Carlton Cummins, CTO and co-founder of Aceleron, explains how social housing providers can benefit from an energy storage system that taps into the principles of the circular economy.
According to research commissioned by the National Housing Federation (NHF), in England alone, there are about 1.6 million households in need of social renting. The Housing, Communities and Local Government (HCLG) Select Committee added that there is “compelling evidence that England needs at least 90,000 net additional social rent homes a year” – a statement endorsed by the Affordable Housing Commission.
These figures highlight the need for affordable, safe housing to fight homelessness and mitigate the impact of the cost of living crisis. But another crisis is unfolding in parallel – climate change.
The UK has pledged to decarbonise its power system by 2035, in line with the wider target of reaching net zero by 2050. The social housing sector is doing its part to contribute, and the government has set targets for social housing providers to improve their properties’ EPC rating to C or above by 2030.
A helping hand from energy storage
Housing associations need to implement cost-effective clean energy solutions to cut energy bills and work towards net-zero targets. To make this a reality, installation and maintenance costs as well as choosing a renewable energy system that will last as long as possible is key.
Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) have multiple benefits;
- They can store energy for use when renewable sources are not producing a sufficient amount.
- They can recharge from the grid during off-peak hours, when tariffs are cheaper, storing energy that residents may use during peak usage times.
- When connected to the grid, any excess energy can be sold back, recouping costs and helping to decarbonise the national energy system.
- They are a clean tech force multiplier; powering other clean tech such as heat pumps or providing supplementary power during EV charging.
These benefits make BESS an ideal technology to help social housing providers meet the government’s EPC score targets, while securing affordable, safe and sustainable housing for residents in need.
Fighting e-waste
From a sustainability and financial perspective, it is up to all of us to get the maximum use out of these clean technologies. Lithium and sulfur (two key components in battery storage) are already reportedly in short supply which impacts prices, so it is imperative that we make maximum use of the clean energy products that are available now.
At the same time, an estimated two million tonnes of e-waste a year end up in UK landfills which has hugely negative environmental implications for the future.
Awareness of these problems pushed Aceleron to do things differently, and to develop an energy storage solution that tapped into the principles of the circular economy. We know that our clients in residential and commercial applications need batteries that stand the test of time, without contributing to our already massive waste problem.
That is why our entire battery range features an easily removable core that can be endlessly serviced, repaired and upgraded. Our Offgen energy storage system, which has been specifically designed for residential and light commercial applications, is the only product currently on the market where every part can be removed, replaced or upgraded, with removed parts easily recycled or repurposed into other battery products.
This ensures the long life expectancy that social housing providers will need, while creating a virtually zero-carbon, zero-waste energy system. Its modular structure also allows for easy scalability should the need for more power arise.
Building a clean energy system to last
When planning the transition from boilers to alternative energy systems, social housing providers will need to consider the whole cost of the products they install. The initial outlay of renewables combined with energy storage can be three to four times higher than the installation of a traditional boiler. However, the longer operating life of the system and its reduced maintenance costs ensure significant savings in the longer term, making BESS a viable investment to future-proof operations and secure a long-term competitive edge.
Just as there used to be financial incentives for installing solar panels, we also need government-backed incentives in the form of grants, tax rebates and cashback schemes to encourage housing providers to take the plunge and power much-needed affordable homes.
