As part of the National Heat Pump Awards, the honour for the Public Sector Project of the Year was awarded to Star Renewable Energy for its ground-breaking development of the world’s largest zero carbon 90oC district heat pump in Norway.
The nomination saw Star pitched against the likes of industry rivals such as Daikin, Mitsubishi and Danfoss
Star Renewable Energy is the recent business venture of Star Refrigeration, the UK’s largest independent industrial refrigeration engineering contractor, which was established in Scotland in 1970.
The judges said: “Star have achieved temperatures previously thought impossible. This alone should bring heatpumps closer to the entire market, but in doing so with only “future proof” natural working fluids is even more spectacular. As the Drammen project in Norway demonstrates, any building in Britain can harness local heat and avoid burning gas.
Star Renewables’ investment in research and development was also recognised with the award of the influential Rittinger Medal by the International Energy Agency in Montreal last month for developing the breakthrough heat pump technology in Drammen that is large enough to warm 6,000 homes, cut CO2 emissions by 14,050 tonnes a year and which could save UK households £1,500 a year on energy bills
Dave Pearson, Director, Star Renewable Energy, said: “The projects we have completed really demonstrate that heat pumps have now become environmentally and economically viable and should no longer be associated with smaller systems typically limited to 45oC.”
“The technological advancements of the Neatpump in Drammen (above) have revolutionised the way factories, hospitals, universities and houses can and should be heated.
“By harnessing local heat we can achieve a triple dividend of reduced environmental impact, reduced cost and the increase in local jobs.”
According to official statistics, heating accounts for approximately 50% of all energy consumed in UK, which equates to Britain’s annual £33 billion bill spend on heat alone, making it responsible for around a third of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions.
Industrial heat pumps have the capacity to harvest energy at a ratio of up to 4:1 or 5:1 vs ‘drive fuel consumed’ which represents colossal savings, both financially and environmentally.
Pearson added: “Technological advances in heat pumps are bringing the UK closer to our carbon targets challenge as it reduces the need to burn fossil fuels, which is how 80% of our heat is produced today.
“The advent of natural heat pumps that take warmth from natural water sources and deliver zero carbon heating will be remembered as a landmark event in the fight against not just climate change, but rising economic pressures of combusting fuel.”
“With climate change gaining rapid momentum as one of society’s hottest topics, the time has never been more imminent to develop technology that eases the burden on the natural environment and helps preserve the earth for future generations.”
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