Kensa Group - Experts & Thought Leaders

Renfrewshire Council is to replace the gas supply in two of its council housing high-rise blocks with an innovative networked ground source heat pump solution, which will be the largest installation of its kind in Scotland. Residents at the two multi-storey blocks in Gallowhill, Paisley will see their gas supply replaced with the renewable heating system, installed by contractor Kensa, which collects heat from underground pipes and transfers it to homes using an individual shoebox ground source heat pump providing reliable and efficient heating and hot water all year round. Review of potential heating systems Work is set to start on site this month with the project expected to be completed by summer 2026 The project is the first time a local authority in Scotland has delivered a solution of this nature and scale in its properties. The flats at Gallowhill Court and Glencairn Court were selected as the gas pipework is nearing the end of its lifespan. A review of potential heating systems revealed ground source heat pumps to be the most cost-effective and efficient system for tenants. Work is set to start on site this month with the project expected to be completed by summer 2026. Introducing the ground source heating solution In the long term, once the gas supply has been removed, residents will no longer need to pay gas standing charges and heating costs will be included in their electricity usage, which may help to simplify bills and potentially reduce overall costs. Convener of Renfrewshire Council’s Communities and Housing Policy Board, Cllr Marie McGurk, said: “We want to make our homes as comfortable and efficient as possible for our tenants. By introducing the ground source heating solution in Gallowhill we will deliver a reliable and environmentally friendly system which will help to simplify our tenants’ energy bills." Scotland Heat Network Fund Renfrewshire Council was awarded £1,788,382 of funding from the Scottish Government’s Scotland Heat Network Fund McGurk added: “As a Council, we continue to consider climate change in every decision we take and we’re reducing our emissions wherever possible in the services we deliver – while continuing to access funding opportunities to make the large-scale changes we know are needed.” Renfrewshire Council was awarded £1,788,382 of funding from the Scottish Government’s Scotland Heat Network Fund to support the delivery of the project. affordable heat and reducing fuel Cabinet Secretary for Housing Màiri McAllan said: “I am very pleased that the Scottish Government has been able to support this project via Scotland’s Heat Network Fund." “This is an excellent example of the growing role that heat networks have to play in Scotland, supporting our twin aims of delivering affordable heat and reducing fuel poverty whilst also cutting carbon emissions. We want to encourage greater use of heat networks and later this year we will set out measures to attract further investment by encouraging non-domestic and especially public buildings to connect to these schemes.” Inefficient heating systems Kensa, a pioneer of networked ground source heat pumps, has been set by the Council to carry out the works Kensa, a pioneer of networked ground source heat pumps, has been appointed by the Council to carry out the works. Mark Potter, Regional Manager for Scotland at Kensa, said: “We’re proud to be working with Renfrewshire Council on this landmark decarbonization project. Networked heat pumps offer an effective, energy-efficient solution to help flats transition away from gas and other inefficient heating systems." "By connecting each flat to this system we’ll help residents stay warm and comfortable during winter, while keeping energy use and heating costs low." Delivering ground source heat pump systems Potter added: “Kensa has a strong track record of delivering ground source heat pump systems for projects like this, and we look forward to seeing the long-term benefits it will provide for the Council, residents, and the wider community.” This project is part of wider regeneration plans for Gallowhill, which include the development of 65 new build council homes which will also feature low carbon air source heat pumps and a planned Gallowhill Link project which would provide a new active travel and safe route to the new Paisley Grammar School Community Campus currently under construction.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, visited Truro-based ground source heat pump manufacturer Kensa to hear from Cornish businesses driving green growth and investment, and take part in a roundtable to discuss their role in Britain’s energy transition. During the visit, the Chancellor met with Kensa representatives and heard about the company’s pioneering approach to clean heat and its investment expansion plans for the next five years. These include ramping up production and installation of heat pumps to 25,000/year, growing its Cornish and wider UK workforce to 450, and creating hundreds more jobs in its UK supply chains. full scale of opportunities Kensa welcomed the positive policies announced by the government in recent weeks As part of the discussion, Kensa welcomed the positive policies announced by the government in recent weeks, including a move to clean heating in new build homes, which Kensa is supporting through its partnership with GTC. Also discussed were the commitment of £13.2 billion for the Warm Homes Plan and a plan to grow heat pump manufacturing as part of the Industrial Strategy. Kensa also made clear that the next five years were crucial for securing investment in UK heat pump manufacturing. The sector is essential for delivering the full scale of opportunities presented by the energy transition and the upgrade of UK home