In general, the response to the recent announcement about the Renewable Heat Incentive has been positive. The fact that the Government has ratified the scheme is a major boost to the renewables sector. Although there are more details to be released, Nu-Heat believes that an opportunity now exists in real terms for homeowners installing ground source heat pumps, solar thermal and biomass products, both through the Premium Payment and, in the longer term, the domestic tariff to be announced in 2012. 

It’s great that ground source and solar thermal have been included and although air source heat pumps are not currently on the qualifying list for the tariff payments, due to the government feeling that more work is needed ‘to better understand the costs associated with the technology’, the fact that the Premium Payment includes a grant of £850 for air source means that there is recognition of the importance of this product to the sector. Nu-Heat maintains that air source has enormous potential for different installations, including both new-build and retrofit with particular relevance to off gas locations. ‘We believe that it is up to suppliers to demonstrate that, with good design, air source heat pumps will achieve and exceed the required EU standard CoP of 2.9,’ says Nu-Heat Director Adrian Troop.   

The announcement highlights once again the need for the correct design, sizing and installation of renewable systems. ‘We are satisfied that Nu-Heat’s core values more than meet any queries that linger over the performance of renewable installations,’ continues Adrian. ‘Our continual investment into ensuring that only the most efficient systems are specified has been wholly endorsed.’ This includes the development of Nu-Heat’s Predictor software that allows the correct sizing of a heat pump using local weather data, and research into the supply of highly efficient cylinders for improved heat storage.

Equally, as installers must be certified under the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) for the homeowner to claim the Premium Payment and the tariff payment, Nu-Heat’s provision of NICEIC accredited courses at its National Renewables Training Centre along with the company’s own MCS Umbrella Scheme has been validated. Nu-Heat’s renewable products are all MCS approved.

Nu-Heat is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

“How to store Sunlight.” The chance for teachers  to see the latest developments in renewable energy that can be incorporated into school STEM cross curricular lesson plans.

FREE Technical Workshop on Renewable Energies with special focus on Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technology.

Heliocentris, leaders in innovative training solutions based on hydrogen fuel cell technology for science classes and technical training, will present their practical teaching products within a hands-on workshop.

The workshop will focus on the didactic training solutions designed to teach and explore the area of renewable energies in schools and universities and give you an insight into the functionality and application areas of hydrogen fuel cells.

The workshop will focus on the didactic training solutions designed to teach and explore the area of renewable energies in schools and universities. Included are course material written in cooperation with Ted Lister, Averil Macdonald and Martyn Berry. You will get an insight into the functionality and application areas of hydrogen fuel cells.

Who Should Attend? Science teachers in secondary schools and lecturers in renewable energy at universities.

Participation is free! A Certificate of Attendance and Information pack will be given to all attendees.

We are limiting places to this extremely popular event and recommend you reserve a place by 15th September 2010.

Venues

* Leeds: 1st October 2pm to 5pm -                     – Novotel, 4 Whitehall Quay, Leeds LS1 4HR

* London: 8th October 2pm to 5pm                 – Institute of Education, 20, Bedford Way, London WC1H 0AL

* Birmingham: 15th October 2pm to 5pm  – Ramada Encore Hotel Birmingham NEC, Bickenhill Lane,

Birmingham B40 1PJ)

To reserve your place please  contact:

Alistair Owens

Tel:  0845 634 0585

Fax: 01302 590030

Email: sales@keen2learn.co.uk

Keen 2 Learn is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

‘When installing an underfloor heating (UFH) system either in new-build or refurbishment, utilizing the skills of a supply and design company will lead to the most cost-effective and efficient system,’ says Gary Davies, a member of Nu-heat’s Trade Team.

Gary strongly believes that when an installer is prepared for an in-depth conversation at the outset, the team will come up with the right options for the project. ‘If we have detailed information about a job we can be confident that we have provided the best possible solution,’ says Gary, ‘and the installer will know that each element of the heating design has been planned to suit their individual build. The more detail we have to work with the better.’

The ideal scenario is for an enquiry to be received at the earliest stages of a project, enabling the UFH specialist to take into consideration all the relevant factors associated with the installation.

