Agenda item

Remit Zero Cylo - Innovate UK application

Minutes:

The Director – Housing, Health and Environment explained that officers had been working with local business Remit Zero on a proposal to install their Cylo product in ten council homes as a way of decarbonising council homes and providing tenants with affordable warmth. Cylo was an alternative technology to provide heating and hot water.  Remit Zero described their technology as using the principals of natural science to develop a portfolio of zero emission high performance products.  The Cylo product could change the way many families and businesses heat their homes and premises.  It was a simple, innovative, affordable and rapidly deployable heating solution which would help reduce C02 emissions rapidly, while maintaining the user’s comfort and convenience.  Relying solely on water and electricity, the Cylo vessel could replace a fossil fuel boiler, without compromise, providing the same familiar functional performance, convenience and low cost operation, but with absolutely zero emissions.  The proposed project would have a duration of 24 months and could commence during the summer 2023.

 

The total project costs were circa. £687,392. If the funding bid was successful Innovate UK would cover up to 70% of the costs and would therefore fund £481,174. The remaining 30%, £206,218 was the match funding required.  Remit Zero could contribute to some of the match funding with reduced labour costs. This would require approximately £125,000 match contribution from EDDC to cover the costs of solar installation on the roofs and the associated works.  It was proposed that the programme be funded from the existing HRA budgets for heating upgrades.

 

The deadline to submit the expression of interest was Wednesday 18 January and a further bid application needed to be submitted by 26 April 2023. If successful the Council would be asked to sign a funding agreement (after the initial application was successful and then subsequently passing Innovate UK’s due diligence procedure). This provided time to clarify the minutiae such as the selection process of the properties that would take part in the trial.  EDDC had been requested to be a collaboration partner as part of the application process.

 

The Director – Housing, Health, Environment explained that if the funding application was unsuccessful he would like to continue discussions with Remit Zero to find a way of installing their product in a sample of the Council’s properties because it appeared to offer a serious alternative to gas boilers and ground/air source heat pumps, and did not necessitate extensive building fabric upgrades.

 

The Director’s report explained in detail how the Cylo vessel worked and it was noted that officers had seen Cylo installed in a facility at the Exeter Science Park.  Remit Zero had installations in MOD properties where testing had been completed.  The aim of the project was to demonstrate Cylo’s benefits, including its ability to reduce costs for those within fuel poverty, in a way that enabled low-income households to play a meaningful role in tackling climate change.

 

The intention was that the trials would couple the installation of Cylo with solar on the roofs of selected properties. The project would aggregate and compare data on the charging and discharging of the Cylo vessel, this coupled with user interaction surveys would provide feedback on user behaviour and acceptance criteria. The following would be monitored with data sent and stored securely:

Ø   Electricity used to charge Cylo, both quantity and timing.

Ø   Thermal output to the house from Cylo.

Ø   All room temperatures for 24 hours per day.

Ø   Outside air temperature for 24 hours per day.

Ø   Application of a Remit Zero designed external heat flux sensor, this would identify effective heat loss from the building as it was affected by both temperature and wind speed variation. This would be monitored for 24 hours per day. This measurement would also inform regarding the condition and performance of any cavity or wall insulation.

 

It was suggested that a Remit Zero representative be invited to a future meeting to explain to the Board how the Cylo worked and update them on the trial.

 

RECOMMENDED:

1.     that Cabinet support the Innovate UK funding bid and EDDC’s role as a collaboration partner.

2.     that Cabinet approve the funding of the Council’s contribution to the bid of £125,000.

3.     that should the funding bid not be successful, that Cabinet authorise the Director of Housing, Health and Environment in liaison with the Portfolio Holder for Homes and Communities to identify an alternative project that could be implemented to install Cylo as an initial pilot of ten council homes.

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