Taking place on 13 February between 6pm and 7pm, the event will be hosted by Kevin Lowe, technical manager at the HWA, and Alan Clarke, technical consultant at the HWA.

This follows the release of an industry report from the HWA, entitled Connected Homes, which identified the potential for hot water cylinders to be used as thermal stores for grid electricity to build resilience in peak periods. Amid the ongoing concern of the UK’s energy security, heating engineers are encouraged to understand their key responsibilities in the rollout of thermal storage across the UK.

Mr Lowe commented: “As tackling energy security remains one of the UK’s primary challenges, it’s crucial that industry awareness of the potential role of hot water cylinders in the energy mix continues to grow. By making existing and new cylinders connected in homes across the country, heating engineers have an important part to play.”

The report revealed that if the nine million cylinders in UK homes were connected through smart controls and used as batteries, the National Grid could unlock 23GWh of energy storage – nearly half the UK’s daily energy usage. Given the introduction of technologies, like heat pumps, which require hot water cylinders, this number could soon increase to 40GWh.

Mr Lowe continued: “To make the most of this energy storage potential, cylinders require smart functionalities introduced either via retrofitting smart controls, or brand-new cylinders must be installed with gas boilers or heat pumps. It’s imperative that homeowners are convinced to make this project a reality. As many rightfully rely on the knowledge of the nation’s heating experts, they are key to ensuring that hot water cylinders are used to relieve pressure on the electrical grid.”

“We have partnered with the CIPHE to host a webinar for heating engineers interested in finding out more about the part they can play. Following the release of the HWA’s Connected Homes report, it’s essential that we lead by example, starting by suitably preparing the UK’s heating engineers to unlock the potential of hot water storage cylinders.”