UK
Rinnai is now supplying the world’s first 100% hydrogen combustion for continuous flow hot water heaters. The company has committed significant resources into this new appliance technology and says it has created “a supremely efficient-functioning continuous flow hot water system fuelled by 100% hydrogen”.
Pictured: Boxed up and ready to go. Chris Goggin, operations director of Rinnai UK, with the company’s world-first hydrogen-powered continuous flow water heaters
In November last year the company announced the release of its ‘Rinnai Innovation Manifesto 2050’, describing its commitment to global carbon neutrality. “As a company that produces appliances that require fossil fuels, Rinnai feels a deep sense of responsibility to embrace all aspects of global decarbonisation,” said a spokesperson for the company.
Current UK Rinnai product ranges - both domestic and commercial – are ‘hydrogen-blends-ready’ – meaning that units will accept the proposed 20% hydrogen/natural gas blend. Rinnai UK is one of the first manufacturers display the I2HY20 gas category certificate for all its products.
“If we can develop a 100% hydrogen combustion technology that emits no CO2 at all, we can help achieve carbon neutrality. Rinnai’s 100% hydrogen combustion water heater models are fully able to contribute significantly towards cutting emissions.
“Adoption of global infrastructural modifications is a prerequisite for hydrogen-burning water heaters to become a valid global decarbonising technology. Major international economies are strategising measures that focus on introducing clean and domestically sustainable sources of energy, such as renewables and hydrogen into separate energy mixes before or around 2050,’"added the company.
In the UK HyNet Northwest, a project trialling hydrogen distribution and supply to both industry and residential sites, has Cadent as a lead partner. Cadent is the UK’s largest gas distribution network. All waymark reports show that the trial is progressing up to and beyond expectations. Overseas, Australia’s major energy companies are implementing a series of demonstration tests using 100% hydrogen water heaters in residential applications throughout and beyond October 2022. Rinnai will also take part in these tests in the hope that its more one hundred years of experience can assist in producing technology that accepts clean energy.
For Rinnai UK, Chris Goggin, operations director, commented: “We are delighted to see this development coming to market after a period of intense research and design work conducted on a global scale. The product quality of our range of products, coupled with service excellence to all customers, is and always will be, our first priority. We have responded to the need for decarbonisation by redesigning those parts of our products that warranted it – and we have recognised the fact that all fuels will factor in the future. Hence, we have launched our H3 initiative of ‘Hydrogen, Hybrid and Heat Pump’ so that our customers have the best possible choices to assist them maximise their own energy efficiency programmes."
Rinnai plans to continue researching and developing next generation decarbonising technology. Rinnai is determined to introduce combustion technology that encourages a greater sense of customer convenience and clean air quality.
To find out more about Rinnai’s sustainable hydrogen technology please visit here
