Kensa Group - Experts & Thought Leaders
Latest Kensa Group news & announcements
A primary school and bowls pavilion in a South Wales village have switched to clean, renewable heating, but in an innovative way that cannot be replicated anywhere else in Wales. Ffynnon Taf Primary School and the Pavilion at Taff’s Well Bowling Club in Taff’s Well, Wales, have had a bold new heating system installed by Kensa, the UK-based Ground Source Heat Pump specialists, that uses naturally occurring heat from the only thermal spring in Wales – the historic Taff’s Well Spring. This unique water source heat pump system harnesses natural heat from the warm spring water, which emerges from deep beneath the earth at around 21°C, to provide the two council-owned properties with low-carbon heating and hot water. Kensa’s ground source heat pumps Using the innovative clean heating method instead of gas is expected to cut the school and pavilion’s carbon emissions linked to heating by close to 80%. It also demonstrated a way of using Kensa’s ground source heat pumps without drilling vertical boreholes to access heat energy stored in the ground. The bold idea of using the Taff's Well thermal spring to heat buildings was initially proposed by the Friends of Taff’s Well community group, who were looking at other ways the historic spring could benefit the local community. Renewable heating installations The project follows other retrofit renewable heating facilities met in non-domestic buildings by Kensa This project follows other retrofit renewable heating installations completed in non-domestic buildings by Kensa. Using ground source heat pump technology the UK’s pioneering manufacturer and solutions provider has futureproofed heating and lowered carbon emissions caused by heat in multiple UK schools and council properties. The unique installation also highlights the versatility of Kensa’s ground source heat pump systems and forms part of Rhondda Cynon Taf Borough Council’s ambitious plans to decarbonize by 2030. How the system works Kensa’s ground source heat pumps, found in thousands of UK properties, are usually set up to source energy from the ground to provide heating and hot water. The one-of-a-kind installation at Taff’s Well pumps warm water from the spring and passes it through a nearby heat exchanger, which is connected to Kensa’s ground source heat pumps housed inside the school and pavilion. In this highly energy-efficient system, heat energy stored in the warm spring water is absorbed and converted by the heat pumps into usable energy for the school and pavilion’s heating and hot water systems. While in the system, the water is confined to its own pipework, mostly hidden under the ground and out of sight, and doesn’t encounter any other substances to ensure there’s no issue of contamination or pollution. To keep the connecting pipework hidden and to avoid above-ground damage, Kensa horizontally drilled hundreds of meters between the Well, the school, and the pavilion. After passing through the system, the clean water is emptied back into the Well’s overflow, feeding into the River Taff. This is the only system installed by Cornwall-based Kensa that uses a natural thermal spring as a heat source. New low-carbon heating Kensa’s Dr. Gadsden saw the site, along with reps from Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council On Tuesday, 16th July, Kensa’s Dr. Stuart Gadsden visited the site, along with representatives from Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council, to demonstrate to pupils from the Ffynon Taf Primary School’s Eco Committee how their new low-carbon heating and hot water system works. Dr. Stuart Gadsden, Kensa Contracting Commercial Director, said: “This is an incredibly unique system and really demonstrates how versatile Kensa’s ground source heat pumps are. It was great to show the pupils how their exciting new heating system works and how it will reduce their carbon footprint." Ground source heat pump technology Gadsden added: “Kensa has a proven track record of delivering the high efficiencies of ground source heat pump technology for numerous UK schools and local authorities, providing them with a futureproofed low-carbon heating system." “Using the historic Taff’s Well thermal spring as a renewable heat source is a brilliant example of how bold ideas can lead to something that benefits future generations. It’s something the whole community can be proud of, and we were pleased to play our part in making it happen.” Success of the thermal spring installation Ffynnon Taf Primary School Headteacher, Kathryn Price, said: “We are very excited about how Taff’s Well Thermal Spring has been utilized for the whole school community. Our Eco Committee thoroughly enjoyed learning more about the heat pump system and how this helps to reduce the school’s carbon footprint. We will continue to celebrate the success of the thermal spring installation in our community for many years to come.” Jon Arroyo, Energy and Carbon Reduction Manager at Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council said: “We have the ambition to decarbonize the Council by 2030 and we understand there is no one solution to decarbonize our heating systems, so it is important that we look at what heat resources are around or under us. As a Council, we see our role in exploring alternative solutions to help steer our businesses and residents in their journey towards a net zero future.”
