At a social housing development in Tredegar, the Welsh Government has launched a trial to investigate whether high-tech heated wallpaper could be used to heat homes more efficiently than radiators or heat pumps.

The technology, known as Graphene Infrared Heating, can be fitted by a wallpaper specialist, has the same look and feel as traditional wallpaper, but can be plugged into a mains socket or connected to solar panels.

The concept works in a similar way to underfloor heating; by heating up a larger surface area but at a lower heat, less energy is needed to warm a room and could provide an innovative solution to people attempting to manage their energy bills.

Whilst part of the savings come from the included solar panel and smart battery, another part comes from the use of graphene, a printable material that has an exceptionally tiny thermal mass, meaning that it takes very little heat to warm up the surface and it can be instantly turned on and off.

The trial has been commissioned by the Welsh Government in collaboration with NexGen, Melin Homes and Swansea University, with the hope that the technology can help people for whom a heat pump or new boiler is prohibitively expensive at present.

New boilers that use hydrogen rather than natural gas can cost over £5000 to purchase and install, with efficient heat pump systems facing similar costs. Underfloor heating can be more affordable but is expensive to retrofit into an existing home.

The graphene-based system can be installed like wallpaper and takes just three days to install, allowing for lower installation costs and for effects to be felt much quicker.

At present, however, the system is not available to individuals, but the hope is that a successful trial in social housing could pave the way for more widespread manufacturing.