Top Tips for Proactive Maintenance of Ground Source Heat Pumps in Winter

Posted by & filed under Evo, General, Installer.

Cold outside warm installer inside

In this article, the Technical Support Team at Kensa Heat Pumps gives their top tips for proactive maintenance on ground source heat pump systems to ensure your customers stay warm and cosy throughout winter.

Before we go into details about heat pump maintenance, if your customers are worried about the price of energy bills, please do share with them this article with Kensa’s heat pump energy saving tips. With the cost of living on the rise and cold weather hitting, people will be thinking about how to keep their energy bills as low as possible. We offer advice on how consumers can lower their energy usage, making their homes more efficient to help to reduce the cost of their energy bills.

One of the unique benefits of ground source heat pumps is their minimal maintenance requirements and long life expectancy. However, as with all heating systems, it is good practice for the heating distribution system, including energy collectors, to be proactively checked and maintained to ensure optimum performance when colder weather is on the horizon.

Temperatures below ground remain relatively constant all year round, so a sudden drop in air temperature during winter will not affect the performance of a ground source heat pump, nor does the impact of exposure to the elements affect the operation, as it would an air source heat pump.

Heating Distribution System

Tom Worth, Kensa Technical Support Manager, says:

Well designed ground source heat pumps require only a minimal amount of maintenance, however, it is important that the whole system is checked.

Tom recommends the following basic checks are made on the heating distribution system:

  • Check the inhibitor levels and ensure no corrosion or degradation has occurred.
  • Encourage your customer to regularly clean the convector fins of their radiators with a long-handled radiator brush or the nozzle attachment of a hoover.
  • Make sure that all pump valves and actuators on the system are functioning correctly.
  • Ensure all room stats and programmers are operating correctly and are programmed correctly.
  • If any components require a battery to function, check that the battery has charge.
  • If the system has filters or a MagnaClean, check that this is cleaned and/or serviced.
  • Check the pressure of the ground and heating system; Kensa recommends that it is above 2 bar.
  • Perform a gas charge pressure check on the expansion vessel.
  • Check antifreeze concentration and health.

Renewable Energy Collectors

Tom Worth, Kensa Technical Support Manager, says:

This is where the maintenance of a ground source heat pump system becomes slightly different to that of a standard fossil fuel system, as it is important to ensure that no issues can occur in the collectors that harness the renewable energy from a ground or water source.

Any issues with the energy collection system could mean the heat pump has to work harder and hence becomes less efficient. In the worst case, the source energy could become depleted causing the heat pump to stop operating altogether.

Tom recommends the following quick and easy checks on ground source heat pump energy collectors:

Slinky pipe and sealed boreholes

  • Samples of thermal transfer fluid should be taken and the concentration of the antifreeze solution measured using a refractometer.
  • After a number of years, the concentration of antifreeze solution within the ground arrays can drop due to possible top-ups of fresh water to maintain the ground array pressure. Antifreeze solution provided by Kensa contains an anti-bacterial agent and an inhibitor to avoid bacterial growth and corrosion. Maintaining the correct concentration of this antifreeze solution is important as it will stop the system from freezing and also prolong the lifespan of the circulation pump. The bacterial agent will ensure no bacterial growth occurs, thus further increasing the lifespan of the antifreeze.
  • The manifold should be thoroughly inspected, checking that any insulation is still in good condition and the components are still fit for purpose. Ground array manifolds on the ground collector can suffer from condensation due to the low temperatures of the thermal transfer fluid, which if not properly controlled can cause damage.
  • After a period of time any disturbed ground will settle, so manifolds should be checked for strain on pipework connections caused by ground settlement. It can take up to 12 months for any disturbed ground to fully settle and if any pipework is under strain this must be remedied.
  • The pressure of the thermal transfer fluid within the ground array should be checked and increased if required. Kensa recommends that it is above 2 bar.

