A new partnership between Greater Manchester’s Combined Authority (GMCA) and Japan’s New Energy Development Organisation is set to reduce energy demand and cuts in carbon emissions across Manchester’s homes.

The project will see a radical retrofit of 600 local homes that brings together low carbon energy technologies with advanced IT.

Using advanced IT alongside the installed air source heat pumps and advanced user control panels, the project will aggregate energy demand and deliver capacity back to the energy grid when needed, whilst keeping homes comfortable for residents

The scheme aims to flatten out the ‘peaks and troughs’ often seen in local energy demand whilst also helping switch homes from gas-fired or electric heating to renewable sourced heating.

other partners in the £15-20 million project include the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC), Greater Manchester Low Carbon Hub, Wigan and Leigh Homes, Northwards Housing, Six Town Housing and the respective councils of Wigan, Manchester and Bury . Also involved are Electricity Northwest, the University of Manchester, Hitachi, Daikin, and Mizuho Bank.

At the heart of the project lies very energy efficient air source heat pump technology which basically acts as an air conditioning unit in reverse, the heat pump compresses and condenses heat from outside a building to produce space and water heating inside, with a radically reduced carbon footprint.

Greater Manchester has a target to reduce CO2 emissions by 48% by 2020 (compared to 1990 level). Currently domestic homes are responsible for over a third (36%) of Greater Manchester’s CO2 emissions.

The NEDO partnership project is being seen as a pilot, which if successful, has the potential to show the way forward for a similar retrofit programme for many more homes across the city region.

Lord Peter Smith, chair of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and Leader of Wigan Council, said: “Keeping local residents warm and comfortable while cutting our carbon emissions is an important strategic goal for Greater Manchester and this partnership represents a real step forward, one that could offer a model for many more communities in the future.

“Combining advanced technologies from our Japanese partners with local academic expertise, as well as support from our housing companies and Electricity Northwest, we’ve pulled a winning team together to grapple with the challenge of retrofitting energy efficient heating into our housing stock.”

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here