Renewables – Know the Products; Get the Training

, 20.06.2011

PIPPA WIBBERLEY; COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR AT GLOW-WORM, CONTINUES HER SERIES ON LOOKING AT HOW DOMESTIC HEATING CONTRACTORS AND SPECIFIERS ARE GETTING READY FOR THE INEVITABLE MAJOR CHANGES IN THE INDUSTRY

New technologies within the domestic heating industry such as air- source heat pumps, solar thermal and – Hybrid renewable technology systems – are now well on their way to becoming mainstream product sectors.

Predictions are still difficult to make, but by taking an educated look at what’s happening within the industry in terms of increasing pressures on natural energy resources, which are forcing energy conservation and lifestyle changes; within five to ten years the industry will have a very different profile.

 

The consumer need for heating and hot water will be always present, and we now face a need to find sustainable ways and means of satisfying that demand. A small fact worth bearing in mind is this – the UK, has a housing stock of over 25 million units (houses, flats, sheltered accommodation etc) and they all need heating and hot water.

The last decade has seen some extreme increases in energy costs. The UK used to have its own source of natural gas and so none was imported, however over recent years, rapidly reducing resources have meant this is no longer the case.

We are now most certainly in a period of change. The growth in demand for renewable technology, in both the private public sectors does offer a massive business opportunity for installers.

If installers want to take advantage of the financial windfall provided by the market swing towards renewables, they need to understand thoroughly the products available for specification and installation. It also means investing time in attending training courses to be well informed with regards these new technologies and their installation techniques.

We expect heat pump technology will become much more mainstream, and in many cases fitted as well as a boiler to offer flexibility and maximise on energy savings, as part of a hybrid system for example.

Simple monobloc heat pumps with sealed refrigerant circuits that need no refrigerant handling qualifications are becoming increasingly popular, and inviting to traditional gas boiler installers entering the renewables market.

Solar thermal technology in the form of a flat plate solar thermal solution is also an attractive option for new build and refurbishment developments as it can deliver between 50 and 60% of domestic hot water need every year. In the summertime this can be as high as 100% which means that a boiler will never have to fire up, saving your customers both energy and money.

Hybrid systems are an attractive option as they automatically choose the most efficient fuel source for providing heating and hot water at any time. Glow-worm’s Clearly Hybrid continually selects between a high efficiency boiler and air to water heat pump to ensure the most cost effective method of delivery. The system incorporates a heat pump, boiler, hydraulic module and controls. It’s easy to install and commission and can achieve over 40% carbon savings on top of substantial cash savings*.

It is important that installers choose quality renewable products from established, reliable and well known brands that have experience in the heating marketplace. Partnering with manufacturers who can offer the service and technical back up to support installers throughout installation and commissioning, along with a spare parts service on a same day/next day basis also being key. If a homeowner has no hot water they will want the confidence that parts are available so they can get back to their normal comfort levels as quickly as possible.

Established companies are more likely to have products which achieve Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) accreditation, and will also be in a position to offer installers guidance and advice on attaining their personal MCS certification. Without this, installers will not be eligible to offer their customers the benefit of the forthcoming Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI)** for the renewable technologies they install. Quite simply, MCS is that crucial.

Established manufacturers, with a heritage and pedigree, already offer MCS training programmes specifically designed and catered to renewable installations. Glow-worm’s MCS training course guides installers through the process of the quality management assessment, giving them all the information and documentation they will need.

Qualification bodies such as BPEC, for example, also launched its Heat Pump Installer (HPI) assessment designed to sit within the MCS framework early last year. Training such as this is key for installers to understand best applications and sizing for heat pumps.

The drive towards renewables is being strongly driven by the Government’s Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI), also known as ‘clean energy cash-back’, and The Green Deal, which comes into force next year. The RHI scheme will reward homeowners for using renewables to heat their homes and provide domestic hot water, while the Green Deal enables bill payers to get energy efficiency improvements without having to produce the cash up front. At the heart of the offer is a simple rule: estimated savings on bills will always equal or exceed the cost of the work.

However, for householders to qualify for RHI cashback, both the product and the installer must be MCS approved.

While it is true that traditional modern boiler technology still has its part to play in achieving energy efficiency and cutting running costs, renewables are here to stay and the demand for them will increase. Whether in the private or social housing arena, installers have a lot to gain from the move towards renewables and it is essential that in order to future proof their business, they make themselves as knowledgeable about solar, heat pumps and hybrid systems as they are about traditional boilers today.

*when replacing an older, standard efficiency boiler
** Current understanding at time of publication

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