Most installers understand that a property needs good insulation to ensure that the lower temperatures of UFH maintain peak comfort levels in the home. This is easiest to achieve in new-build, but in refurbishment and retrofit situations it is vital to use a design and supply company that will carry out the critical heat loss calculations. This will ensure that existing insulation levels are taken into consideration and the resulting heating design will achieve optimum performance. Details about the size of the rooms, window structure, ceiling height and glazing all help with these calculations.

Understanding the overall project, including timescales, allows the team to offer practical solutions. For example, in a refurbishment project with major time constraints they might suggest a floating floor to avoid the need for screed drying times (1 day per mm for the first 5mm, 2 days for each subsequent mm). Although screed is usually deemed the best option in terms of system output, as the screed acts as a thermal store, a well-designed floating floor system will also offer an excellent result. In general, a floating floor also offers less of a floor height build up as illustrated by two of Nu-Heat’s most popular floor constructions: SC14 with a screed depth of 65 to 70mm in contrast to DPF14 floating floor at 25mm plus chipboard or ply at 18mm.

Where a fast, clean install is required, such as in a renovation with new extension where the building is still occupied, practical solutions can be offered. In this case the answer is likely to be a floating floor or a panel system between joists.

When a project includes first floor underfloor heating and the details suggest that the chipboard or ply deck will be installed upstairs prior to the UFH, the UFH specialist may well suggest the use of a product like Nu-Heat’s ClippaPlate™ system, meaning that other work won’t be interrupted as the UFH can easily be installed from below. Another popular floor construction, TPB 14 – suspended joists, mineral wool insulation, air gap, reflective cellular foil insulation, ClippaPlate ™ diffuser plates (fitted either between or over joists), 14mm tubing and timber floor – meets this requirement perfectly.

However, in a refurbishment scenario where the ceiling is in situ or not being replaced, work must be carried out from above without any floor height build up. In this case, for example, batons can be attached to either side of the joist, followed by ply deck, tracked polystyrene insulation, diffuser plates and finally the UFH pipe that finishes flush with the top of the joist level (floor construction DPJG14).

Where joists are of different sizes, suggestions could include a biscuit screed or floating floor construction. If, however, the staircase has already been installed, a floating floor option may not feasible due to floor height build up.

A design and supply company is only as good as the information it is given. With the right details, the UFH specialist will be able to ‘think outside the box’ and arrive at the best solution for the property.

In one instance, an installer approached Nu-Heat with a fairly challenging refurbishment plus new extension, creating two different floor constructions in one room – on one side new screed and on the other existing timber with irregular centre spacing. To ensure ease of design and installation along with continuity of performance, Nu-Heat advised putting batons into the new screed at the same centre spacings as the existing timber, and using a biscuit screed on the joisted area. This had the added benefit of giving continuity for fixing the new wood flooring.

Finally, there is ethical selling – a concept that Nu-Heat for one is fully behind. ‘If it becomes apparent that UFH is not going to perform,’ says Gary, ‘a reputable design and supply company should tell the installer at the earliest opportunity so insulation levels can be improved or alternative heating systems considered.’

Nu-Heat is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

“I’m just popping down to Tesco for a solar panel” doesn’t sound right somehow. Maybe it’s just me, but I’m not sure that the entry of the supermarkets into the renewable energy market is a good thing. 

Sainsbury is first out of the starting gates. It opened Home Energy Centres in three of its stores (Camberley, Kidderminster and Leicester) at the end of last year in partnership with EDF Energy. They will sell solar panels, heat pumps and insulation, and EDF Energy advisors will be on hand to provide people with a free tailored energy saving plan and advice on energy efficiency. All the products can be delivered nationwide and installed by an EDF installer.

Earlier this month M&S joined forces with Scottish and Southern Energy to launch M&S Energy. Its first services are loft and cavity wall insulation with prices starting at £149. That will be followed by a range of products including bespoke energy advice, renewable energy solutions such as solar panels and heat pumps, and energy efficient heating over the coming months. It’s available through M&S stores and online.

Tesco hasn’t announced its renewable energy programme yet. It already has a home insulation service up and running. Enact Energy, the company that runs it, is also recruiting independent solar installers to join Tesco’s and M&S’s renewables programmes.

The good side to the supermarkets coming into the market is that it sends out a clear message that renewable energy is part of the mainstream. But I worry about the impact they might have on the market.