Kensa’s ‘game-changing’ compact Ground Source Heat Pump, the Shoebox NX, which was designed to deliver Networked Heat Pumps to the mass market, has become the latest award-winning product from Kensa after it was named Product Innovation of the Year at the 2024 Unlock Net Zero Awards. heat pump innovation Launched in February this year, Kensa’s Shoebox NX is five times more efficient than a gas boiler and is the latest small heat pump innovation from the Cornwall-based ground source heat pump manufacturer and solutions provider. It stood out against other innovative nominated products from across the housing sector, impressing the Unlock Net Zero Awards judges. NX was designed with Kensa’s low-cost, low-carbon networked heat pump approach in mind Small enough to fit in a cupboard and capable of heating anything from a high-rise flat to a five-bed home, the NX was designed with Kensa’s low-cost, low-carbon networked heat pump approach in mind. This system replicates the gas network model to present a viable mass-scale solution to decarbonize heat for over 60% of UK homes. Networked heat pumps Commenting on their decision, the Unlock Net Zero Awards judges said: “Kensa’s Shoebox NX ground source heat pump is a highly innovative product that addresses multiple challenges facing the UK housing sector, from energy efficiency and decarbonization to fuel poverty and climate resilience. A comprehensive approach to solving complex energy and environmental issues.” Networked heat pumps consist of ground source heat pumps installed inside individual properties, whether flats, terraced streets, or new-build homes, connected to a shared network of hidden underground pipework. This provides each property with low-cost, renewable heating, hot water, and cooling. Kensa’s compact ground source heat pumps Notable installations include 273 high-rise social housing flats in Thurrock, Essex The networked heat pump solution, using Kensa’s compact ground source heat pumps, is already providing affordable renewable heating for thousands of properties across the UK. Notable installations include 273 high-rise social housing flats in Thurrock, Essex, and the world’s first in-road retrofit project in Stithians, Cornwall, which saw a mix of existing private and social homes within a local community connected to the renewable heat source. Earlier this month, Kensa announced it was partnering with the UK’s largest installer and operator of last mile multi-utility networks, GTC, to supply tens of thousands of newly built properties a year with renewable heating via networked heat pumps. New properties connected to this solution will be fitted with Shoebox NX or Kensa’s other compact ground source heat pump, the original Kensa Shoebox. Social housing heat decarbonization projects This announcement follows Kensa receiving £70m in investment from Legal & General and Octopus Energy to scale up ground source heat pumps in the UK. Backed by its investors, Kensa expects to ramp up heat pump production to 70,000 a year by the end of the decade, creating over 7,000 green UK manufacturing jobs in the process. Kensa expects to ramp up heat pump production to 70,000 a year by the end of the decade The Unlock Net Zero judges also gave highly commended recognition to two Kensa Contracting social housing heat decarbonization projects. These included the project for Thurrock Council, entered in the Green Homes Upgrade of the Year – Central & East England category, and a project for Gravesham Borough Council, entered in the Green Homes Upgrade of the Year – London & South category. Ground Source Heat Pump technology Speaking at the NX launch in February, Kensa CEO - Tamsin Lishman, said: “This is a game-changing heat pump designed for the UK. Until now, achieving mass heat pump rollout has been a complex challenge, but with the launch of our Shoebox NX, we’ve engineered a small, high-performance heat pump that’s ready to replace gas as the main home heating choice." Tamsin Lishman adds, “When combined with our Networked Heat Pump solution, it unlocks cosy homes in the winter and cooler homes in the summer for almost anyone, and at low costs to the consumer. For 25 years Kensa has been pioneering Ground Source Heat Pump technology, and with the Shoebox NX we’re ready to deliver heat pumps for everyone, cut household carbon emissions and make green home heating a reality.” Shoebox NX facts and figures Small and compact, but packs the power and efficiency of large heat pumps - making the most efficient and lowest carbon form of heating accessible to properties with limited space. High efficiency, low electricity usage, and low maintenance deliver long-term cost savings for consumers compared to air-source heat pumps. Is five times more efficient than a gas boiler - Coefficient of Performance of 4.36 (gas boilers typically operate at 0.9). Has an A+++ energy efficiency rating and a 25-year life expectancy. Can heat water to over 60°C without the need for an immersion heater. Can provide passive cooling to cool homes during the summer at a much lower cost than air-conditioning. Designed to work in flats, apartments, terraced houses, tenements and newly built properties.
