Rinnai has announced the world’s first 100 per cent hydrogen combustion for continuous flow hot water heaters.
The pioneering hot water heater manufacturer has committed significant resources into new appliance technology and has created an efficient continuous flow hot water system fuelled by 100 per cent hydrogen.
In November 2021, the company announced its Rinnai Innovation Manifesto 2050 and 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 Rinnai at the time.
Current UK Rinnai product ranges - both domestic and commercial - are ‘hydrogen blends ready’ - meaning that units will accept the proposed 20 per cent hydrogen/natural gas blend. Rinnai UK is one of the first manufacturers display the I2HY20 gas category certificate for all its products.
According to a Rinnai spokesperson: “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.
“An adoption of global infrastructural modifications is a prerequisite for hydrogen-burning water heaters to become a valid global decarbonizing technology. Major international economies are strategizing 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.”
In the UK HyNet Northwest, a project trialling hydrogen distribution to both industry and residential sites, has Cadent as a lead partner. Cadent is the UK’s largest gas distribution network. In Australia, meanwhile, energy companies are implementing a series of demonstration tests using 100 per cent hydrogen water heaters in residential applications. Rinnai will take part in these tests in the hope that over 100 years of experience can assist in producing technology that accepts clean energy.
Rinnai UK’s operations director Chris Goggin said: “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 re-designing 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 and says it is determined to introduce combustion technology that encourages a greater sense of customer convenience and clean air quality.
https://www.rinnai-uk.co.uk/about-us/hydrogen-sustainability
