‘Making heat cheaper, smarter and greener’ was an Energy Industry Voluntary Redress Scheme Innovation project.

This document is intended to be used as a guide by local authorities, housing associations, manufacturers and installers, and other organisations involved in the delivery of heat pumps in fuel poor homes.

The project involves the installation and monitoring of 5kW Mitsubishi Ecodan Hybrid Air Source Heat Pumps interfaced with existing oil boilers (Hybrid ASHP) into 10 properties. The Hybrid ASHP is designed to work with the existing oil-fired boiler currently used as the main source of space and water heating. The hybrid ASHP works in combination with the existing boiler, operating when the outside air temperature is above a pre-set level. Below this level the existing oil-fired boiler will heat the property to ensure that the ASHP operates at the optimum efficiency.

This project part-funded the installation of a Gas Absorption Heat Pump (GAHP) into a sheltered housing scheme that was undergoing major refurbishment. Project partners Colchester Borough Homes had already installed one GAHP into a sheltered housing scheme with positive feedback. However, they wanted more information about the efficiency and cost effectiveness of the GAHP.

This project installed a hybrid combination of a Mitsubishi air-source heat pump (ASHP) with novel Solar Angel PV-T (PV and thermal) solar panels in 21 homes, to provide a “whole house” approach, in rural properties not connected to mains gas in Norton, Kent and Iden, East Sussex.

The project comprises the replacement of the heating and hot water systems of two residential sheltered blocks whose residents are over 55 years of age. The main block comprises 41 flats; the second and smaller block to the rear of the main block comprises 15 flats.

Ongo Homes installed three different types of innovative full heating systems into 30 properties from their social housing stock. Existing heating was removed and replaced with one of the three technologies: 14 Logicor infrared radiator systems, 10 Daikin Altherma hybrid heat pumps and six Sunamp heat batteries.

After the successful delivery of a project that replaced electric storage heaters with hybrid heat pumps Home Group were invited to run an additional hybrid heat pump project. This project replaced gas boilers that were due for renewal with Daikin Altherma Hybrid heat pumps. The hybrid system combines an air to water heat pump alongside a condensing combination gas boiler to provide heating and hot water. The system can automatically select the most cost effective and efficient heating mode based on external and internal temperatures, the space heating and hot water demand, and the current cost of gas and electricity.

This project was delivered by YES Energy Solutions in collaboration with Basingstoke and Dean Borough Council.