The UK’s largest installer and operator of last mile multi-utility networks, GTC, and the UK’s pioneering manufacturer and installer of award-winning, British-made, ground source heat pumps, The Kensa Group, have joined forces to deliver a low-cost renewable heating and cooling solution for tens of thousands of new build homes a year – introducing the Networked Ground Source Heat Pump solution. This solution offers a clean alternative to gas, which is planned to be banned in new build developments from next year under the Future Homes Standard, requiring all new homes to have low-carbon heating. The Networked Ground Source Heat Pump solution provides reliable home heating and hot water through a ground source heat pump installed in each property, connected to a shared network of hidden underground pipework, similar to what is installed for other utilities. GTC and Kensa partnership Kensa’s compact 'Shoebox' heat pump will fit neatly under the water cylinder inside the home Kensa’s compact 'Shoebox' heat pump will fit neatly under the water cylinder inside the home, saving valuable space and eliminating the need for any external kit, so there's no visual impact on the property. With up to five times the efficiency of gas and a 30% increased efficiency than an equivalent air source heat pump, these ground source heat pumps require no extra electricity capacity, easing developer concerns about site grid capacity. The GTC and Kensa partnership, the largest to be agreed between a utility infrastructure provider and a UK ground source heat pump manufacturer, will bring significant scale, funding, and technical skill to the deployment of networked ground source heat pumps for the new build market – delivering a complete end-to-end heating, hot water, and cooling solution for housebuilders. Infrastructure and design capabilities Through this groundbreaking agreement, GTC will provide the funded solution to housing developers, along with the design, borehole drilling, and network installation, which can be implemented alongside the other utility networks as part of a one-stop shop. Kensa, which has pioneered networked ground source heat pumps in the UK for more than a decade, will add its expertise in infrastructure and design capabilities and supply its highly efficient, UK-manufactured ground source heat pumps to fit each property. Low-carbon heating solution Networked Ground Source Heat Pump key can also be used to heat and cool any non-domestic structures By joining forces, GTC and Kensa will help UK housebuilders and developers transition to a proven, sustainable, low-carbon heating solution in line with the planned phase-out of gas. It will offer home buyers a lower-carbon, more efficient alternative to individual air source heat pumps. The Networked Ground Source Heat Pump solution can also be used to heat and cool any non-domestic buildings within a development. GTC Executive Chairman, Clive Linsdell, said: “A big challenge housebuilders face is additional grid capacity for low carbon technologies. This partnership brings an end-to-end heat, hot water, and cooling solution with the same power requirements as gas-heated homes. Our working with Kensa provides housebuilders and developers reassurance around the quality of installation and equipment, and homeowners 100% peace of mind in relation to its ongoing operation and maintenance.” Transition to electrified heating Kensa Group CEO, Tamsin Lishman said: “We are delighted to partner with GTC to bring this pioneering heating and cooling solution to the UK's housebuilders. Using the heat from the ground beneath our feet, boosted by Kensa’s small and highly efficient ground source heat pumps, homeowners will enjoy comfort and warmth, at low costs." "We’ve been delivering this proven solution at scale for over a decade, providing reliable home heating to thousands of UK homes, and by working with GTC, we look forward to delivering a successful transition to electrified heating.” Key information GTC’s investment in the system means the cost to developers will usually be significantly lower than installing individual air source heat pumps. Homeowners will also benefit from hassle-free heating and hot water, with costs no higher than if they owned an air-source heat pump. Kensa is the UK's largest provider of networked ground source heat pumps, with a multi-award-winning track record of delivering renewable heating and hot water to a mix of retrofit and new-build projects. The constant ground temperature throughout the year, with no seasonal fluctuations, means higher efficiency and lower running costs for customers connected to networked ground source heat pumps. The latest Passiv Smart Thermostat can also be included, reducing customers’ heating bills by up to 30%. There is also the option to add passive cooling to each home, a capability unique to ground-source heat pumps. With minimal running costs, this can mitigate overheating in summer and provide Part O compliance. Due to the high efficiencies of networked ground source heat pumps, no additional electricity demand is required, making it a great solution for sites already ‘in build’ and moving from gas. The Networked Ground Source Heat Pump solution will be Heat Trust registered and be regulated by Ofgem to ensure homeowners worry-free maintenance, repair, and replacement of the ground source heat pump system. New homes connected to the solution will be fitted with either Kensa’s Shoebox or Shoebox NX ground source heat pumps, providing each property with low-cost, low-carbon heating and hot water, with the capability to deliver passive cooling.
