just replace a boiler. Again, you will hear, the guests discuss design. Low temperature heating is becoming more realised in the industry along with hydraulic design. Bean alludes to the new qualification the CIPHE are producing regarding this and also talks about some of the problems we find with underfloor heating (UFH) installation work
Heat Pumps only work in new builds. Bean discusses how as an installer he was installing heat pump systems into grade 1 and 2 listed buildings. The topic of hybrid heat pump systems is brought up. All guests and Nathan considered the fact that boilers are not needed as back up. In district heating systems it may make sense but we can design heatpump systems to not need boilers
Heat pumps only work with underfloor heating Robin discusses how some heat pump installations have been cancelled because of a notion UFH was needed for heat emitters. A problem especially in the non domestic sector
Fitting a larger ground loop fixes most problems with ground source heat pumps Again we hear the importance of hydronic design and understanding pressure drop
You need a room thermostat in every room to comply with building regulations and for efficiency How do we control heat pumps and comfort. Listen to Nathan's guest talk about weather compensation and other forms of control
Low Loss Headers should be used on all heat pumps Hydronic separation, flow rates and delta t is par for the course in this chapter
All heat pumps are noisy Will heat pumps make frustrate our neighbours?
In this episode Nathan discusses with Evergreen Energy how consumers are able to get help with the upfront cost of renewable heating technology.
Evergreen Energy are an OFGEM approved investor who are able to offer consumers the chance to assign the RHI (renewable heat incentive) payments over to them in order to have a heat pump system installed at a much cheaper rate than is often considered.
Listen to Helen explain how Evergreen Energy was engendered by entrepreneur Stephen Critchlow.
Simon explains a little about the assignment of rights and also how their initiative helps:
Installers transition into renewables within a supportive framework
Consumers adopt low carbon technology with less cost
The first episode of season 3 discusses the green home energy grant with renewable heating engineers Leah and Steve and also Kathryn from the University of Lancaster
For more information around this grant from the government visit the SimpleEnergy Advice website.
This episode highlights how hard it can be for consumers and find out why Steve and other engineers have opted not to take part in the scheme
Graeme Fox Head of REFCOM - provider of F-Gas Schemes, James Baker, Renewable Heat Engineer (both land and sea) and Lisa-Jayne Cook
a refrigeration engineer and along with Graham a board member of IOR Institute of Refrigeration
01:00 Graham describes how REFCOM was set up to provide quality environmental standards. Very interesting how the recovery of refrigerant used to be voluntary. He also explains the two tier system of
REFCOM F-Gas certification and REFCOM ELITE
02:19 Lisa explains the Institute of Refrigeration
03:55 James introduces us to the new term of “natural refrigerants” and the refrigerant propane which is now becoming a popular refrigeration gas for heat pumps.
We talk about propane in split systems and the regulations around this
06:02 EN378 safety regulations - quantity of refrigerant in occupied spaces.
06:15 James describes what a slit system is vs a monobloc. In a split the compressor and one of the coils is outside the property with two refrigerant lines joining it to the fan coil unit FCU within the property
07:20 Lisa discusses issues with the purchase of split systems and how important it is to employ professionals. And Graham explains the regulation behind a non hermetically sealed pre charged piece of equipment and fluorinated gasses.
10:00 The problems with online sales of equipment and DIY installation. Despite propane not being a fluorinated gas (F- Gas) there are still important regulations to consider e.g. Atmospheres Explosibles (ATEX) and DSEAR (Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations)
DSEAR risk assessments, room size and volume for flammable refrigerants.
13:15 The difference between and F-Gas and propane and a discussion on types of refrigerants. E.g R12, fluorinated greenhouse gases, global warming potential (GWP). Generally, the lower the GWP of a refrigerant the higher the safety implication e.g flammability with the hydro carbon propane and high pressure with CO2
17:25 James discusses another aspect of DIY installs of spit systems: their performance and reliability. How air and moisture are bad for refrigeration systems: e.g. acid and compressor burnout
20:14 Will HVAC engineers move to the renewable sector? Generation 5 of district heating with ambient loops
22:40 Diversity in the industry and apprenticeships
27:50 The refrigeration is a huge industry but little knowledge of it exists
31:00 How would you choose which heat pump to have based on its refrigerant. Different types of refrigerant e.g. 407c, 410a, R32 with lower flammability and a discussion around GWP.
32:55 Refrigerant leakage and Total Equivalent Warming Impact
36:50 CO2 as a refrigerant in mono-blocs or district networks.
