A diverse array of properties will take part in the heating upgrade scheme. The project will result in massive emissions savings, comparable to a 5MW solar PV farm featuring 20,000 solar panels covering an area of 30 acres.
Tenant fuel bills will be reduced by typically 30-50 percent, annually saving between £150 to £500 per dwelling.
Patrick Berry, Managing Director of Together Housing’s Energy Services, said, “This investment is a major commitment to ensuring our homes are affordable and energy efficient. Using renewable heat we can provide our customers with clean, comfortable, low cost energy and lower our carbon impact.”
The new ground source heat pump infrastructure will consist of a series of communal boreholes connected to individual heat pumps within each property. Kensa call this system ‘ambient shared ground loop arrays.
The shared ground loop array infrastructure is deemed a district heating system, qualifying the project to be funded in part by the Energy Company Obligation. The project will receive a twenty year income via the Non Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive.
Dr. Matthew Trewhella, Managing Director of Kensa Contracting, commented, “Together Housing’s landmark investment in ground source heat pumps via the Procure Plus framework is a pioneering step by a social housing provider to address the emissions of existing housing stock and fuel poverty levels; their commitment to innovation, community, and the environment is a benchmark for fellow housing associations and new build developers to follow.
“Political and building regulation pressures have built the case for ground source heat pump infrastructure in UK housing, and now the climate threat has built the urgency.”
Claire Perry, Minister for Energy and Clean Growth, commented on the record-breaking energy efficiency program of stating, “I’m delighted to see how many more businesses and organizations, such as Kensa and Together, are seizing this multi-billion pound opportunity to energize their communities to tackle the very serious threat of climate change.”