Pond Mats

  • It is advised that pond mats are inspected, cleaned and maintained regularly. After a period of time sediment, mud and leaves could build up around and under the pond mat collectors causing a potential loss of performance and reduced ability to harvest heat from the water.

Open Loop

  • Check the manufacturer’s guidelines on maintenance for external heat exchangers. Manufacturers of plate heat exchangers can recommend that the plate gaskets are replaced every two years.
  • Any external filters or treatment systems fitted to an open loop system should also be checked

    and maintained in line with the manufacturer’s guidelines.

  • Open loop heat exchangers can suffer from condensation damage due to running with liquid at lower than ambient temperatures, which if not properly controlled can cause damage. Any heat exchanger should be inspected checking that any lagging is still in good condition and any components are still fit for purpose. If corrosion has started, these areas can be treated to preserve their longevity.
  • The open loop pump and pump control may also need to be maintained and it is advisable to check with the manufacturer or suppliers for their recommendations.
  • Particularly for any surface water sources, check inlets and outlets are free from vegetation and also from any flotsam and jetsam.

Contact Kensa’s Technical Support Team

Kensa Heat Pumps has a dedicated Technical Support team that can help, advise and direct any enquiries about Kensa Heat Pump systems. They can be contacted on 0845 680 4328.

Heat pump energy saving tips

Posted by & filed under Guides, Homeowner.

With the rising cost of living and cold weather hitting, it’s more important than ever to keep your energy bills as low as possible. Even with current government intervention, energy bills are much higher than we have been used to and many will struggle with the cost of keeping warm.

Lowering your energy usage and making your home more efficient can help to reduce the cost of your energy bill. Kensa highlights our top heat pump energy-saving tips – from draught excluders to smart meters. Try our quick wins, long-term measures or a little bit of both with your ground source heat pump.

Quick ways to save energy

Check your flow temperature

Ground source heat pumps have a lower flow temperature than other heating devices, like boilers, as they produce heat in a completely different way.

The lower the flow temperature, the more efficiently your heat pump runs which means savings on your energy bill. You ideally want to have your ground source heat pump running at a flow temperature of around 35 degrees.

This certainly doesn’t mean the heat pump won’t keep you warm – it may just require a larger surface area such as underfloor heating or a larger radiator to reach the building’s required temperature quicker.

For example, a room that needs 500W can be heated just as quickly by a larger radiator operating at 50°C as by a small radiator operating at 70°C.

Lower your thermostat 

Try turning down your thermostat by one or two degrees – it doesn’t sound like much, but this small change can have a massive impact on your bills. Obviously, please don’t lower it to a point where your room feels cold, but by turning down your thermostat by just 1 degree you could save around 10% on your annual energy bill. ¹

Watch how much you use

Smart meters allow you to keep track of how much energy you’re using, and in turn, how you could benefit from making small adjustments. Your energy supplier should usually supply a meter at no extra cost to you. A win-win for energy and bills!

Be smart with timing

Make sure that the time settings on your controller are correct. Work out the schedules of your household and when the home needs to be warm and set the timers accordingly – for example, before you wake up or when you finish work. You don’t want your heating running when you don’t need it.

Making a schedule and setting your heat pump to warm your water at a different time from your heating will make sure you have enough hot water for your needs.

Switch off heating in unused rooms

Turn the heating off or down to the frost protection setting in rooms you aren’t using. If you have radiators, turn down the thermostatic valve on the side of each of them. If you have underfloor heating, you’re likely to have an adjustable thermostat in each room that you can set. Tailoring the temperature of each room will give you more control over your heating, and how much energy you use.

When you are only heating rooms you need to stay warm, be sure to keep any internal doors shut so you aren’t leaking heat out into the rest of the house.

Exclude the draughts

Keeping as much heat in your home as possible is the key to saving energy. Stop cold air from getting in with easy fixes like draught excluders, letterbox and keyhole covers. It may also be worth investing in heavy or thermal curtains to prevent any unwelcome breeze.

