Making heat cheaper, smarter and greener

‘Making heat cheaper, smarter and greener’ was an Energy Industry Voluntary Redress Scheme Innovation project. Seven households living in North Devon Homes properties with storage heaters received a Boxergy Hero installation and a new wet central heating system. The Boxergy Hero system used a Vaillant aroTHERM plus high temperature air source heat pump (ASHP). There was also an external ‘Hero’ box which contained an Alpha ESS electrical battery, a SunAmp heat battery along with control systems and monitoring. Households were on an Economy 7 tariff and the electrical battery charged during the off-peak tariff and helped power the home and the heat pump during the higher cost peak rate period. Consumption and costs were compared before and after the Boxergy Hero installation and also to control properties which were heated by ASHPs, infrared heating panels and a home with storage heaters and a Tesla Powerwall 2 battery. Resident satisfaction with the heating system was compared before and after the Boxergy Hero installation.