Net Zero Pioneer special: 60 seconds with tepeo

1. How long has tepeo been in business? I  founded tepeo in the summer of 2018 and after a few years of R&D and product development, we started selling our Zero Emission Boilers (ZEBs) at the end of 2021

2. How long before you started the company did you have the idea for the ZEB? It’s hard to say exactly – there was no one moment. The idea for the technology really formed as a result of all the different roles I’d had in the energy sector, consulting and most recently at OVO Energy. It was really born from the coming together of a deep understanding of the physical challenges of managing a highly renewable electricity grid and the shortcomings of existing low carbon heating technologies.

3. Tell us about the ZEB: We have invented a new form of low carbon heating technology – the Zero Emission Boiler (ZEB®). This plug-n-play replacement for an existing boiler (gas, oil, lpg, or electric) works with the hot water tank to deliver low carbon & low cost heating.

Using off-peak electricity, the ZEB charges up when electricity is cheaper and greener, heating up a thermal core inside the ZEB. This stores energy until it is needed and releases it when your thermostat calls for heat (either for heating or hot water). With no need to change existing controls, pipework, radiators or cylinder – it makes the ZEB a very simple installation compared to other low carbon options.

The ZEB’s intelligent charging algorithm looks at the energy tariff, weather, grid carbon intensity and heat demand to automatically charge up – keeping running costs & carbon low, while avoiding wasted heat. It is also able to provide grid balancing services to support the grid infrastructure and balance the variability of renewables.

4. How does it compare to heat pumps?

Heat pumps have an essential role to play in decarbonising the UK’s housing stock, but a heat pump is not a viable solution for every home. 37-54% of UK homes are not suitable in their current state for a heat pump according to the Energy and Utilities Alliance, which leaves a huge gap to fill. The ZEB is a 100% efficient plug-n-play replacement for a boiler which heats your water to any setpoint between 35-80℃. There is no outside space needed, no new radiators and minimal disruption as it only takes 1-2 days to install.

Where the trump card of a heat pump is its COP (or coefficient-of-performance), for a ZEB the trump card is its enormous and unparalleled 40kWh of thermal storage. Storage enables a ZEB to compete with a heat pump on cost and carbon by leveraging the enormous and increasing intra-day volatility in electrical pricing and grid carbon intensity.

5. How does it differ from old school storage heaters?

A ZEB is a completely different proposition from a storage heater. For a start, Storage Heaters are individual room space heaters, whereas a ZEB is a Central Heating Boiler replacement. About 95% of homes in the UK have Central Heating Systems. The other big difference is the tech – Night storage heaters heated up over night but then the homeowner had little control about when that heat was distributed throughout the day. The ZEB is an IoT device and uses Machine Learning to determine the home’s heat demand and then automatically charge at the cheapest times – throughout the day if available, not just overnight. It also looks at the forecast carbon intensity of electricity to ensure it’s charging with cleaner energy.

A ZEB performs just like a regular boiler. It receives a call for heat from the thermostat, creating a warm, comfortable home.

The second clever part which sets the ZEB apart from a night storage heater will become more evident as we move forward over the coming years. After threats of black outs this winter and the national grid offering money back to eligible homes who reduce their electricity use, products that offer a demand side response will become a crucial element in keeping the lights on as the UK moves towards an electrification of heat. ZEBs are able to provide these types of grid support services automatically.

6. Why have you decided to become a Net Zero Pioneer at Futurebuild 2023?

We want people to understand that in the race to net zero there are options to decarbonise domestic heating, because with such a diverse housing stock in the UK it’s no wonder one size does not fit all. If a property isn’t suitable for a heat pump then there are alternative options / solutions to help the UK’s housing stock decouple from the gas network and we want to be a Net Zero Pioneer to showcase one of those solutions.

7. What can visitors to Futurebuild expect to learn about the ZEB?

Come have a chat and we can work through specific applications, housing suitability, more details about how the product works, demo our app etc. There will be loads to see at Stand M45.

8. What is tepeo taking a Stand for?

We want to take a stand at Future Build for decarbonising domestic heating. With ZEBs added to the existing array of heating solutions, we now have all the technology we need to decarbonise heating – we now just need to deploy them at scale.

Listen to the latest FutureX Podcast featuring tepeo