Heating houses with low emissions: trialling the tech that could change the way we heat our homes
From the outside, it looks like any other heating system. Under the surface it’s a smart, low-carbon setup that’s part of our expanding toolkit of solutions to help electrify the UK’s heating – and make clean, affordable warmth the new normal.
At our Net Zero Academy in Kingswinford, we’re not just preparing for the future, we’re helping to shape it. That means putting emerging technologies through their paces and making sure we’ve got the right mix of practical, lower-carbon heating options for different types of homes across the UK.
And our latest trial is exactly that: a new heating solution designed for homes where heat pumps might not be suitable. It’s a chance for us to put this tech through its paces and see how it performs in real-world conditions – and at the same time upskilling our engineers on a variety of solutions that could soon become commonplace in homes across the country.
It’s all part of our mission to help make fully electrified home heating a reality across the UK.
Why electrification matters
Almost a third (31%) of household carbon emissions come from heating,(1) or, more accurately, the fossil fuels that we use for heating. If we’re serious about limiting our impact on the planet, that has to change and we have to find new ways to keep our homes warm and comfortable. Heating is responsible for a significant amount of carbon emissions around the world (the International Energy Agency says more than 10%) which means getting off fossil fuels and switching to cleaner electricity is a key part of the solution, and we’re actively exploring a range of technologies that could support this.
Heat pumps will be part of the answer – but not the whole answer. Some homes will need different solutions. That’s why we’re trialling new technologies that could plug the gap and help make low-carbon heating the norm.
Exploring the potential of the ZEB heat battery boiler
One of the technologies we’re currently trialling is the ZEB (Zero Emission Boiler) heat battery boiler. It works on a similar principle to a storage heater – charging up with electricity and storing it as heat ready to be released when it’s needed. But unlike traditional electric boilers, the ZEB is designed to power up at the cheapest (and greenest) times of day, offering potential savings for customers and reducing pressure on the grid by calling on electricity when it is more abundant on the networks – such as overnight or at weekends.
It’s designed to work with the grid, not against it. And when combined with solar panels, or even electric vehicle batteries , it could form part of a fully self-powered home energy system – cutting emissions, improving air quality and helping households take control of their energy use.
We’re trialling the ZEB to see how it performs, how much it costs to run, and how it fits into different types of homes. We’re also exploring how it could support new, smart, innovative tariffs from E.ON Next — particularly through our ‘Connected Customers’ approach, where clever technologies like the ZEB can automatically charge up when energy is greener and cheaper. By connecting and managing these systems remotely, we can help customers save money, reduce their carbon footprint, and create value for everyone – making low-carbon heating more accessible and affordable across the UK.
We’re still early in the journey – but innovation starts here. By testing future-ready tech today, we’re upskilling our people, supporting our customers and shaping a cleaner, greener energy transition.