Close doors between rooms – the air change rate within a room can massively affect how effectively your property is heated. However, do make the most of daylight. If the sun warms up certain rooms, try to leave internal doors open on these occasions to circulate the warmth.

Make the most of the energy you pay for 

Don’t trap heat under the carpet. Luxurious rugs may look good, but if you have underfloor heating, they will also trap the heat so our advice is to avoid them.

It’s the same principle if you have radiators. Make sure your curtains or furniture aren’t blocking the heat from entering the room. Lift your curtains onto the windowsill if you need to and pull your sofa forward.

Keep your radiators clean

Although ground source heat pumps don’t have to be serviced annually, you may want to get your heating distribution system, i.e. radiators, checked.

If you get your system serviced, your installer may be able to check how clean your radiators are and whether they contain inhibitor – this is a substance that prevents a build-up of sludge which could use up more energy and affect your heating bills. If there is no inhibitor, the installer can ‘flush’ the system, and add inhibitor to save further energy.

Radiators get hot and therefore are like a magnet for attracting dust and dirt and if left uncleaned, the build-up can be quite substantial. Particularly dirty radiators can be less efficient than clean ones, making your system use more energy to heat your room, which will be reflected in higher energy bills.

Try to regularly clean the convector fins – the zigzag grooves running down the back (and front). This can be done with a long-handled radiator brush or even by running the nozzle attachment of a hoover across the top and bottom.

Long-term energy saving wins

To save even more energy and money on heating and hot water, you could take long-term steps, such as investing in insulation.

Use your EPC for energy insights

Clues for more heat pump energy-saving tips lie in your Energy Performance Certificate. This provides an energy efficiency band for your home (from band G to A) and offers recommendations for improvements. You may be able to find this on an EPC register, or if your home is fairly new, you might have to get an EPC assessor in. This could be very beneficial in the long run if you are looking to make significant improvements.

Insulate, insulate, insulate

If you live in a modern home, the chances are you already have insulation. But the more insulation you have, the better your home will be at retaining heat.  Look into cavity wall, internal wall or loft insulation if you don’t already have it to help save on your energy bills.

You’ll also want to check that your pipework is insulated, so you aren’t losing your heat before it gets to your radiators or underfloor heating.

Also, if you have single-glazing, it may be worth considering upgrading to double-glazing.

Dress up your hot water cylinder

A well-insulated cylinder means your hot water stays hot, and you don’t have to spend energy and money on heating it twice. Chances are, your cylinder will already be well insulated if it’s fairly modern. But if it’s an older cylinder – for example, when insulation requirements may have been less than 80mm a few decades back – you could treat it to a new insulation jacket. Make sure the jacket fits well, leaving no gaps for the heat to escape. Even placing a couple of blankets on the cylinder could make a difference.2

Search far & wide: energy prices

Keep on top of the best energy price and plan for you. At the moment, you may be better off sticking on the price cap rate, however, keep an eye on the market in case any deals come up. MSE keep their energy page updated with new deals.

References

1. Energy Saving Trust.
2. Simple Energy Advice

Affordable warmth on the agenda as Lord Callanan visits residents in Thurrock

Posted by & filed under News & Blog.

Summary:

On the 8th of December, Lord Callanan, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), visited residents from Chadwell St Mary in Thurrock to see a ground-breaking project in action to upgrade the energy performance of a large number of council-owned properties in the borough.

The project, delivered by Kensa Contracting and Thurrock Council, demonstrates the potential for ground source heat pumps to rapidly and affordably decarbonise multiple properties at scale.

Read the full story at kensacontracting.com

Kensa and Legal & General celebrate a greener future with official factory & office opening

Posted by & filed under News & Blog.

