General Chat

Gas CHS will be banned in new builds from 2025 while they will be phased out over 10 years. That has of course posed a big problem of replacement. Heat pumps cost a fortune up front and cannot deal with really cold weather without levels of insulation mostly unknown in the UK.

Now a company, Heat Wayv, has come up with a drop in replacement for a typical gas CHS unit. It is compatible with existing radiators, showers. The technology is essentially an adaptation of the microwave. Installation costs about the same as for gas.

Of course the usual question of where does all the extra electricity come from remains.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/mar/16/first-microwave-powered-home-boiler-could-help-cut-emissions

Heat Wayv microwave boilers, with zero greenhouse gas emissions in use, will positively contribute to decarbonisation by removing up to 14% of the UK’s annual CO2, by replacing environmentally impactful gas boilers, and without the need to acquire all-round expensive heat pumps.

"Up to" mmmmmm.

And what comprises the other 86% of the UK's annual CO2?

Provisional figures for 2019, the latest year available: from data.gov.uk
Million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent:-

Sector
Energy supply 90.1
--from power stations 57.4
--other Energy supply 32.6
Business 64.7
Transport 119.6 34%
Public 8
Residential 65.2 19%
Agriculture 5.7
Industrial processes 9.7
Waste management 0.2
LULUCF -11.7
Total CO2 351.5 100%
Other greenhouse gases 83.7
Total greenhouse gases 435.2

The technology is available for generating zero balance CO2 electricity for domestic use, most manufacturing, farming, land transport though the changes are likely to be disruptive - the current supermarket model is unsustainable for instance. Long distance trucking is not well suited to battery power packs and runs far better using hydrogen. H2 is not widely available at the moment but designs and successful tests have been made using windmill power off peak. Captain Slow has given up on his H2 car.

Sea and air transport face massive challenges.
The Norwegians have show that electrical short sea ferries are feasible. The technology could be extended to Dover short sea, Denmark etc.
Longer distance shipping inc containers from the far east are already highly polluting (SO2 CO2 ) as are non nuclear aircraft carriers. Other than conjuring tricks with CO2 emissions the only option is to end long distance container shipping in favour of more local production. Such a trend would be disastrous for E Asia.

Short distance air flights are now in commercial use with an all electric version of the Cessna Caravan workhorse having passed testing. However there is no short term prospect of long distance travel other than by jet/turbo prop propulsion.

All in all it is likely to be a very bumpy ride especially for the laggards.

CO2 emissions are not an analog for energy usage.