Kaluza and EDF launch smart storage heating trial

Kaluza’s smart energy platform will be used to control more than 100 internet-connected storage heaters as part of a new trial with EDF.

The heaters provided by Glen Dimplex Heating and Ventilation (GDHV) will monitor the weather and customers’ heating habits to maintain a comfortable temperature throughout the day. Kaluza will use price data from EDF to ensure they generate and store heat at times when electricity is cheapest and cleanest.

The trial will also explore the potential for smart storage heaters to provide flexibility services.

Conor Maher-McWilliams, head of flexibility at Kaluza, said: “Heating our homes with gas is going to have to end for the UK to hit net zero. Mass electrification offers great promise, but it also introduces fresh complexity into the energy system.

“The only way to create an efficient and resilient grid able to handle this new demand will be through smart technologies in people’s homes. This way we can intelligently spread demand throughout the day, helping to reduce grid stress, carbon emissions and energy costs.”

GDHV chief executive Neil Stewart said: “There’s currently a stigma around the electrification of home heating and that’s because of the cost of electricity which the government places a higher levy on than carbon intensive fuels. Creating workable solutions that allow households to heat their homes efficiently and affordably through electrification is a vital step towards the future of heating.

“There is also huge potential to reduce the carbon output of homes through electrification but solutions need to be made more attractive to end users. This trial is a great way of showcasing exactly what can be achieved by forward-thinking organisations working together towards a goal that benefits energy consumers and the environment.”

Kaluza is owned by the Ovo Group, which last year announced a partnership with GDHV to allow its supply customers to buy storage heaters and radiators through its website.