Factory opening

On Friday, 2nd December, Sir Nigel Wilson, CEO of Legal & General, officially opened the UK’s largest production facility dedicated to ground source heat pumps* The Kensa Group’s factory and office in a celebration of British manufacturing, green growth, and progress towards a low carbon economy.

The modern office and large production facility, located at Mount Wellington Mine in Truro, Cornwall, was officially opened in a ribbon-cutting ceremony by Sir Nigel, followed by a reception and site tour of the facilities.

Earlier this year, Legal & General Capital (LGC), the alternative asset platform of Legal & General Group, made an £8 million investment into the Kensa Group, the leading UK manufacturer and installer of ground source heat pumps. This brought their total investment in the organisation to £15.7 million over two years.

The capital supports The Kensa Group as it continues to scale up the deployment of low carbon ground source technology and networks to meet government targets, whilst realising LGC’s ambitions to support the UK’s transition to clean energy and L&G Group’s focus on climate and inclusive capitalism.

In the 24 months since LGC became shareholders in The Kensa Group, the manufacturer has broken records by doubling the amount of ground source heat pumps made at the facility, with a plan in place to increase output rapidly by a further 50% to meet demand.

The factory has the capacity to manufacture 30,000 ground source heat pumps every year – providing the equivalent carbon saving of taking 60,000 cars off the road. Kensa’s own heat pumps provide the factory and offices with underfloor heating, hot water and cooling by exchanging heat with water from a flooded mine shaft on the historic site.

Kensa has also secured new engineering talent allowing it to push the boundaries of product development within the heat pump industry. These innovations include – The Kensa Q – a new commercial range capable of high heat loads, and a highly flexible storage heat pump which can be run when electricity is at its cheapest and the heat stored for use later when it is needed.

Having pioneered the use of Networked Heat Pumps on Shared Ground Loop Arrays to efficiently and cost-effectively allow multiple-occupancy dwellings, such as tower blocks, and clusters of neighbouring homes to switch to ground source heat pumps, Kensa is focused on expanding the scale of this renewable infrastructure to heat whole streets and entire communities.

Employment in the Kensa Group has more than doubled from 80 employees in 2020 to 170 in 2022, and this growth will continue. Revenues have also doubled, from £15.5 million in 2020 to £31.5 million this year, leading to Kensa being recognised in the FEBE Growth 100 list.

Sir Nigel Wilson, CEO of Legal & General, said:

Climate is not only the most urgent issue but also the biggest investment opportunity of our lifetimes. Investing in businesses that support the clean energy transition alongside significant job creation is central to how we deliver inclusive capitalism, so I’m delighted that Legal & General are continuing to support The Kensa Group’s expansion. The new, significantly larger factory, will accommodate the growing demand for ground source heat pumps as home owners and property developers look for a reliable source of low carbon heating.

Dr Matt Trewhella, CEO of The Kensa Group, said:

We are delighted that Sir Nigel Wilson, CEO of Legal & General Group is able to officially open our fantastic new factory and office. For Kensa and L&G, coming together at this event showcases our shared ambition to play a pivotal part in the UK’s solution to reach net zero emissions by 2050.

He continues:

Heat pumps are key to the low carbon economy, but the whole heat pump supply chain, including Kensa, will have to expand dramatically to meet the UK’s 2028 heat pump installation target.
The investment from Legal & General Capital has allowed us to significantly step up our efforts in areas such as R&D and operations, as we continue to prepare for further rapid growth.

The partnership between Kensa and Legal & General is creating more skilled jobs and boosting British manufacturing.

The Heat Pump Association (HPA) states that 50,200 installers are needed by 2030 to deploy 1 million heat pumps p.a. Kensa suggests that supporting UK manufacturing would create a further 15,000 (high-paid) jobs, and installing networked heat pumps would create an additional 25,000 UK jobs in infrastructure provision, such as drilling boreholes.

 

*https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/943712/heat-pump-manufacturing-supply-chain-research-project-report.pdf

Zoning: an area-based approach to decarbonising the UK

Posted by & filed under Featured, News, News & Blog, Vision.

