Alpha Heating Innovation Hybrid systems - common questions answered

National Renewables Manager, Dan Wilden, answers common questions on hybrid systems and how this often-overlooked area of home heating and hot water could help towards decarbonising the UK’s homes.

How can hybrids help the UK’s homes reach net zero?

Independent university studies have confirmed that the heat pump element of Alpha’s E-Tec Hybrid solution can account for 80% of the heating provision of a home, while the boiler covers the remaining 20% during peak demand. This means a tremendous saving in carbon emissions without the need to find space for a big cylinder, or significant overhaul of radiator systems, as would be required with a standalone heat pump.

Hybrid systems also aid the transition towards lower-carbon heating systems, without so much reliance on the grid. The benefit of hybrids is they can aid the demand through using natural gas, and still run on existing UK infrastructure.

Hybrid systems are often referred to as a stepping stone on the road to net zero: are they anything more in their own right?

I think it’s fair and honest to say that for the majority of the UK housing stock a hybrid heating system may be a stepping stone and heat pumps are the end goal. However, we still have 25 years until the Government’s 2050 net zero target, and so anything we can do to take realistic steps forward to decarbonise homes in the meantime is a positive move.

There are some buildings however where a hybrid may be less of a stepping stone, and more of a permanent solution. Historic buildings for example that can’t be wrapped up in wall insulation, or overhauled to install large radiators or underfloor heating systems may see a hybrid as being the long-term solution to a problem.

Why should people consider fitting one and what are the benefits?

There are so many reasons why homeowners should consider having a hybrid heating system, and it’s partially the responsibility of the gas engineer to help them realise this.

The main reason is that it actually saves money compared with a standard gas boiler replacement. The other considerations are of course to get more efficient heating and doing their bit towards net zero. Each homeowner is at a different stage on their sustainability journeys, but hybrid systems offer a great, non-invasive, fairly inexpensive way to contribute to the decarbonisation of domestic properties within the UK.

Using a heat pump and boiler in tandem is a good option for older properties where heat pumps may simply not be attainable. For this type of property, including a boiler in the system means that during peak demand or in cold weather, for example, the boiler can boost the heating in the home, keeping it comfortable, whilst maintaining better sustainable credentials than a complete-boiler system.

Installers will already be aware of sole heat pump systems, and while these are an effective option for new builds or renovation projects, a heat pump-only approach for standard retrofits can prove to be either a complex process or in some cases unfeasible due to the nature of the property, and planning requirements needed to install a heat pump only system (for example on listed buildings).

Another key bonus is the dual fuel capabilities and being able to have access to both electricity and gas to heat the home, depending on which is cheaper. It’s very dynamic in that it can interchange so seamlessly.

How do hybrid systems work?

A hybrid heating solution combines a gas (or LPG) boiler with a heat pump. These then work in tandem to cleverly combine live energy prices with the outdoor temperature, configuring the optimum combination and adjusting the heating flow and water temperature in the radiators to heat the home and provide instant hot water in a highly efficient way.

This removes the challenge of adding a water cylinder – which would be required with a solely heat pump system – since a gas combi boiler could still provide hot water when needed. It also removes the need to change any radiators as a hybrid system will perform just fine on standard radiators.

In terms of installation, it’s fairly simple. It includes a standard gas boiler install, with a circuit then fed into the external heat pump unit, and cables to connect it to the home’s electric power source.

How does energy efficiency compare with a pure heat pump heating solution?

Energy efficiency can really depend on varying weather extremes. In some cases, a hybrid system could be more efficient than a full heat pump system, such as in colder weather, however a heat pump will then cost less to run in slightly warmer temperatures.

Hybrids offer real consistency, along with an 80-90% reduction in carbon emissions in a singular property. One of the main benefits of a hybrid system is in its ability to choose the cheapest way to heat a home, based on inputting gas and electricity prices.

Hybrid heating systems are not eligible for any financial support from the government (including the Boiler Upgrade Scheme), what are your thoughts on this and do you envisage it changing?

It really is disappointing that hybrids aren’t eligible for any funding under the Boiler Upgrade Scheme. Currently the Government-backed initiative applies solely to heat pump only systems. At Alpha we continue to lobby for this to change as we see hybrid systems as a really effective step forward towards the decarbonisation of UK homes, and we understand many homeowners’ uncertainty around switching entirely from a gas or oil system to a heat pump, and the costs associated with this.

I believe even a small grant of £1,000 for hybrids would be enough to spark interest amongst homeowners, and we’d begin to see uptake increase. A key issue however is the Government’s awareness and understanding of hybrid systems themselves.

For residential and built-up areas especially it’s a no-brainer. With, for example, £30,000 from the government we could install around six hybrid systems compared to two heat pumps. The hybrid systems would offer an 80-90% carbon reduction in those homes and would not increase pressure or demand on the local grid network.

What are the costs in comparison with stand-alone heat pumps and gas boilers?

A heat pump system can cost anything from £12,000 to £15,000 depending on the size of the property and thus the heat pump system required. They can also come with further associated works like changing radiators or installing underfloor heating which is recommended to achieve peak efficiency. However grants of up to £7,500 are currently available on the heat pump install itself.

Meanwhile, an Alpha hybrid system will cost approximately £6,500, and a standard gas boiler replacement will cost on average £3,000.

What qualifications/competences do gas engineers need to fit a hybrid heat pump?

Gas engineers need very little in terms of qualifications in order to install a hybrid system. They will need their standard Gas Safe certification, as they would to install any type of boiler, along with a small amount of training on connecting the heat pump element. Installing a hybrid system is so similar to a gas boiler replacement.

What training does a gas engineer need?

Registered gas engineers only need a small amount of training to add to their existing knowledge base, in order to effectively install a hybrid system. At Alpha our hybrid training lasts one day and is free to attend with free commissioning available too.

Key features of our E-Tec Hybrid training includes:

Enhanced learning of core components
Run through fault finding
User controls summary
Accessories and warranty options
Introduction to heat pumps
System design and set-up
Positioning
Installation

A key important feature of our training is the handover to customers. We often find that one of the shortfalls in understanding and effective use of hybrid and heat pump systems is in the information provided by the installer to their customer, in how to get maximum efficiency out of their new heating system.

Should their take-up be encouraged? If so, how?

The take up of hybrid systems should absolutely be encouraged, and there’s so much installers can do to help the industry on that journey.

Feedback we’ve had from installers that have attended our training is that it really helped them to understand what they can offer different homeowners with different types of properties. The challenge for most is having the confidence to cross that line from the comfort and familiarity of installing gas boilers.

Hybrid systems – common questions answered