00.40 Paul Hull's experience in Denmark where there are lots of heat networks. He was out there. to look at heat recovery systems. He talks about how heat is captured from FaceBook's servers 01.35 Flue recovery for capturing heat 02.40 Energy wastage in the UK and energy efficiency 03.30 Building Management Systems 04.40 District Heating systems being decommissioned, and Battersea Power Station 05.55 Hybrid Energy Centres 06.30 Europe heat networks inspiring the UK 09.00 Lack of understanding around heat networks in the UK 13.00 The discourse around heat networks 14.00 Heat Networks and communities and public support for tackling climate change 17.00 Commercial heating training and self employed heating engineers 18.00 British Gas apprenticeship scheme 22.00 Products going on in Austria
Guests: Ingo Leusbrock Head of department "Cities and Networks" at AEE Institute For Sustainable Technologie a Non-profit research institute in Gleisdorf, Austria https://www.aee-intec.at/index.php?lang=en
Research and demonstration on renewable energy and energy and resource efficiency with strong focus on the thermal.
This includes district heating and cooling, but also spatial energy planning, Positive Energy Districts. With main projects / contribution:
ThermaFLEX, national flagship project with 27 partners on concept development and demonstration of "flexibility measures" in district heating
Participant in IEA DHC and IEA EBC annexes / tasks in this field
David Watson: Director of the Heat Trust, an independent, not for profit consumer champion for customers on heat networks. David has worked in energy policy for over 20 years and was most recently the Director of group strategy at Centrica where he worked on decarbonisation of heat policy/strategy https://www.heattrust.org/the-scheme
Paul Hull: Managing Director of https://www.thecommerciagroup.co.uk/ an award winning commercial and domestic heating company. Paul is one of Nathan's favourite commercial heating engineers. He is also the campaign director of https://www.gssh.co.uk/ which promotes gas safety in the UK
01.40 Are solar thermal heat networks popular in the UK
02.24 The role heat networks can play in the decarbonisation of heat
04.00 how renewable technology has been installed but is not being used
05.55 Protecting the customer and regulation and policy
06.45 Austrian heat networks and the work Are Intech does, 3,500 district heating systems all over Austria
10.40 Solar Heat networks in Europe
12.50 how solar thermal got a bad name and is not being talked about
13.45 Heat network providers, customer assurance, customer protection and the work the Heat Trust do
16:28 Kensa’s district heat system
17:45 Hybrid heat networks. But not perhaps biomass. Easy user controls
20:00 Hydrogen’s role in heat and hydrogen ready. Hydrogen networks
23:30 Quality management programmes, spacial energy planning and support from Europe to help the UK with SolarHeat heat networks, spacial energy planning
26:50 Redeveloped heat networks and retrofit heat networks. National energy policy and strategy devolving to regional, local level design making. Starting with energy efficiency.
29:00 Ageing district heating systems
29: 30 Demineralised water VDI2035 for district heating systems to protect corrosion
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00:30 Heat Pump manufacturer training 01:58 Heat Pump supply chain issues. Heat Pump and solar thermal technology is not ordinarily stocked in plumbing merchants. Getting it delivered often involves extra contingency and logistics. 05:36 Solar Thermal suppliers and the issues with obtaining solar heat components 08:35 Why heat pump engineers often have to add on price 09:45 Heating engineers are now self employed, does this cause problems? Will there be a shift back to employed heating engineers. As Leah explains installing a variety of technologies within a hybrid heating system e.g. (solar thermal with solar PV with battery storage with heat pump) may better suit an SME rather than a sole trader. 14:12 Nathan speaks about his specialist topic: training. 18:12 Are we training to many people to get diploma certificates (not full qualifications) 21:00 Most plumbers and heating engineers are self employed. They don't tend to be able to take on apprentices (students who will gain an NVQ). If they do take on an apprentice it is usually a family member e.g. daughter, son, niece or nephew. 24:00 Apprenticeships are not always a great way to learn if bad habits are being transferred. 30:00 Control of heat pump systems. Weather compensated control on heat pumps. Some heat pump manufacturers controls work with agile tariffs. How they can load the buffer tank at different times. How some of the good engineers do not like microclimating with zone control. Agile, load shifting, smart control technologies working with solarheat and batteries. Car charging and powerwall 35:00 Will heat pump system installs be scalable and the problem with installing a system in the summer. 38:00 The problem with boiler scrap-age schemes, the problem with the average boiler install. 40: 00 Ken mentions the H word. Hydrogen boilers. Hydrogen does not seem to be suitable for the grid and engineers discuss better uses for Hydrogen. 44:00 Low temperature heating systems. Low temp ready heating systems. Heat pump ready cylinders.