Zoning entails identifying the areas which can be readily connected to a low-carbon heat network. Government is suggesting ‘local authority zoning’ as a roadmap to widespread heat pump deployment.

Kensa agrees that a phased approach is the most sensible way to roll out ground source technology, beginning with the areas with the most suitable geology, surface features, or sources of waste heat, as these are most conducive to lower-cost installations. It is encouraging that, refuting a common misconception that many properties won’t have space for the ground array, the government recognises that heat networks are suitable for densely populated towns and cities. This is also true of shared ground arrays.

Government is in the process of developing its heat network zoning approach but this misses the wider opportunity. There are several ways that heat could be decarbonised effectively and affordably, but if you attempt to make all methods and options available to all properties it would be extremely inefficient and costly. Instead, a more comprehensive strategy for heat zoning, as opposed to just heat network zoning, would enable the rapid and mass transition to zero carbon heating and cooling, in the most efficiency and cost-effective manner.

Local area energy planning (LAEP), a technique still in its infancy and without a formal role in UK policymaking, could provide the ideal vehicle for heat zoning the country. Increasingly English local authorities are taking the initiative and establishing their own LAEPs to provide a planned approach for how best to meet 2050 goals in their local areas. In Scotland, the production and implementation of such plans are already required by law, and the Welsh Government sees LAEPs as central to its heat decarbonisation strategy. It would be sensible for the UK Government to define a formal role for LAEPs, and support local authorities in their development and implementation, whilst giving the Future Systems Operator a coordinating role to bring these plans together.

Kensa's vision of a Green & Great Britain

The main contenders for heat decarbonisation

Under the concept of ‘heat zoning’, local authorities, through the development of LAEPs, would need to consider the most appropriate low-carbon heating technologies for their areas. The main contenders are:

  1. Change the gas type from natural gas to hydrogen.

This must be carried out on an area-by-area basis with all properties switching at the same time. Areas have or need a connection to a hydrogen supply (pipeline, liquified transport or local refineries).

  1. Install a high-temperature district heating system.

The infrastructure (low carbon heat source) and distribution pipework must be installed on an area-by-area basis and have a source for the low carbon heat (or a potential source if using gas as a bridging fuel).

  1. Install an ambient-temperature district heating system with networked heat pumps.

Again, the infrastructure must be deployed on an area-by-area basis and there must be a source (or more commonly multiple sources) for the low grade, low carbon heat.

  1. Install an individual heat pump e.g. Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP) or Ground Source Heat Pump (GSHP) in every property.

The only approach where decision making can be made at the property level. However even this approach needs area-based planning for the required grid upgrades and to mitigate concerns over noise and visual impacts.

The problem

It is illogical to assume that the infrastructure required for all four potential routes will be installed to all streets to allow complete consumer choice. If that were to be the case, we would have:

  • The highest cost electrical upgrade designed to cope with the highest property level peak electrical demand (e.g. ASHP on the coldest day)
  • New hydrogen infrastructure running alongside the existing gas infrastructure
  • New highly insulated district heating pipework
  • New ambient temperature pipework and energy source (boreholes)

All the above sized for 100% take up with companies vying for the consumer choice of their technology.

It is clear that any significant deployment of any given low carbon heat in an area weakens the case for the other options, even if they are the most suitable/lowest cost for that area. For instance, even an area with a relatively weak grid might support 25% of the properties having an individual heat pump (ASHP or GSHP). This would clearly reduce the investment case for conversion of the gas network to hydrogen – even if the area was otherwise suitable.

A far lower cost approach would be to zone the whole country and signpost the intention to focus on one of the above approaches in areas where they would be suitable.

For instance, hydrogen might be most appropriate adjacent to high temperature industrial processes. High temperature district heating most suited to the highest heat density city centres, ambient temperature district heating to lower heat density city and town areas and individual heat pumps to more rural/suburban areas with detached properties.

