The latest trend in domestic heating circles – low-carbon gas absorption technology that heats and cools buildings with claimed significant cost and environmental benefits – has taken a further step forward with the launch of gas absorption heat pump (GAHP) solutions for UK consumers.

ENER-G, a Manchester-based sustainable power business has teamed up with Italian manufacturer Robur, to market GAHP systems. The fans of GAHP systems claim they are far better than traditional boiler technologies, because they offer a significantly improved environmental performance.

The principle behind a GAHP system is simple. It works by removing energy from a low temperature heat source – in this case the outside air – and then upgrading it within the heat pump to either heat, or cool water inside a building. The power to run the whole process comes from natural gas, or LPG.

And ironically, this is not exactly a 21st Century technology, having been pioneered in the late 1700s.

Andrew Hill, ENER-G product manager, said:
“GAHP’s harness the properties of refrigerants to change from liquid to gas and back again in order to transfer heat. The technology provides sustainable solutions for a wide range of businesses and households.”

The benefits in operational terms include security of energy supply because there’s less dependency on electricity, there’s no maintenance, and easy installation.

The Robur manufactured systems work up to 165% efficiency.
“Our heat pump solution, in partnership with Robur, provides a reliable, cost-effective, and constant energy source that is highly effective for industrial, commercial and residential use. This is due to the system’s ability both to save energy and increase the value of the building with its A+++ classification issued by the European Commission.” Added Mr Hill.

And GAHPs are suitable as a direct replacement for gas-fired traditional and condensing boilers. They can reach temperatures over 65C and also produce hot water.

The systems can be purchased outright, or rented.

Guest Article by Neil Camp

Two key environmental agencies have been taken to task for not appreciating the damage done by hard water.

Lime scale is a major factor in increased energy consumption says the Environmental Treatment Concepts (ETC), which is a member of three pivotal organisations: Green Building Council, British Water and the Environmental Industries Commission.

The ETC has pointed an accusatory finger at The Energy Savings Trust and The Carbon Trust for not recognising the negative impact of lime scale.

Although, says the ETC, The Carbon Trust does acknowledge that 1mm of lime scale will cause a near 10% increase in energy consumption as regards low temperature hot water boilers. But ETC say that there is no real guidance on both the agencies’ websites as to how to cope with the problem.

ETC claims that the agencies’ solution is to allow lime scale to develop and then use chemical agents to remove it. This they state is the wrong approach and they highlight the modern, non-chemical ways that lime scale can be prevented from forming in the first place.

They also say that the chemical de-scaling process can lead to the premature failure of sanitary-ware, water-fed equipment and appliances.

Guest Article by Neil Camp

Officials from the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) are keen to see more waste used as a source for low-carbon heat.

The DECC is working on a new Heat and Energy Saving Strategy, which has been involved in an initial consultative period, and should be released in a more detailed version in the autumn. This will follow the government’s Renewable Energy Strategy which outlines the U.K.’s plan to reach its 15% renewable energy target by 2020.

The government is trying to marry the too much waste problem, with too little correct heat problem.

A number of solutions have been put forward, with one of the main contenders being the manufacture of biogas from waste, which is in turn cleaned and converted into biomethane, which can then be fed into the national gas grid. This method is very appealing to experts, as 90% of the country’s current domestic heating is provided by natural gas.

Experts explain that biogas has to be cleaned, because it consists of 65% methane and 35% carbon dioxide. When cleaned up into biomethance, it becomes about 90% methane, together the ethane and various other contaminants.

Cleaning biogas is regularly done in mainland Europe. The carbon dioxide has to be removed, as well as the hydrogen sulphide containments. The process is said to be no more complicated than cleaning natural gas from the North Sea before it enters the national grid.

Guest Article by Neil Camp

When it comes to the new technology of carbon capture, British firms look set to be in the forefront of developments as the world’s use of power is set to increase by 50% by 2030.

Carbon capture is effectively a get-out-of-jail-free card for many traditional industries that have become impractical due to their carbon foot print. Basically, it involves capturing the generated waste from the process and either neutralsing it, or storing it so that it will not be allowed to escape into the environment.

Take coal-powered stations. The government has given the go-ahead for new plants throughout the U.K., but on the condition that they are fitted with carbon capturing equipment.

British firms will not only benefit from developing and manufacturing such systems, but also from the financial, marketing, consulting and legal support the industry needs.

The value of the carbon capture market in 2007 and 2008 was nearly £14 billion. The British share was low at less than 1% (around £500 million), but this is set to grow rapidly as governments worldwide begin to embrace the technology with new legislation and funds. By 2015, the sector is expected to have grown by 15%.

It is predicted by The International Energy Agency that the world will increase its use of power by 50% by 2030 and of that, nearly 80% will still come from fossil fuels. Carbon capture, say recent reports, will capture up to 90% of the harmful emissions, but the problem is that the only two work-in-progress demonstrations, one in France and the other in Germany, are struggling to be finished.

Carbon capture experts are dismayed that the government’s procrastination with the technology has led to many companies not being able to commit money to creating workable, large scale plants.

They see the U.K. Government’s announcement that no new coal power stations will be built without carbon capture technology that can initially work at 25% efficiency, and 100% efficiency by 2025, will considerably help the fledgling industry.

There are various carbon capture techniques. One of the most popular is the capture of the carbon and its removal by pipes to a huge storage facility. Empty oil and gas fields have been mooted as the home for unwanted carbon.

Guest Article by Neil Camp

In a damning report on the quality of London’s air quality, the European Environmental Agency has claimed that a total of 2,905 premature deaths in London were down to pollution in 2005.

The pollution is in the form of dangerous airborne particles (PM10s), representing some of the highest pollution levels in Britain and indeed, the whole of Europe.

But what has worried groups like The Campaign for Clean in London (CCAL), is that this does not square with official figures provided by the London Air Quality Strategy which concluded that there were only 1,031 such deaths in 2005, nearly two thirds less than claimed by Europe.

CCAL has written to Health Secretary Alan Johnson for urgent clarification as to the truth behind London’s pollution problem.

The European report is a further embarrassment for the U.K. government, having already failed to comply with Brussels rulings on the levels of PM10s. These particles are emitted by domestic heating systems, road traffic and industry.

So concerned is the government that European air quality directives will not be met, that The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), looks likely to have to file an application extending the 2011 deadline. Fines for not meeting the deadline total around £300 million.

DEFRA is far from happy at London Mayor Boris Johnson’s decision to suspend London’s third phase of low emission zones. The government is looking at what steps it can take to make the mayor re-consider his decision.

Guest Article by Neil Camp