Many UK businesses are outlining net zero strategies and looking at their industrial electricity supply – but grid connection limitations are holding them back. As the government has scrapped the plan to ban new gas boilers in 2035, gas heating remains a viable investment for UK businesses – and could even bridge the gap until renewable energy sources become standard.
Understanding kVA capacity
The pressure on some UK businesses to upgrade their industrial heating system to something more decarbonised (e.g. heat pumps) is mounting. However, the cost, complexity, and feasibility of these upgrades is affected by access to reliable electricity and kVA capacity.
What is kVA capacity?
The power allocated to every business in a specific area is known as kVA, which stands for kilo-volt-amperes. This is determined by your local Distribution Network Operator (DNO).
Businesses receive a regular monthly bill for their kVA threshold (or “capacity charge”). This charge is payable in full, regardless of whether a business uses their full kVA capacity that month.
The risks of inefficient kVA capacity
Your kVA should be relative to the amount of electricity your business typically uses. The optimum kVA level for a business is just above your maximum usage – this should ensure you don’t waste money and resources on energy you don’t need, but never run the risk of exceeding your capacity.
Reserving more power than you need (i.e. not using your full kVA) is a waste of energy resources, puts unnecessary strain on the grid, and denies electricity to nearby businesses who might require the extra power – risking them exceeding their own kVA.
At the other end of the scale, drawing kVA over your agreed upon threshold can potentially cause major damage to the grid network infrastructure and incur expensive repair costs.
Grid connection queues
The mass upgrade of UK businesses to a fully decarbonised power supply is not currently viable because the grid network simply cannot keep up. Renewable energy generation is growing rapidly, but local grid constraints and long wait times for electricity substation upgrades are holding things up.
Subsequently, businesses working towards net zero targets are hindered by grid connection queues. For some businesses, a better solution is to bridge the gap between now and a few decades into the future, when the grid infrastructure needed to sustain low-carbon energy for the masses will be in place.
How gas heating can bridge the gap between now and net zero
At Heritage Heating and Cooling, we supply, install, and maintain modern gas heating systems and boilers from industry-leading brands – including Powrmatic and Reznor. As industrial heating specialists, we know that, in some situations, gas heating is the best way for businesses to bridge the gap between now and net zero.
1. Flexible, timely installation
Whilst some businesses are stuck in grid connection queues likely to last for many years, modular gas generation can be established in a few months (sometimes even a few weeks).
Rather than waiting years to make the switch to a decarbonised electric heating system, businesses can make the switch to a modern, efficient gas heating system now. Once this system reaches the end of its life (most gas systems should last up to 20 years) improvements to the network infrastructure should make the switch to renewable, electric heat easier and quicker.
2. Supporting renewable energy
One of the main benefits of gas power is its supply continuity – which helps support renewable energy establishment too.
Solar and wind energy outputs vary depending on the weather, and are supported by battery storage systems which, whilst highly efficient, are not yet designed to completely cover extended output gaps by themselves. Gas generation can generally step up supply quickly to compensate for renewable energy gaps, maintaining supply continuity and enabling maximum renewable usage.
As time goes on, renewable energy supply should increase, and gas will not be needed as much to pick up the strain – but will likely still be relied on as a backup. Improved carbon capture and storage technology could further reduce the future emissions and environmental impact of gas power.
3. Developing hybrid power systems
To bridge the gap until net zero becomes standard, some businesses can turn to hybrid power systems that combine renewable energy, storage batteries, gas, and grid connections.
There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to hybrid power systems. Every business has different energy requirements and challenges to overcome, such as:
- Grid connection availability
- Fuel and land access
- Renewable energy availability
At Heritage, we conduct free site surveys in the Midlands and surrounding areas. Our Industrial Gas Safe qualified engineers will visit your premises, assess your heating needs, and work out what solution is best – all at no extra cost to you.
