BetaTalk - The Renewable Energy and Low Carbon Heating Podcast

Send us a textZoning heat pumps and heating systems is the topic of this episode. We chat with Adam Chapman AKA Heat Geek who is one of the BetaTalk Heat Architects about a recent video he published on youtube https://youtu.be/zpTVIeUh04E Adam runs the Heat Geek Hydronics course and you can find a discount code at Nathan's website https://www.betateach.co.uk/We also get to chat with Jez Climas who is a very rare breed of merchant who actually understands the technology he sells along with the heating systems it will be going on to. He has made an interesting career move from being and M&E consultant designing BIG heating systems to working at a company https://midsummerwholesale.co.uk/  who have experience with PV systems and have branched into the area of heat pumps.We obviously cover the topic of zoning along with other topics such as commercial building management systems (BMS)Other topics include thermostatic radiator valves TRV's, valve authority, mass flow rate, mean water temperature of radiators and Delta T. We also discuss a favourite topic of Adam's: weather compensation controls.In the Optimised Retrofit bulletin we chat to Dr Rhiannon Wreede who has made the transition into heating and works for https://www.solarpvtech.com/. We hear how colleges running courses and the Awarding Bodies getting payed for issuing hundreds of thousands of certificates often leave learners high and dry with no progression into industry, a topic very close to Nathan's heart e.g. why is tax payers money for funding education going straight to colleges when it's the employers who need financial support to train our industry.Rhiannon has also written articles in HIP magazine about her journeySupport the showLearn more about heat pump heating by followingNathan on Linkedin, Twitter and BlueSky

Send us a textJohn Cantor has been working with heat pumps since the late 70s and with refrigeration much earlier. He wrote his book along with Gavin DJ Harper (one of the BetaTalk guest battery experts) back in 2010 just before the renewable heat incentive came into play. He is joined by regular guests Ken and Steve who are big fans of John's pioneering work. It's a longer than usual episode so please use the chapter markers if you wish to find specific topics being discussed. John's book is here https://www.amazon.co.uk/Heat-Pumps-Home-John-Cantor/dp/1785007793/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=heat+pumps&qid=1626527840&sr=8-1Support the showLearn more about heat pump heating by followingNathan on Linkedin, Twitter and BlueSky

Send us a textDecarbonising heat is a world wide challenge and Nathan had a conversation with Nate in Virginia USA to see what is going on over there.Season 4 has a short bulletin at the end of each episode where Nathan and the Welsh Government Optimised Retrofit team listen to coal face engineers to learn about any issues and barriers they think they may face with a transition to renewables. Support the showLearn more about heat pump heating by followingNathan on Linkedin, Twitter and BlueSky

Send us a textIn this episode Nathan chats to his friend Colin King from Sero group who manage the Welsh Governments Optimised Retrofit programme and are season 4 sponsor of BetaTalk. Colin spent time at the BRE and is highly regarded voice within retrofit. He helped develop the PAS 2035 standards which came about from the Each Home Counts review. Nathan is also joined by Isaac Occhipinti from HHIC  and Phil Mason from TrustMark to discuss how PAS2035 and TrustMark can fit into the transition to renewable heating and retrofitting our homes.In the BetaTalk Bulletin at the end of the main show we speak to Jack McGovern from the Glow Heat Group to hear his view on any of the barriers to retrofit. Support the showLearn more about heat pump heating by followingNathan on Linkedin, Twitter and BlueSky

Send us a textWe have a great chat with regular guest Steve about a solar thermal hybrid system he has recently commissioned for a customer. In the bulletin at the end we speak with Paul, a past president at the CIPHE about any barriers into renewables and retrofit.Sign up to the email at  http://www.betateach.co.uk/ to learn more about Steve and other engineers designsSupport the showLearn more about heat pump heating by followingNathan on Linkedin, Twitter and BlueSky

Send us a textJoin James P and James C from Elite, a renewable and gas installation company based in Hull.We hear about their experience with the green homes grant and the renewable heat incentive and the uptake of heat pumps. James P comes from the PV industry and we learn how he teamed up with partner James from the gas boiler industry. We also chat with Lee Fischer who now works at Sero.Subscribe to receive the newsletter which features some of the finest heating engineers and their projects at http://www.betateach.co.uk/   Support the showLearn more about heat pump heating by followingNathan on Linkedin, Twitter and BlueSky

Send us a textIn this last episode of season 3 Nathan speaks with Evergreen Energy about how they will train their installers and engineers for the uptake of heat pumps. Gas engineer Ben was also on the show to discuss his training journey.Support the showLearn more about heat pump heating by followingNathan on Linkedin, Twitter and BlueSky

Send us a textIn part 1 we heard Steve's common heat pump mistakes now we get to hear from another #betatalk heat architect Si Poskett.It's worth remembering heat pumps are just the heat source on a system, rather like a boiler is the heat source on a system. It is understanding the system as a whole which is the important part.  If you wish to learn about hydronic system design you can use my discount code BETA5 with this coursehttps://courses.heatgeek.com/ref/10/?campaign=BetaTeach&HeatGeekSupport the showLearn more about heat pump heating by followingNathan on Linkedin, Twitter and BlueSky

Send us a textHeat Pumps are fantastic technology. They first trialed in homes in 1948. But they do have to be installed and used correctly.  In the first episode we listen to Steve, one of the BetaTalk Heat Architects. In the second episode we listen to Si Poskett another BetaTalk Heat Architect Want to learn all about hydronics to help you in your profession? Whether you are an engineer, sustainability manager, environmental editor or working in the energy sector it will help you. Warning: this stuff can seem complex.Click the link to watch the video and use my affiliated BETA5 promo code for discounthttps://courses.heatgeek.com/ref/10/?campaign=BetaTeach&HeatGeekSupport the showLearn more about heat pump heating by followingNathan on Linkedin, Twitter and BlueSky

Send us a textNathan talks to Victor Hyman who is the executive director of climate care, a cooperative of around 30 HVAC contractors in Ontario Canada, and Robin Curtis who has been involved with ground and water source heat pumps for many moons. This episode covers some history of GSHP as well as discussing what open loop and closed loop systems are both in water sources and vertical bore holes Support the showLearn more about heat pump heating by followingNathan on Linkedin, Twitter and BlueSky