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Projects: Projects for Investigator
Reference Number	NIA_UKPN0083
Title	NeatHeat
Status	Completed
Energy Categories	Other Cross-Cutting Technologies or Research(Demographics) 20%; Energy Efficiency(Residential and commercial) 20%; Other Power and Storage Technologies 60%;
Research Types	Applied Research and Development 100%
Science and Technology Fields	ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Electrical and Electronic Engineering) 100%
UKERC Cross Cutting Characterisation	Sociological economical and environmental impact of energy (Consumer attitudes and behaviour) 100%
Principal Investigator	Project Contact No email address given UKPN London Power Networks plc
Award Type	Network Innovation Allowance
Funding Source	Ofgem
Start Date	01 September 2022
End Date	29 February 2024
Duration	ENA months
Total Grant Value	£473,000
Industrial Sectors	Power
Region	London
Programme	Network Innovation Allowance
Investigators	Principal Investigator	Project Contact , UKPN London Power Networks plc (99.998%)
	Other Investigator	Project Contact , Eastern Power Networks plc (0.001%) Project Contact , South Eastern Power Networks plc (0.001%) Project Contact , UKPN London Power Networks plc (99.998%)
	Industrial Collaborator	Project Contact , UK Power Networks (0.000%)
Web Site	https://smarter.energynetworks.org/projects/NIA_UKPN0083
Objectives	The Aim:This project aims to investigate the potential of Zero Emission Boilers (ZEB) as an alternative LCT solution to the carbon intensive gas boilers and in areas where a heat pump may present an unreasonable fit. It will use a combination of qualitative customer research, quantitative analysis on monitoring data (supply point half-hourly consumption and dedicated asset monitoring), analysis of installations (time, disruption, upgrades required, etc.) and industry subject matter expert interviews to determine the applicability and implications of using ZEBs at scale.Project Partners:OVO Energy – an energy retailer providing customers with smart (time-of-use) tariffs and will lead the analysis of data collected from the project.Tepeo – manufacturer of the ZEB and will lead the installation process and all matters related to the product.The trial:The participating customers in the trial will be chosen based on specific selection criteria developed as part of this project. The data collected from this trial will include electrical consumption and heating supply as well as the reliability of the product. After the trial is completed, participants would be able to keep the product for their personal use at no cost to them unless otherwise requested by them. Should the latter occur, details of the planned procedure will be defined as part of the project planning and setup phase.Impact on Network:The ultimate aim of the ZEB is to allow customers to decarbonise their heating system without causing electricity network reinforcement. Based on findings from Tepeos research, installation of a ZEB would not trigger a requirement for a fuse upgrade within homes fitted with a 100A fuse. Since the ZEB draws 40A, this assumption still stands even if the house is also fitted with an electric vehicle charger which typically draws 30A. The ZEB can be smart controlled to only operate at night (off-peak) as this is when it charges the internal storage system which will then be used to heat the space if and when required. This will be proved during the project trials.Impact on Customer:The ZEB is aimed to be a like-for-like replacement for a gas or oil boiler. Therefore, limited impact or disruption is anticipated from the customer side during installation. However, the ZEB would require four hours to charge from empty and the standard flushing procedure would still have to take place. The participating customers shall be supported throughout the journey and the associated partners representatives will be identified as part of the end-to-end customer journey plan.The assurances:In order to reassure the participating customers and in an attempt to eliminate any potential concerns, disturbances, or incurred costs, actions have been put in place so that all participants do not face any negative impact due to this trial. Specifically, bill credit has been agreed to be provided to customers by the energy retail project partner, OVO Energy. However, such payments will be planned in a way that does not create any impact on the accuracy of the project findings.  The development of this project will be divided into six work packages which are set out as follows:1) Project planning and setup: The initial project setup will be conducted as part of this work package. This includes preparation and signature of terms and conditions as well as agreements with all parties. It will also include the identification of installers and providing all necessary training.2)Customer recruitment: As part of this work package, a customer research plan will be implemented. A marketing strategy will be executed, and eligible participating customers will be onboarded. Terms and conditions and a list of FAQs will also be put in place to aid with the process.3) Product installation: The installation phase is aimed to be quick to allow for more monitoring time. All installations and the activities associated with it are to be carried out by Tepeo and its sub-contracted installers. Any required domestic fuse upgrades would be part of this work package as well as all the necessary testing of the complete heating system.4) Product monitoring: All installed systems will be monitored for the duration of the project. The process is not intended to provide a live feed. The exact specification of collected data would be based on the outcome of work package 1. This is envisioned to indicate the power draw, heat output and reliability of the product.5) Customer research: This work package will focus on the customer experience and their satisfaction with the product. Surveys are intended to be carried out as part of this activity. The methods planned to be used are Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT) vs Net Promoter Score (NPS).6) End of project analysis and reporting: The work package marks the last phase of the project where all the findings would be collated, summarised and made available/uploaded to the relevant portals. The roll-out of findings to Business as Usual (BAU) will be delivered as part of this work package. The objectives of the project are to:Understand customer attitudes to low carbon heating options and perceptions of ZEBs.Understand the practicalities for installation – property suitability, logistics, duration etc.Evaluate the potential network impacts – fuse upgrades, service cable suitability, peak load, and wider network impacts.Explore what the implications are if customers have both an EV and a ZEB.Understand running costs and how time-of-use tariffs can deliver competitive heating costs vs fossil fuelsThe outcomes of the project are:Inform policy decisions by supporting Local Authorities and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) with data and evidenceUnderstand the impact of ZEBs on the network and ensure readinessUnderstand customer perception and experience with regards to this technology as an alternative to heat pumpsUnderstand the operational cost of ZEBs to the customersValidate the benefits from smart operating the ZEBs charging patterns
Abstract	A project with the objective to investigate the use of smart electrical storage heating systems in housing archetypes with spatial constraints or limited access to external wall space. The solution will be installed, trialled, and monitored within customer homes in order to understand the practicality of this low-carbon heating technology as well as the impact of such a solution on the network. The findings of this project will ensure that the distribution network operators obtain insight into such technology. Therefore, not form an obstacle in allowing customers to participate in the decarbonisation journey.
Publications	(none)
Final Report	(none)
Added to Database	14/10/22