Funding Successfully Secured

The TIA team is happy to announce that in the last funding round we successfully secured funding to allow Tees Valley SME X-Heat Ltd to complete the product development of their brilliant, innovative catalytic technology for patio heaters aspiri

X-Heat Background Story

X-Heat is a UK company developing low-cost, low-carbon heating systems for homes and businesses. Through a decade of experience working as an industrial, commercial and domestic gas engineer, company owner Tom McGee focuses on designing and manufacturing all products in-house with the capacity to roll out at scale, keeping the production within the UK.

Their novel solution

X-Heat aims to accelerate the decarbonisation of the outdoor space heating industry by transitioning away from conventional burner appliances and developing a novel catalytic infrared patio heater. Modern-day patio heating appliances are inefficient, costly to run and produce harmful emissions not to mention poorly designed for their intended application. Most of the heat being produced is convective and located at the highest point possible, this warm air instantly rises to warm the atmosphere instead of the person which is inefficient. Harmful products of emissions are released within the vicinity of the person negatively affecting human health.  

X-Heat is the only company in the UK & EU applying catalytic technology for patio heaters meaning that they have a product that is far superior to anything else in the market whether it be gas or electric. This is significantly underscoring UK’s leadership in the market. As the outdoor heating industry is classed as off-grid due to the reliance on LPG cylinders, other than using catalytic technology there is no way to decarbonise this sector. Utilising catalytic technology allows this industry to transition to hydrogen gas cylinders eliminating all carbon emissions and addressing the entire market as a distributive technology, significantly contributing to governmental commitment to achieving net zero by 2050.

How will this funding advance their work?

Currently, product development is at TRL5 with a first-generation prototype built and has been in use for over a year in its natural environment validating the mechanical components of the system.

X-Heat will now successfully move to its final product that by design addresses all of the shortcomings, eliminating waste heat and poor fuel efficiency while reducing carbon emissions and heating expenditure by up to 80% guaranteed! Their technology utilises low-intensity catalytic heating devices which have been proven in collaboration with Teesside University on the reduction of emissions across various fuels such as methane, LPG and hydrogen blends. 

With the rising prices of gas and electricity X-Heat’s products can produce a return on investment to the end user in under 6 months. X-Heat will register its product through the ETL government scheme which allows businesses to receive tax relief on purchasing green technology. At the same time, regional grants are also available for businesses who are looking to buy energy-reducing equipment with as much as 30% towards full purchasing and installation costs.