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Heat Pump podcasts I imagine a few and far between. This one likes to meet the engineers installing heat pumps, solar thermal systems etc. to see and understand the challenges which they face. Engineers are at the front line of installing renewable technology and have different vantage points to other cohorts interested in reducing CO2 emissions and reaching net zero targets.
01:25 Ken discusses how consumers are becoming more aware of the low carbon and renewable technologies available to them
02:49 Leia from Your Energy Your Way chats about the RHI and whole house retrofit and the cost of a heat pump
04:10 Rob from Solarflair education of heating engineers
05:30 Nathan mentions how the gas industry has trained engineers and how high efficiency boilers are not efficient if on inefficient heating systems
07:06 Leia - changing radiators for heat pump systems and the importance of rom by room heat loss calculations
08:23 wet heating systems and how many radiators are oversized and perfect for low temp heating systems
10:00 fabric first and the second law of thermodynamics
10:35 heat pumps matching heat loss and insulation requirements. Hybrid and bivalent heating systems
11:35 High temp heat pumps and MCS rules
12:09 MCS accreditation and the struggle with DNO form filling
14:00 DNO District Network Operators and Energy Network Association
16:46 Concerns with overload and amps. AC and DC and Substations
19:44 A 12kW heat pump does not require a 12kW electrical supply
21:06 COP goes down in the winter, low temp heating systems and heat calculations
24:11 Solar heat and solar thermal hybrid heating systems. Glycol stagnation and refract testing
26: 35 Integration of solar thermal with buffer tank and buffer size
29:30 Airing cupboard and roof space for heat pumps and how solar thermal is more efficient than PV with small roof space
Phil Hurley MD of NIBE and the vice chairperson of the Heat Pump Association, Paul Hull the campaign director of Gas Safe Super Hero's and Keith Harrison discuss with Nathan on the BetaTeach BetaTallk podcast how gas and oil engineers can transition to low carbon heating technologies such as heat pumps and solar heat.
This week on the podcast, Nathan sits down with Nigel from DK Heat Recovery to discuss an innovative approach to energy efficiency.
Many businesses across the UK, like meat and food processing plants and butchers, rely on cold storage rooms kept cool by heat pump systems. These facilities also require significant amounts of hot water for their washing-down processes. Similarly, gyms use heat pump systems to maintain a comfortable temperature for workouts and need plenty of hot water for showers.
Traditionally, the heat generated by these cooling systems is simply expelled into the atmosphere, a complete waste of energy. However, DK Heat Recovery has developed a clever solution to recycle this wasted energy and use it to heat hot water.
Tune in to hear Nigel explain how the special coils in their cylinders are designed to capture the heat from the refrigerant instead of letting it escape into the atmosphere. It's a fascinating look at how businesses can become more sustainable and reduce their energy costs!
This season's sponsor is Intergas who make a great xylinder for heat pump systems
Dan and Robert Llewellyn (from Red Dwarf and Scrapheap Challenge fame) are extremely well known for their love of electric vehicles which they discuss on the hugely popular Fully Charged Show. However, they are passionate about ALL forms of renewable energy and will soon be doing a lot more about the available technology to heat our homes and hot water.
Dan manages the The Fully Charged Show and has a fantastic knowledge of the heating industry which he discusses with Nathan in this wonderful episode.
Topics discussed: Battery storage and vehicle to grid Heat Pumps Heat Policy Solarheat Low Carbon heating technology and training
Active buildings, energy storage, lithium ion batteries and strategic materials, it's all here. Listen to podcast friend Dr Gavin Harper a Faraday Institution Research Fellow School of Physics and Astronomy at Birmingham University chat with Dr Jen Baker from SPECIFIC at the University of Swansea about sustainability and second life batteries. Also joining Nathan is the MD for the ACEON Group, a battery manufacturer involved in developing the MCS standards for battery installation
Heat Pumps are the topic on the second podcast recorded via Zoom on lockdown. However, this is the first episode to ever be uploaded to youtube which you can fine here https://youtu.be/HynxIiEuP1Y
Nathan chats to UK heating engineer Lee Fischer who is based in Lincoln, regular guest Richard Lowes and Jan Rosenow Principal and European Programme Director at the Regulatory Assistance Project (RAP)
Dr. Rosenow serves on the Executive Committee of the International Energy Agency’s demand-side management program and sits on the board of the European Council for an Energy Efficient Economy. He has also advised the International Energy Agency, the European Commission, the European Parliament, the U.S. Agency for International Development, the German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ), government departments in a number of countries, and the UK’s Office of Gas and Electricity Markets, as well as serving as an expert witness on several occasions to the British Parliament. He was the lead author of the International Energy Agency’s global assessment of market-based instruments for energy efficiency.