heating. Kensa stressed the need to maintain the stability and policy momentum established so far on energy, giving heat pump manufacturers the market confidence needed to invest. potential of geothermal heat and power These discussions were followed by a roundtable at Kensa’s factory, where its heat pumps, including the multi-award-winning Shoebox NX, are made. Attendees included the Chancellor, Kensa’s CEO, Tamsin Lishman, and representatives from Cornwall-based businesses with an active role in the green transition. The companies represented included Geothermal Engineering Ltd, Celtic Sea Power, Eden Geothermal Limited, Cornish Metals, and Naked Solar, with local MPs, Perran Moon and Jayne Kirkham, Cornwall Chamber of Commerce, and the National Wealth Fund also in attendance. Discussions from the roundtable focused on Cornwall's role in green growth, with a particular focus on the potential of geothermal heat and power, including Cornwall’s own natural resources, as well as the work of Kensa, which is harnessing ground source heat right across the country. Networked heat pump system The Chancellor also heard about the major economic potential of floating offshore wind The Chancellor also heard about the major economic potential of floating offshore wind, creating a vast new industrial growth. The Chancellor was extremely keen to see how best to use the resources of the National Wealth Fund, the British Business Bank, and UK Export Finance to underpin industrial growth in Cornwall and help it reach its full potential. The Chancellor’s visit comes as Kensa continues to connect more homes to its networked heat pump system, key to building new energy-efficient homes and installing heat pumps in millions of properties without outdoor space, from high-rises to tenements to Victorian terraces. It also follows Energy Secretary Ed Miliband’s visit last year, where he joined local MPs Perran Moon and Jayne Kirkham. green industrial growth Tamsin Lishman, Kensa CEO, said: “Kensa sits at the heart of the government’s plans for green industrial growth, a proud Cornish manufacturer of ground source heat pumps and a nationwide installer of heat networks. Kensa has bold ambitions to invest and expand its workforce and operations over the next five years, making sure it fully plays its role in the delivery of green jobs and growth.” “I have been buoyed by the recent government announcements on the Future Homes Standard, major funding commitments for the Warm Homes Plan, and a clear plan to bolster heat pump manufacturing as part of the new Industrial Strategy.” “This is the policy platform we need for growth in Kensa and in Cornwall, and we look forward to working with the government to deliver it.” clean energy superpower Rachel Reeves, Chancellor of the Exchequer, said: "It was fantastic to visit Kensa today and hear their ambitious expansion plans first-hand. Companies like Kensa are crucial to transforming Britain into a clean energy superpower.” “Meeting with local energy leaders to discuss Cornwall’s role in green growth demonstrated exactly what our Plan for Change is about. We are backing British innovation, supporting home-grown energy and putting money back in working people’s pockets through cheaper, cleaner energy.”

Marshland Primary Academy’s transformative renewable heating installation, delivered by British ground source heat pump manufacturer and installer Kensa, has been awarded ‘Energy Project of the Year – Public’ at the 2025 Energy Awards. The major decarbonization project, which saw Kensa replace an aging gas boiler system with seven ground source heat pumps, has helped the Venn Academy Trust school in South Yorkshire secure its heating future, keep classrooms warm, and cut carbon emissions by close to 80%. Ground source heat pumps The Energy Awards recognize and celebrate innovation and achievement in the energy sector. When awarding the Marshland Primary Academy project, judges described it as a “good technology solution with an excellent environmental improvement.” The six-month project, completed in October 2024, involved drilling 18 boreholes beneath the school’s playing field to provide the heat energy used by the ground source heat pumps. New radiators were also installed as part of the retrofit, which was partially funded by the Department for Education’s Condition Improvement Fund. Low-carbon heating system The result is a low-cost, low-carbon heating system that has reduced emissions and improved classroom comfort Marshland Primary Academy has also become one of the first schools in the UK to integrate solar PVT (Photovoltaic-Thermal) panels with ground source heat pumps. These panels generate both electricity and thermal energy, increasing the system’s efficiency and reducing overall installation costs. The result is a low-cost, low-carbon heating system that has significantly reduced emissions and improved classroom comfort. It also provides a scalable blueprint for other schools across the UK looking to decarbonize their estates and tackle rising energy costs. Decarbonization journey Wouter Thijssen, Commercial Director at Kensa, said: “We’re absolutely delighted the Energy Awards have awarded this installation the Public Energy Project of the Year. It’s a shining example of how forward-thinking schools and trusts like Venn Academy Trust can lead the way on climate while giving their pupils a reliable, effective heating system all year round." “Marshland Primary Academy now has a heating system that is better for pupils, better for the environment and sets the standard for what’s possible in schools up and down the country. Thousands of UK schools still rely on gas heating – we hope this award-winning project can serve as inspiration for those looking to start their decarbonization journey.”

