C2I 2018: Balanced Energy Network (BEN) decarbonises heating

Collaborate to Innovate 2018

Category: Energy and environment

Winner: Balanced Energy Network

Partners: ICAX Ltd; London South Bank University (LSBU); Upside Energy; Origen Power; Cranfield University; Mixergy; TFGI Ltd. (Terra Firma Ground Investigations)

A system for decarbonising heating by sharing energy between buildings and using heat pumps is under trial in London

Intended to create and develop a new type of heating network described as an “Internet for heat”, that is currently reaching the end of a 27-month program funded by Innovate UK, BEN is part of an effort to decarbonise heating, which accounted for over 30% of the UK’s total carbon emissions in 2016. The government describes this effort as the most difficult policy and technical challenge in meeting carbon reduction targets, and in 2017 a requirement was set to supply 40TW hours of heat through low carbon networks by 2030, and 10TW hours by 2020. As some 80% of homes built today will still be around in 2050 the project was set up both to be suitable for installation in new-build housing and to retrofit to existing buildings.