Insights & Opinions from thought leaders at Kensa Group
Decarbonizing heat is one of, if not the biggest challenges we face in our journey to net zero. Most of the heat in UK homes and businesses is currently provided through fossil fuels, predominantly gas. Gas releases carbon emissions and other particles that are bad for air quality and bad for our environment. So, to get to net-zero we need to replace gas as our main source of heat. The Government plans to phase out gas boilers in newly build homes from 2025, but with the vast majority of existing homes reliant on gas as the energy source to heat their homes, many householders fear a ‘gas boiler ban’ without a realistic and reliable alternative. This needs to be addressed. The challenge These grants will only cover a fraction of the 600,000 per year installation target set for 2028 To nudge the change in consumer purchasing behavior, a £5,000 grant was announced by the government in its heat and buildings strategy as part of a £450m Boiler Upgrade Scheme to install low-carbon systems. But many commentators have pointed out that these grants will only cover a fraction of the 600,000 per year installation target set for 2028. Both the Climate Change Committee and the UK Government have said that to reach net-zero we should be aiming to install 600,000 heat pumps per year by 2028. That’s a big scaling up of the existing market, as to date between 30,000 to 40,000 pumps are installed each year. Heat pump technology Heat pumps have been highlighted by the government in their recent Heat and Buildings Strategy as a key solution to decarbonizing our economy. That is why, Kensa Group, Britain’s ground source heat pump experts, recognize the need to make sure people understand clearly how heat pumps work and how they can provide the comfort of current heating systems but operate more efficiently over their lifetime. There are two types of heat pumps - air source and ground source, the latter of which use pipes to extract heat and waste heat from the ground to heat radiators, underfloor heating systems, cool and provide hot water. Ground source heat pumps provide the lowest capital cost heat decarbonization pathway with reduced running costs, reduced electrical generation and storage requirements, and importantly carbon savings. Emissions from gas boilers A ground source heat pump can be 300-400% efficient, delivering three to four times the amount of energy Typical emissions from a gas boiler are 226g/kWh – this equates to up to 2.7 tonnes per year for an average house – the equivalent of driving 12,000 miles in an average family car. The emissions level of a ground source heat pump is 53g/kWh. Similarly, modern gas boilers can be around 90% efficient – a ground source heat pump can be 300-400% efficient, delivering three to four times the amount of energy they consume from electricity. The pipework of underground infrastructure will last upwards of 100 years so a one-off investment will provide heat for generations to come. Yet the true benefits that heat pumps can bring won’t ever make the impact needed unless they are introduced at scale. Moving to heat pumps One option includes a solution that takes responsibility away from individuals to change their boilers to one that introduces a large-scale network of ground source heat pumps similar to the design and infrastructure of the current gas grid. It’s a bold idea but one that manufacturers, the government, and the energy sector are exploring with one study predicting a move to networked heat pumps could save the UK an estimated £1bn a year to 2050. The infrastructure By shifting the emphasis from consumers getting rid of their boilers and installing individual infrastructure for ground source heat pumps on an ad-hoc house-by-house basis, a move to a pre-installation of utility-scale underground infrastructure (how the gas grid works today), it’s believed the 600,000 annual heat pump target could be met. With the infrastructure funded, owned, and maintained by a utility supplier or local authority, for example, the cost is removed from consumers who can then easily and cheaply change to a heat pump as and when they’re ready and pay a standing charge similar to what they do for their existing gas supply. Accelerate net-zero ambitions Kensa Heat Pumps is giving people the chance to see first-hand how alternative heating could work This approach has the promise to be a mass-market and mass scale solution which if adopted, could transform our low carbon landscape and accelerate net-zero ambitions. The challenge is how we make this a reality at scale because we need action to start soon, as time continues to run away from us. Using the latest augmented reality technology, Kensa Heat Pumps is giving people the chance to see first-hand how this alternative heating could work in communities like theirs, as an entire street has been stripped of boilers and switched to heat pumps in a virtual makeover. Bringing the future of heating to life Using the real-life inner-city suburb of Green Street in Glasgow as a basis for the AR experience, Kensa’s virtual tour guide Doug sets out just how the ground source heat pumps and network can heat entire streets from houses to tower blocks, in a ground-breaking concept called ‘Welcome to Green Street’. The virtual street map ‘Welcome to Green Street’, launched at COP26, proves how a whole systems approach to decarbonizing how we heat our homes can unlock benefits across communities, and complement and balance the electricity network as we come to rely more heavily on it with heating and electric vehicles.