Once the most suitable heat decarbonisation route for a particular area is identified, property owners/consumers could be encouraged to follow that route using a combination of incentives.

The solution

  • Perform high-level national and regional planning to identify regional constraints e.g. transmission grid capacity, proximity to industrial heat uses, favourable or unsuitable geology, availability and type of waste heat (e.g. energy from waste plant or data centre), gas grid capacity and remoteness.
  • Create a tool kit for local authorities to perform more detailed local area analysis and plans.
  • Ensure local authorities and consultants understand the potential heat decarbonisation routes and which options can be interoperable – for instance an ambient temperature network could source some or all its heat from a high temperature one, but it does not make sense to run both in the same street
  • Local authorities produce detailed maps showing preferred heat decarbonisation routes for their whole area
  • Incentives are introduced to encourage the preferred decarbonisation pathways

Potential consumer incentives

  • Only allow subsidy such as the Boiler Upgrade Scheme or the Green Heat Network Fund to apply in the areas where they are subsidizing the preferred heat decarbonisation route
  • Identify dates when existing gas provision will be withdrawn from various areas
  • Ensure EPCs flag the correct potential heating upgrade for the area
  • Revise stamp duty to encourage the uptake of the chosen low carbon heating system (and lower carbon buildings more generally)

Actions not recommended (or needed)

  • Requiring consumers to connect. If the mapping exercise is carried out correctly then the recommended heat decarbonisation route would be the most advantageous for the majority of households and the majority will take that route – particularly once any incentives come into play. A small number “going against the grain” will not significantly affect the energy system as a whole
  • Leaving it entirely to consumer choice. By definition, some of the most promising and lowest cost options can only be deployed on an area-by-area approach and these options would not be available to consumers. This would effectively restrict choices rather than facilitate them. Consumers don’t have a say in the gas or electricity networks that serve their properties.

The Kensa plan to decarbonise heating in the UK

Shorter term asks and heat network zoning

  • Heat network zoning makes an active choice between high temperature and ambient temperature networks as part of the decision tree used to define a heat network priority area.
  • Designation of heat network zones considers what heat density or property type is used to choose between high temp, ambient temp, or stand-alone solutions.
  • Consultants and local authorities working on heat network zoning understand the ambient temperature option and how shared ground arrays feed into that.

Optimal heat decarbonisation pathway

Zoning of the whole country, and development of a nationwide map, would define the best strategy for effectively and affordably decarbonising each part of the UK. The industry is calling on the government to recognise that ground source heat pumps are the best low carbon heating solution available, and by providing the right support they can unlock the potential of shared ground array infrastructure, allowing the industry to rapidly and effectively scale up to reach the volumes needed to deliver 600,000 per year.

Investigating the future of gas & decarbonisation of the National Grid

Posted by & filed under Featured, News, News & Blog, Vision.

Dr Matthew TrewhellaSummary: On the future of the gas network and the National Grid

In this interview with a first class Renewable Energy Graduate from the University of Exeter, Dr Matthew Trewhella, CEO of the Kensa Group, shares his thoughts on the future of the gas network and explores means to decarbonise the national grid in future heat frameworks, including the role of hybrid heat pumps (a gas boiler coupled with an air source heat pump) compared to ambient shared ground loop arrays and ground source heat pumps.

 

Read the full article at kensacontracting.com

Gentoo Group: Largest Gas Replacement Ground Source Heat Pump Tower Block Upgrade

Posted by & filed under Case Studies, Social Housing.

Gentoo-Tower-blocks-720x460

Summary:

In 2019, 364 Kensa Shoebox ground source heat pumps were installed by Kensa Contracting into seven tower blocks in Sunderland, as part of an ambitious programme by the Gentoo Group to improve the safety and comfort of their social housing residents living in high rise blocks.

Read the full story at kensacontracting.com