Analysis of ground-source heat pumps in north-of-England homes

YesThe performance of Ground Source Heat Pump (GSHP) systems for domestic use is an increasing area of study in the UK. This paper examines the thermal performance of three bespoke shallow horizontal GSHP systems installed in newly built residential houses in the North of England against a control house which was fitted with a standard gas boiler. A total of 350 metres of High Density Polyethylene pipe with an external diameter of 40 mm was used for each house as a heat pump loop. The study investigated (i) the performance of a single loop horizontal Ground Heat Exchanger (GHE) against a double loop GHE and (ii) rainfall effects on heat extraction by comparing a system with an infiltration trench connected to roof drainage against a system without an infiltration trench above the ground loops. Parameters monitored for a full year from October 2013 to September 2014. Using the double GHE has shown an enhanced performance of up to 20% compared with single GHE. The infiltration trench is found to improve performance of the heat pumps; the double loop GHE system with an infiltration trench had a COP 5% higher than that of the double loop GHE system without a trench

Promoting community renewable energy in a corporate energy world.

Small-scale, decentralized and community-owned renewable energy is widely acknowledged to be a desirable feature of low carbon futures, but faces a range of challenges in the context of conventional, centralized energy systems. This paper draws on transition frameworks to investigate why the UK has been an inhospitable context for community-owned renewables and assesses whether anything fundamental is changing in this regard. We give particular attention to whether political devolution, the creation of elected governments for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, has affected the trajectory of community renewables. Our analysis notes that devolution has increased political attention to community renewables, including new policy targets and support schemes. However, these initiatives are arguably less important than the persistence of key features of socio-technical regimes: market support systems for renewable energy and land-use planning arrangements that systemically favour major projects and large corporations, and keep community renewables to the margins. There is scope for rolling out hybrid pathways to community renewables, via joint ownership or through community benefit funds, but this still positions community energy as an adjunct to energy pathways dominated by large, corporate generation facilities

The Priority Gas Customer Arrangements (PGCA) Additional consultation on emergency procedures

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre-DSC:m00/10241 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

A review of the development of competition in the domestic gas market

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre-DSC:m00/10263 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

Social action plan Framework document

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre-DSC:99/35037 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

The prevention of wholesale market abuse Guidelines for generators

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre-DSC:m00/14158 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

Review of British Gas trading price regulation Final proposals

Available from British Library Document Supply Centre-DSC:m00/16937 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreSIGLEGBUnited Kingdo

Rises in pool prices in July A decision document

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre-DSC:99/36479 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

Utilities Bill Standard licence conditions; volume 4, electricity transmission licence

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre-DSC:m00/16322 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo