Low carbon heating with Johan du Plessis (Founder & CEO @ Tepeo)
Aug 23, 2023
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Johan du Plessis, Founder & CEO at Tepeo, discusses the electrification of heating and the technology behind Tepeo's Zero Emission Boiler. They also explore the differences in heating between the UK and the rest of the world, the hydrogen use case for domestic heating, and the potential viability of heat storage. The guest shares their company's goal of providing a low cost, low carbon solution for homeowners to heat their homes.
Tepeo's Zeb or Zero Emission Boiler offers a cost-effective and flexible solution to decarbonize heating through its high-density thermal storage medium and machine learning capabilities.
Tepeo challenges the prevailing focus on energy efficiency and advocates for the importance of carbon efficiency and flexibility in decarbonizing heating systems.
Deep dives
Tepeo: Revolutionizing Heating with Flexible Solutions
Tepeo is a heating company that aims to make heating sexy again by offering innovative solutions to decarbonize heating. Their flagship product, the Zeb or Zero Emission Boiler, is a direct plug-and-play replacement for fossil fuel boilers. The Zeb uses electricity as its fuel source but is not a direct electric flow boiler. It features an ultra-high-density thermal storage medium that can store 40 kilowatt hours of thermal energy, allowing for flexible and efficient heat delivery. Tepeo leverages machine learning and optimization engines to provide heat demand forecasting and charge management, enabling consumers to make use of flexible tariffs and optimization based on carbon intensity. While Tepeo serves smaller homes that require less heating, they acknowledge that larger homes may still require heat pumps as a complement to their technology. Tepeo's goal is to disrupt the heating industry, encourage the adoption of electrification, and provide cost-effective solutions for decarbonizing heating.
The Challenges of Transitioning to Low Carbon Heating
The heating industry faces a significant wall of inertia as it tackles the shift towards low carbon heating. The incumbents, fueled by the gas lobby, resist change and push for alternative solutions like hydrogen heating. However, Tepeo believes that electrification of heating is the most logical and efficient solution. They highlight the challenges of using lithium-ion batteries as a replacement for heating, including limited energy density, high power requirements for larger homes, and the substantial upfront costs. Tepeo emphasizes that their zero-emission boilers (Zeb) offer advantages over batteries, such as a higher energy density, lower costs, and the ability to provide immediate heat without cycling batteries extensively. They also stress the importance of focusing on carbon efficiency rather than just energy efficiency and the need for flexibility to support future energy grids.
Tepeo's Path to Success and Manufacturing in the UK
Tepeo manufactures its products in the UK and is rapidly scaling up its manufacturing capacity. Their Zeb boilers, designed for smaller homes, are sized to fit within the replacement cycle of existing boilers. Tepeo aims to achieve national coverage and encourages homeowners to consider decarbonizing their heating systems. They acknowledge the historic emphasis on energy efficiency but argue for a more comprehensive approach that considers carbon efficiency and the unique characteristics of each home. Tepeo believes that flexibility will play a vital role in the future of energy grids, alongside energy efficiency. They are committed to disrupting the heating industry, providing cost-effective solutions, and driving the adoption of electrification for heating.
Tepeo's Contrarian View: Focusing on Flexibility and Carbon Efficiency
Tepeo's contrarian view challenges the prevailing focus on energy efficiency as the primary criterion for heating solutions. They believe that carbon efficiency is equally important, and that flexibility can be as significant in supporting future energy grids as high coefficient of performance (COP) heat pumps. Tepeo argues that a one-size-fits-all approach to heat pumps may overlook the diverse needs and nuances of each home. They advocate for a combination of technologies, like their Zeb boilers and heat pumps, to achieve optimal results. Tepeo believes that flexibility and carbon efficiency should be given more consideration in the quest for decarbonizing heating systems.
With the vast proportion of UK homes still relying on gas to heat homes - the need for lower carbon options is a top priority in order to reach net zero targets. Tepeo - manufacturers of the ZEB (Zero Emission Boiler) are on a mission to provide consumers with a greener solution.
In this episode, Quentin is joined by Johan du Plessis - Founder & CEO at Tepeo. Over the course of the conversation they discuss:
The electrification of heating and how technologies like Tepeo’s are helping to steer the heating sector away from fossil fuels.
A look at the differences between heating in the UK compared to the rest of the world.
The technology behind Tepeo and the differences in use case compared to heat pumps.
Johan's thoughts on the hydrogen use case for domestic heating.
Why heat storage is potentially more viable than lithium when it comes to domestic heating.
About our guest
Tepeo aim to give customers a low cost, low carbon, smart and yet simple route off of fossil fuel heating. Tepeo’s goal is to help millions of homeowners heat their homes, not the planet with their Zero Emission Boiler (ZEB). For more information on what they do, head over to their site.
About Modo
Modo is the all-in-one Asset Success Platform for battery energy storage. It combines in-depth data curation and analysis, asset revenue benchmarking, and unique research reports - to ensure that owners and operators of battery energy storage can make the most out of their assets. Modo’s paid plans serve more than 80% of battery storage owners and operators in Great Britain.
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