DRAFT ONLY
The Associationā€™s position is to assist our members in finding the best and most effective ways to improve their carbon footprint and help the movement reduce its impact on the environment.
Heating systems
NB: It a widely held view that before significant investment in heating systems, it is best to explore all options available to reduce energy use.
The current view is that electricity will play the most significant part in our future energy system. For most domestic dwellings, electricity is likely to be the most carbon efficient option. This means that many of our members will be considering the most viable ways for charities to transition away from gas, whilst also thinking of how they can, in some circumstances, can create their own energy or significantly reduce the use of existing energy.
This is likely to include consideration of:
- Solar panels
- Battery storage
- Air source and ground source heat pumps
- Underfloor heating
- Heat networks
- Insulation
No matter what route the charity decides, it is vital that the correct advice has been given as to the suitability of each installation. For example, insulation without consideration for correct ventilation could lead to damp and condensation. Therefore, a trusted professional is essential.
Heat pumps
Heat pumps are being proposed as the core of our future heating systems, but there are a number of elements to consider:
- Heat pumps (ground or air) require significant investment when compared to a traditional boiler. Air source is cheaper than ground source but still require at least Ā£10k investment per system. Ground source pumps are reportedly more effective than air source, however they do carry a considerable installation cost.
- Due to the complex calculations within the current EPC and SAP scores, the introduction of a heat pump could actually reduce the overall score. This may well change over the long term.
- There are currently insufficient case studies to carry convincing arguments for retrofitting these installations.
If we take a long-term view of the situation, heat pump costs are likely to come down as demand increases, however, as noted above, this level of installation should only be undertaken following professional advice and should probably be the last piece of the decarbonisation journey.
Solar panels
One way to help keep energy costs down is to generate your own electricity through solar panels. By installing solar panels, you can also compensate for the additional electricity requirements of things such as heat pumps. However, it is also worth thinking about the installation of battery storage so that should the panels not be running at their most efficient (perhaps a cloudy day) you have a reliable source of energy. This also means that you donā€™t waste energy which would otherwise not be used. This would come with an additional cost but may be worthwhile.
Energy costs
Members could consider some of the suggestions above, but these are still going to require a significant cost for installation.
If residents have an individual feed for their energy then they should receive the Ā£200 government loan towards their bills in October 2022 as well as being protected by the price cap. Those with communal heat networks currently fall under the six month cap. The Association is seeking member feedback on this particular issue so that we can make the case to government for further specific support.
Once the crisis has abated there may be scope for an almshouse energy consortium. Due to the current situation, it is unlikely any energy company would consider such a scheme.
[return to Decarbonisation – journey to net zero page]