Decarbonizing heat is one of, if not the biggest challenges we face in our journey to net zero. Most of the heat in UK homes and businesses is currently provided through fossil fuels, predominantly gas. Gas releases carbon emissions and other particles that are bad for air quality and bad for our environment. So, to get to net-zero we need to replace gas as our main source of heat. The Government plans to phase out gas boilers in newly build homes from 2025, but with the vast majority of existing homes reliant on gas as the energy source to heat their homes, many householders fear a ‘gas boiler ban’ without a realistic and reliable alternative. This needs to be addressed. The challenge These grants will only cover a fraction of the 600,000 per year installation target set for 2028 To nudge the change in consumer purchasing behavior, a £5,000 grant was announced by the government in its heat and buildings strategy as part of a £450m Boiler Upgrade Scheme to install low-carbon systems. But many commentators have pointed out that these grants will only cover a fraction of the 600,000 per year installation target set for 2028. Both the Climate Change Committee and the UK Government have said that to reach net-zero we should be aiming to install 600,000 heat pumps per year by 2028. That’s a big scaling up of the existing market, as to date between 30,000 to 40,000 pumps are installed each year. Heat pump technology Heat pumps have been highlighted by the government in their recent Heat and Buildings Strategy as a key solution to decarbonizing our economy. That is why, Kensa Group, Britain’s ground source heat pump experts, recognize the need to make sure people understand clearly how heat pumps work and how they can provide the comfort of current heating systems but operate more efficiently over their lifetime. There are two types of heat pumps - air source and ground source, the latter of which use pipes to extract heat and waste heat from the ground to heat radiators, underfloor heating systems, cool and provide hot water. Ground source heat pumps provide the lowest capital cost heat decarbonization pathway with reduced running costs, reduced electrical generation and storage requirements, and importantly carbon savings. Emissions from gas boilers A ground source heat pump can be 300-400% efficient, delivering three to four times the amount of energy Typical emissions from a gas boiler are 226g/kWh – this equates to up to 2.7 tonnes per year for an average house – the equivalent of driving 12,000 miles in an average family car. The emissions level of a ground source heat pump is 53g/kWh. Similarly, modern gas boilers can be around 90% efficient – a ground source heat pump can be 300-400% efficient, delivering three to four times the amount of energy they consume from electricity. The pipework of underground infrastructure will last upwards of 100 years so a one-off investment will provide heat for generations to come. Yet the true benefits that heat pumps can bring won’t ever make the impact needed unless they are introduced at scale. Moving to heat pumps One option includes a solution that takes responsibility away from individuals to change their boilers to one that introduces a large-scale network of ground source heat pumps similar to the design and infrastructure of the current gas grid. It’s a bold idea but one that manufacturers, the government, and the energy sector are exploring with one study predicting a move to networked heat pumps could save the UK an estimated £1bn a year to 2050. The infrastructure By shifting the emphasis from consumers getting rid of their boilers and installing individual infrastructure for ground source heat pumps on an ad-hoc house-by-house basis, a move to a pre-installation of utility-scale underground infrastructure (how the gas grid works today), it’s believed the 600,000 annual heat pump target could be met. With the infrastructure funded, owned, and maintained by a utility supplier or local authority, for example, the cost is removed from consumers who can then easily and cheaply change to a heat pump as and when they’re ready and pay a standing charge similar to what they do for their existing gas supply. Accelerate net-zero ambitions Kensa Heat Pumps is giving people the chance to see first-hand how alternative heating could work This approach has the promise to be a mass-market and mass scale solution which if adopted, could transform our low carbon landscape and accelerate net-zero ambitions. The challenge is how we make this a reality at scale because we need action to start soon, as time continues to run away from us. Using the latest augmented reality technology, Kensa Heat Pumps is giving people the chance to see first-hand how this alternative heating could work in communities like theirs, as an entire street has been stripped of boilers and switched to heat pumps in a virtual makeover. Bringing the future of heating to life Using the real-life inner-city suburb of Green Street in Glasgow as a basis for the AR experience, Kensa’s virtual tour guide Doug sets out just how the ground source heat pumps and network can heat entire streets from houses to tower blocks, in a ground-breaking concept called ‘Welcome to Green Street’. The virtual street map ‘Welcome to Green Street’, launched at COP26, proves how a whole systems approach to decarbonizing how we heat our homes can unlock benefits across communities, and complement and balance the electricity network as we come to rely more heavily on it with heating and electric vehicles.