Today, young French nuggets are emerging with the intention of shaking up the codes of this aging market. This is particularly the case with hestiia, which offers a brand new heating mode.
How to explain the immobility of this market for 50 years?
Innovation requires considerable investment in research and development, and the integration of new technologies may require significant modifications to the infrastructure of old buildings. Because heating systems are long-term investments for consumers, newer technologies can take time to become mainstream.
In addition, regulations necessary for safety and sustainability can sometimes hinder the introduction of new solutions.
Historical reliance on natural gas and fuel oil also presents a challenge to adopting renewable energy.
A lack of awareness of the benefits of new technologies hinders their adoption. We can still notice an increasing use of systems with higher efficiency, such as, for example, heat pumps and solar heating.
Regulations aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions also stimulate innovation.
What are the new regulations involved in the evolution of the market?
The Energy Transition for Green Growth Law (TEPCV)
The law on energy transition for green growth (LTECV) was published in the Official Journal on August 18, 2015. Its main objectives are:
- To reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40% between 1990 and 2030.
- Reduce final energy consumption by 50% by 2050, from a benchmark set in 2012.
- To increase the share of renewable energies to 32% of gross final energy consumption by 2030.
The Climate Energy Law
The Climate Energy Law of November 8, 2019 aims to take concrete measures in favor of the climate and carbon neutrality.
Four axes are in particular worked by this law: development of renewable energies to the detriment of fossil energies, fight against thermal sieves, regulation of the energy market and implementation of new management tools.
The Climate and Resilience Law
Published in the Official Journal on August 24, 2021, the Climate and Resilience law legislates the ecological transformation of our society. Some of his articles relate more specifically to the energy market. Here are the main contributions:
- Gas suppliers must now include a share of biogas in the natural gas they market.
- The Climate and Resilience law establishes the principle of renewable energy production by citizen communities.
It establishes the obligation to install solar panels or green roofs in the event of major renovation of the building.
Financing: what aid is offered by the government in favor of the energy transition?
MaPrimeRénov' is the main state aid for energy renovation. It is accessible to all owners, regardless of their income. Only its amount varies according to their income and the ecological gain of the work.
Since April 15, 2022, the Ma Prime Rénov' aid granted for the installation of a virtuous heating system (biomass boilers or heat pumps, to get out of gas or fuel oil) has been increased by €1.000.
MaPrimeRénov' Serenity
For low-income and very low-income households, the MaPrimeRénov' Sérénité aid finances comprehensive renovation work allowing energy savings of at least 35%. The aid covers up to 35% or 50% of the cost of the works. In addition, with MaPrimeRénov' Sérénité, the owner benefits from systematic and individualized support so that they are no longer alone with the work and the procedures.
MaPrimeRénov' Condominium
In order to accelerate the energy renovation of 9,7 million collective housing units, MaPrimeRénov' Copropriété is accessible to all condominiums. It thus simplifies the financing of work in common areas (insulation of facades, waterproofing of roof terraces, replacement of the collective heating system, etc.), thanks to a single collective aid, allocated to the syndicate of co-owners and directly deducted from the quota -part of the works.
“Boost” aid for heating and insulation (CEE)
All households can benefit from “boosting” aid. They are increased for households with modest and very modest incomes. This system aims to help individuals get out of fossil fuels, insulate their homes and thus significantly reduce their heating bills.
With the heating programmer bonus, via the energy saving certificates program (EEC), the State offers support of up to €65 per household for the installation of a programmer on an existing boiler.
There are also different loans to improve your home
The zero-rate Eco-loan is a loan with zero interest rate and accessible without conditions of resources, to finance work to improve energy performance, up to €50.000.
Social housing eco-loan (eco-PLS)
The social housing Eco-loan is available to social landlords and is presented as a loan for an amount of €9.000 to €22.000 per dwelling.
As well as other loans helping to renovate your property in favor of the ecological transition:
- The loan on the Sustainable Development Booklet
- The social access loan
- Loans from energy distributors
- home improvement loan
Oil, gas or electric heating: which one to choose for a sustainable transition?
