Kensa Utilities' groundbreaking ground source heat pump (GSHP) project, Heat the Streets, is scheduled to complete the installation of its final heat pumps in June. Part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund, Heat the Streets has successfully demonstrated an alternative funding model for decarbonisation of heat, as well as a delivery method suitable even for dense urban areas.

Through Heat the Streets, Kensa Utilities has effectively demonstrated the large-scale retrofitting of GSHPs in privately owned and social housing properties, as well as their cost-effective integration into new build developments across various locations in Cornwall. Since the project began two years ago, Kensa Utilities has been able to harness project learnings to launch their funded array offer to new build developers, reducing upfront capital cost and allowing them to take advantage of all the benefits of ground source heating, for the price of air source.

The strategic importance of Heat the Streets’ business model as a method of securing private finance to support area-based decarbonisation has garnered significant media coverage. Articles from the Financial Times, BBC and ITV promoted the innovative idea of treating ground array infrastructure as the UK’s next utility service, taking the place of the gas network and reducing the upfront cost of low carbon heating and cooling for new build and retrofit properties.

As the innovative project nears its conclusion, Nesta and Element Energy have recently released separate thought-provoking reports on the public perception of heat pumps, as well as deployment of networked heat pumps, as demonstrated on Heat the Streets, and what this could mean for UK energy systems if rolled out at scale.

Under the framework of Heat the Streets, Kensa has spearheaded a unique approach to GSHPs, utilising shared ground loop arrays (SGLA) connected to individual GSHPs. The SGLA functions as a thermal energy supply and storage grid, circulating low-grade heat through a network of pipes to individual GSHPs in separate dwellings. The GSHPs then upgrade this heat at the point of use to provide heating and hot water whenever necessary. This distribution of heat harvested from the ground at ambient temperatures (-5°C to 20°C) results in exceptional efficiencies, minimising heat losses and avoiding overheating issues associated with central plant rooms.

Furthermore, Networked Heat Pumps, in addition to being highly efficient and low carbon, represent the most cost-effective method for deploying GSHPs at scale. The installation costs for ground arrays are significantly reduced with the expansion of the network to include more properties. Kensa estimates that adopting a street-by-street approach and sharing ground arrays can lead to savings of up to 28% through volume economies of scale compared to an individual property-based approach.

Kensa Utilities’ director of Business Development, Lisa Treseder states: ‘By implementing a street-by-street approach and pre-installing sustainable ambient loop infrastructure, entire communities can gradually transition to individual Networked Heat Pumps. This enables households to switch from their gas boilers to GSHPs easily and affordably, with minimal disruption. Homeowners are not burdened with the capital costs of ground array installation and have the flexibility to choose their preferred GSHP, installer, and energy tariff, similar to when they replace their gas boilers and energy supplier contracts.’

Key Project outputs:

• World’s first in-road retrofit GSHP infrastructure
• 50% of customers have already reported reduced energy bills (20-50% savings)
• 70% carbon reduction
• 66 homes retrofitted with no change to building fabric
• 30 new build properties benefiting from lower bills and noise reductions

Find out more:

www.kensautilities.com | info@kensautilities.com

About the European Regional Development Fund

The project is receiving up to £3.4m of funding from the England European Regional Development Fund as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (and in London the intermediate body Greater London Authority) is the Managing Authority for European Regional Development Fund. Established by the European Union, the European Regional Development Fund helps local areas stimulate their economic development by investing in projects which will support innovation, businesses, create jobs and local community regenerations.

https://www.gov.uk/european-growth-funding