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Publication - Research and analysis

Low carbon heating in domestic buildings - technical feasibility: technical appendix

Published
22 December 2020
Directorate
Energy and Climate Change Directorate
Topic
Economy, Environment and climate change
ISBN
9781800044944

Technical appendix to accompany the technical feasibility of low carbon heating in domestic buildings report.

View supporting documents Supporting documents

3 Suitability of heating technologies in off-gas grid homes

Homes located in areas off the gas grid amount to 507,000 units or ~20.6% of the total stock. The suitability of off-gas grid homes for the considered low-carbon heating technologies is reported in Figure 44 and Figure 45 for the year 2017 and 2040 respectively.

The assessment was performed for three combinations of peak specific heat demand and fuse limit. The results obtained applying the most stringent threshold combination (100W/m2 and 60A) refer to the stock which is in any case likely to be suitable for a specific technology. The additional portion of the stock that results from the analysis with the medium threshold combination (120W/m2 and 80A) describes the portion of the stock the suitability of which is not ruled out but may carry some risk. The additional portion of suitable stock assessed using the high threshold combination (150W/m2 and 100A) quantifies the stock which is likely suitable but with high risk of its suitability.

Figure 44: Percentage of off-gas grid homes compatible with each technology in 2017; the sensitivity of suitability was tested against three combinations of peak specific heat demand and fuse rating
Horizontal bar chart showing levels of percentage suitability for each technology based on three levels of peak specific heat demand and fuse rating for off gas homes based on 2017 figures. The first section shows where technologies are suitable at 100W/m2 and 60A, then unsuitable with some risk at 120W/m2 and 80A fuse limit, and finally unsuitable at high risk 150W/m2 and 100A fuse limit. Technologies are air source, high temperature air source and communal air source heat pumps; electric storage heaters, electric resistive, electric boilers, solid biomass boilers, bioLPG and bioliquid boilers; hybrid heat pump with bioliquid/ bioliquid and hot water cylinder, hybrid heat pump and resistive/ resistive and hot water cylinder; district heating, air source heat pump and solar, electric storage and solar, electric resistive and solar, electric boiler and solar. Technologies where there is no suitability are hydrogen boilers, biomethane grid injection, hybrid heat pumps with gas and hybrid heat pumps with hydrogen.
Figure 45: Percentage of off-gas grid homes compatible with each technology in 2040; the sensitivity of suitability was tested against three combinations of peak specific heat demand and fuse rating
Horizontal bar chart showing percentage suitability for each technology based on three levels of peak specific heat demand and fuse rating for off gas homes based on projected 2040 figures. The first section shows where technologies are suitable at 100W/m2 and 60A, then unsuitable with some risk at 120W/m2 and 80A fuse limit, and finally unsuitable at high risk 150W/m2 and 100A fuse limit. Technologies are air source, high temperature air source and communal air source heat pumps; electric storage heaters, electric resistive, electric boilers, solid biomass boilers, bioLPG and bioliquid boilers; hybrid heat pump with bioliquid/ bioliquid and hot water cylinder, hybrid heat pump and resistive/ resistive and hot water cylinder; district heating, air source heat pump and solar, electric storage and solar, electric resistive and solar, electric boiler and solar. Technologies where there is no suitability are hydrogen boilers, biomethane grid injection, hybrid heat pumps with gas and hybrid heat pumps with hydrogen.

Contact

Email: zeroemissionsheat@gov.scot

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