Choosing the most suitable heating system for a sustainable transition depends on many factors, including geographic location, home size and insulation, as well as individual preferences and budget. There are general considerations that can help guide this decision:
Electric heating :
Electric heating is the only sustainable option since it is the only heating system that uses renewable and carbon-free energies (wind, solar, hydraulic, nuclear) so it is the heating of the future for a sustainable transition.
This is why we have chosen to focus on electric heating for our myEko solution.
We believe it is time to change the way we look at energy consumption and we are convinced that we can adopt innovative and environmentally friendly energy solutions. Together, we can make the energy transition accessible to everyone and create a more sustainable future thanks to the electric heating system.
Oil heating:
Fuel oil is a fossil energy source, which means it is non-renewable and contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, the price of fuel oil can vary considerably depending on market conditions. For these reasons, heating with oil is generally not considered a good option for a sustainable transition.
Gas heating:
Natural gas is also a fossil energy source, although it is generally cleaner than fuel oil. However, natural gas is not renewable and its combustion produces carbon dioxide (CO2), a greenhouse gas. Greener alternatives to natural gas exist, such as biogas, but they are not always available or economically competitive.
How to find the right solution for your home?
To find the right heating solution for your home, you must take into account several factors:
The characteristics of the habitat: The size of the house, its age, its insulation and the region in which it is located can all influence the most suitable type of heating. Larger homes require more powerful heating systems, while poorly insulated homes can benefit from improved insulation to reduce heating needs.
Availability of energy resources: The availability of gas, electricity, fuel or other energy sources in your area may influence your choice. For example, in some rural areas, natural gas may not be available, making gas heating unviable.
The cost of installation and operation: The cost of installing the heating system and ongoing operating costs (such as the cost of fuel or electricity) can vary considerably. Electric heating systems may cost less to install than gas or oil systems, but may cost more to operate.
Your personal preferences and environmental considerations: You may have preferences for a particular type of heater. Some like the warmth of wood burning, while others prefer the comfort of central heating. Environmental considerations can also play a role, especially if you want to reduce your carbon footprint.
How does technology make it possible to offer economical, ecological and sustainable heating solutions?
In the context of the energy transition, technological advances now offer high-performance alternatives for sustainable and environmentally friendly heating. From the heat pump, capturing energy from the air or the ground, to solar heating, exploiting the inexhaustible energy of the sun, we have at our disposal solutions with high energy efficiency.
State-of-the-art technologies also allow the storage of thermal energy for deferred use, thus optimizing consumption. At the same time, the development of insulation materials contributes to limiting heat loss, increasing the efficiency of these systems.
And of course the integration of information technologies in our homes and energy networks, with Smart Grids and Smart Homes, offers intelligent and optimized energy management.
These solutions certainly require initial investments, but their long-term economic benefits and low environmental impact are undeniable. It's time to rethink our heating systems for a more sustainable future.
It is with this in mind that hestiia has designed myEko, the innovative heating system. Beyond integrating innovative and intelligent technologies such as remote control by voice, and programming by mobile application, the main technology used for our myEko heating solution is the use of waste heat. An energy and economic revolution for heating solutions.
Indeed, myEko uses waste heat, also known as waste heat or residual heat. It is a form of thermal energy produced undesirably during various industrial or power generation processes. For example, when a factory manufactures a product, it needs energy, such as gas, electricity, etc. During this creative process, there is heat that is generated, but not used productively.
It is usually released into the environment. Today, waste heat is mainly found in data centers used for companies that need computing in fields as varied as artificial intelligence, 3D renderings of animated films or blockchain.
We designed myEko to be an innovative heating system that fully recycles the energy generated by computer power in order to convert it into heat to heat a home or offices. Thus, the device intelligently uses the energy generated by computing activities to produce heat, consequently helping to reduce overall energy consumption and finance heating bills. In addition, myEko incorporates a window opening detection system, which avoids wasting the energy produced.
(1) Compared to 2021. SDES calculation
Tribune by Alexandre Vinot, heating market expert and engineer behind the myEko project, hestiia (LinkedIn).