SPECIAL FEATURES renewables and batterY storage This month: heat pumps at Dundees V&A; Themacs heat pump; sensors for batteries; PCM and batteries North Norfolk leisure centre to save water with air source heat pump Planning permission has been granted for a 10.7m leisure centre in Sheringham, North Norfolk, which will include: a swimming pool; a learner pool with moving floor, to cater for different activities and user groups; a fitness suite; community spaces; studios; and a cafe. Designed by Cambridge-based Saunders Boston Architects, with M&E engineers Silcock Dawson and Partners, the facility features an air source heat pump (ASHP) and solar thermal panels, which are proposed for the flat roof over the main entrance, and on the south side of the curved roof. The ASHP will be installed as part of a variable refrigerant system with heat recovery. According to the architect, the building form is a nod to the longshore drift from the North Norfolk coastline. Solar households to give away power to energy firms BEIS ending export tariff andpreparing replacement Households that install solar panels in the future will be expected to give away unused clean power for free to energy firms, the government has said. Ministers were urged not to end the export tariff for solar panels under the Feed-in Tariff (FiT) scheme, which is closing next year. However, the government confirmed that anyone who adds solar from April 2019 will not be paid for any excess electricity they export to the grid. The change will not affect the 800,000-plus homes that have already fitted solar panels since the FiT scheme launched in 2010. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) said it wasending the export tariff, which offersa guaranteed price for all unusedsolar electricity to minimise costs to consumers. A market-based replacement is expected to be announced by the government early in the new year. This will write the rules for how energy CIBSE Jan19 pp35 Renewable News.indd 35 suppliers could buy the excess power, although they will not be mandated to do so. There is expected to be a hiatus between the export tariffs demise at the end of March and any new regime, so new solar households will be giving away power until then. Around 90% of people who responded to a government consultation opposed the changes, arguing that they were unfair, would set back climate change efforts, and hurt industry. Chris Hewett, Solar Trade Association chief executive, said: At a bare minimum, the government should retain the export tariff until an effective, alternative way to fairly remunerate solar power is implemented. A BEIS spokesperson said it will consult on a future framework for smallscale renewable energy generation. Survey results A survey by YouGov, commissioned by environment lawyers ClientEarth, found that more than 60% of people said they would like to install solar power. In total, 345 responses were submitted to BEIS, with 91% of respondents disagreeing with the closure of the export tariff. The Solar Trade Association also sent a letter now signed by more than 350 organisations to energy minister Claire Perry in August, requesting the export tariffs continuation. Beanland takes over the reins at GSHPA Bean Beanland has been elected chair, and Chris Davidson vice-chair, of the Ground Source Heat Pump Association (GSHPA), after John Findlay stepped down as chair after two years in office. Beanland, an associate of the Royal College of Science, has an honours degree in physics, and has spent the past 10 years in the industry initially as an installer and, most recently, as a consultant. Davidson graduated in theoretical physics and spent several years within the motor industry before entering the renewable energy sector in 2001. EV smart charger deadline set Government-funded home charge points for electric vehicles (EVs) must use innovative smart technology from July 2019, under plans announced by the Department for Transport (DfT) in December. They must be capable of being remotely accessed, as well as of receiving, interpreting and reacting to digital signals. The government has also confirmed it will maintain grants to install charge points at home and at work at their current level of up to 500. Current rates will apply until March 2020, or until 30,000 installations in 2019/20 have been supported. www.cibsejournal.com January 2019 35 21/12/2018 16:57