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BetaTalk - The Renewable Energy and Low Carbon Heating Podcast

Latest episodes

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Feb 13, 2023 • 1h 21min

Leading Experts Discuss Fabric, Heat Pumps, Innovation and Policy - 100th Episode

Send us a textThis is the 100th episode so a big thank you to all the listeners and all those who have taken part.BIG THANK YOU TO MyEnergi who are this season's sponsorIt features European policy expert Louise Sunderland from the RAPUK policy and innovation expert Guy Newy from Energy Systems Catapult (past sponsor of the podcast)AND expert heating engineer  Welsy Hort from West Hampstead Plumbing and Heating. Wesly is one of the renowned BetaTalk #heatarchitects - leading heating engineers who are helping other heating engineers learn.This episode is fantastic and discusses the recent heat pump installs Wesley did for both Guy and Louise. Both Guy and Nathan have a passion for post install monitoring and Nathan is involved in a BEIS funded Heat Pump Ready project which has a focus on monitoring.  Support the showLearn more about heat pump heating by followingNathan on Linkedin, Twitter and BlueSky
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Jan 20, 2023 • 50min

Building Fabric Issues With Leading Passivhaus Architect Mark Sidall

Send us a textMark from the architectural practice LEAP discusses with Nathan airtightness, ventilation, thermal comfort and passivhaus.Questions arise such as should more loft insulation be put in and how windows ideally should be fitted.A few papers are mentioned and the links can be found here:Passivhaus Secrets (Free Documentary Case Studies)Passivhaus TrainingThermal Bypass RisksSupport the showLearn more about heat pump heating by followingNathan on Linkedin, Twitter and BlueSky
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Dec 29, 2022 • 1h 19min

Measuring the Best Heat Pump System Designs

Send us a textMeasuring Heat pump system design with Brendon from HeacolLink to slides for the test can be found hereTHE TEST RIGBrendon discusses how he first designed the test rig with Ulster University  for testing the heat pump he had built which is specifically adapted for UK climate, the UK's building stock and how the homes in the UK are commonly heated e.g. a combi boiler.When RHI was first introduced, it required heat pumps to have costly certification and sadly Brendon's heat pump had to be put on the back burner... after all, Brendon is extremely busy installing heat pumps for people and has been putting heat pumps in for many years. (Note, if you are an investor in innovation you'd do well to contact Brendon to discuss this heat pump)The test rig uses a 500L thermal store to simulate the internal of a property "it's got inertia, it's got thermal capacity and it's got buffer " A plate heat exchanger connecting the thermal store to the heat pump simulates a radiator system which can have temps and flow rates changed. Brendon describes how this set up is able to run different testing than the excellent Energy House at Salford University and benefit from quick responses to different heating stratagies and scenarios.  TESTING SYSTEM DESIGN testing a heat pump system with 3rd party controls and buffer tanktesting a heat pump system with weather compensation and buffer tanktesting a heat pump system with weather compensation and no buffer tank e.g. open zone or what has been called direct in the test which can be found hereThe test simulated a house with an 11.5kW heat load.With the first test the heat pump had to run at 50 degree Celsius flow to maintain an internal temp of 21 degrees.In the second test the flow temp dropped to 45d.The final test, with open zone system, no buffer and controlled with manufactures wether compensation controls only required a flow temp coming from the heat pump of 35 degrees CSupport the showLearn more about heat pump heating by followingNathan on Linkedin, Twitter and BlueSky
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Dec 18, 2022 • 1h 7min

Is Transitioning from a Gas Engineer to Heat Pump Engineer Challenging?

Send us a textWe chat to Szymon from Urban Plumbers who is now installing heat pumps to get a glimpse into that journey. Szymon has a great YouTube channel which you can find hereSupport the showLearn more about heat pump heating by followingNathan on Linkedin, Twitter and BlueSky
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Nov 28, 2022 • 42min

Heat Pump Certification with KeyMark

Send us a textNathan chats with Tarik Bellahcene from the European Heat Pump Association about KeymarkSupport the showLearn more about heat pump heating by followingNathan on Linkedin, Twitter and BlueSky
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Nov 8, 2022 • 48min

World Ventilate Day

Send us a textWe spoke with Graeme Fox from BESA about the first world ventilate day. You can watch live also their webinar which will also be recorded12:00pm GMT - Tuesday 8 November 2022Join our panel of experts as they discuss how good ventilation can improve health and wellbeing as well as protect buildings. We will share top ventilation tips and practical solutions to implement your home, school or workplace. They answer the key questions such as: What is ventilation? What is the right solution for my building? How does it improve sleep/health/productivity? How do I know if I have a ventilation problem? Can ventilation really reduce the spread of flu, colds, and other diseases? Energy costs mean I don't want to open my windows in winter – what options do I have? BESA are supporting the global awareness campaign to promote the critical role building ventilation plays in improving health, well-being, sleep and productivity alongside scientists, academics, engineering bodies and environmental activists. As well as showcasing the range of ventilation solutions available to building owners and occupiers, #WorldVentil8Day will recognise the skilled people who implement the measures and strategies used to make buildings healthier and safer – highlighting the need for training and recruiting more skilled people to take on this growing global task.  You can find the link to the webinar here Support the showLearn more about heat pump heating by followingNathan on Linkedin, Twitter and BlueSky
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Oct 22, 2022 • 47min

Boiler or Boiler with a Heat Pump?

Send us a textWe chat to Phil Jones from Alpha about boilers and their need to be working better with proper control. We also mention the hybrid offering from Alpha where for aprox. £3100 a home owner can have a new boiler which is connected to a 4kW fan coil unit outside.Enjoy the  episode and thanks for listening Support the showLearn more about heat pump heating by followingNathan on Linkedin, Twitter and BlueSky
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Oct 5, 2022 • 1h 2min

Heat Pumps in Scotland

Send us a textFantastic episode with Barry who runs Renewable Heat up in Scotland. We discuss his heat pump journey as well as his work with the plumbing and heating association Snipef.We discuss lots such as MCS, the NIBE PVT system, sizing heat pumps and the new service which www.heatpimpsurvey.com provides which measures rather than calculates heat loss.We also mention how some of the old solid wall buildings are some of Barry's best performing systems.Defrost cycles are discussed and how a heat pump can become more efficient the colder it gets outside due to lack of moisture in the air.Support the showLearn more about heat pump heating by followingNathan on Linkedin, Twitter and BlueSky
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Sep 25, 2022 • 41min

Importance of Modulating Flow Temps - UK's First Modulating Domestic Oil Boiler

Send us a textNathan chats to the MD of EOGB about a UK first - a domestic modulating oil boiler.The boiler uses open therm to modulate the flame and will output different flow temps to the radiators or other heating emitters. Nathan starts the episode with a little pre-amble about the importance of flow temps constantly changing to match the demand of the property. Enjoy!Support the showLearn more about heat pump heating by followingNathan on Linkedin, Twitter and BlueSky
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Sep 2, 2022 • 58min

What Are the Most Efficient Boilers - modulation & PDHW

Send us a textWe are joined by Richard Burrows from Mid Wales Plumbing and Heating Supplies who is an expert on heating control strategy.Richard talks about the types of modulation - load compensation and weather compensation and how all boilers should be controlled this way.To understand modulation I have written an article with a funny analogy hereWith advice about turning boiler temperatures down for combination boilers 'combis' Richard chats about heating systems using cylinders and how the outdated practice of piping up S and Y plans is scuppering  efficiency. Great episode thisSupport the showLearn more about heat pump heating by followingNathan on Linkedin, Twitter and BlueSky

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