Part of my concerns are voiced by Dan Crossley, principal sustainablility advisor at Forum for the Future. “[The supermarkets'] approach has often been … a pile ‘em high and sell ‘em cheap model” he says. While I’m not denying that price is important, renewable energy is so site-specific that it needs a much more tailored approach than you would traditionally expect from a mass retailer.

Another of my concerns is the impact it will have on the small businesses that make up such a large proportion of the installer market. Will they find themselves squeezed on price in the way that farmers have done? With both Tesco and M&S recruiting from a relatively small pool of MCS accredited installers, what will the market look like in a year or so? And will it give value to the consumer?

The Conservatives appear keen to encourage the big retailers to play a significant role in improving the energy efficiency of homes. David Cameron announced last year that he’d have a programme up and running from day one of a tory government, and that agreements are already in place with M&S and Tesco.

Supermarkets, while convenient, specialise in encouraging us to buy the foods that give them the biggest profits, not the ones that are healthiest or taste best. This is my worry. The right renewable energy isn’t something that you can pick off the shelf. It needs careful thought and a holistic approach which takes in the specifics of each house, and how the inhabitants use it. Will this be a shift in emphasis too far for the supermarkets? Let us know what you think – especially if you’ve used any of the services they are offering.

First published on www.yougen.co.uk

YouGen is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

C Mobile is the Eco Friendly Mobile Company for people who want an alternative mobile provider to help them live a brighter green life. So what makes our mobiles phone bundles eco-friendly?

We donate £1 per month of our commission from every contract phone to the Natural Energy Trust.  The Trust aims to help your local community produce its own renewable energy from the elements, whatever works best:

• Solar power on the roof of your sports club, school or community hall
• Putting a turbine in an old watermill
• Geothermal heating
• Small wind turbine

As well as the regular mobile charger we package all our handsets with a FREE Solar charged energy pack to ensure our mobiles can be charged off grid as much as possible.  Place it in the window to catch the sun during the day, use the free stored energy to charge your phone at night.

Recycling your mobile is also part of our process!  Every box we send out comes with a recycling freepost label so you can use the box your new phone comes in to return unwanted old mobiles.  You can take the cash or choose to donate it to the Natural Energy Trust.  Our recycling partner ensures the maximum re-use of handsets and monitors the extraction of materials where suitable and where not.

Visit us at www.cmobile.co.uk, to see how your new mobile can make the difference.

C Mobile is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

YouGen is calling on people who already generate renewable energy in their home to share their experience so others can learn from it. As a reward, everyone who rates their their supplier on the website will be entered into a monthly draw to win a GEO Minim Home Energy Hub.

“Prices for renewable energy installations such as biomass boilers or solar hot water panels vary enormously,” said YouGen founder Cathy Debenham. “ I know from experience that it’s really difficult to evaluate quotes that can vary by over £10,000. Many people give up and stay with conventional products.

“Most people who have installed renewable energy at home have a story to tell. The YouGen website aims to capture what they’ve learned to make it easier for the next wave of microgenerators. At the heart of the site is the ability to rate your installer, so people new to the market can find one they can trust.”

The need for a service such as this has just been confirmed by research from Oxford University (http://bit.ly/5yFYHg) which shows prices for wood-fuelled boilers varying from just over £3k to £16.5k, and solar hot water systems prices varying from £1,000 to £8,000.

From December 2008 YouGen will enter everyone who rates their installer / supplier on the site into a draw at the end of each month. The winner will be sent a GEO Minim Home Energy Hub worth £39.50.

“We’re delighted to be able to offer a Minim as the prize in our monthly draw,” added Cathy. “One of the difficulties that most of us have with our energy use is that we don’t understand it. We chose to work with GEO as their energy meter was found the most effective and easy to use in recent research by the Centre for Sustainable Energy.”

“The Minim Home Energy Monitor makes energy relevant to you,” said James Rankin, marketing and UK sales manager at Green Energy Options. “It makes energy visible by showing you, in a snapshot, how much electricity you are using currently and over time, and it displays this in an easy to understand way. It will also indicate when you are using more electricity than normal alerting you to potential wastage so that you can take action to stop it. The Minim uses a ‘speedometer’ to indicate how much electricity is being used as well as showing consumption in £’s, KG’s of carbon and kWh’s.”

Rating a supplier on YouGen is quick and easy. Companies are scored out of five in five categories: service, product knowledge, explanation of how to use the product, value for money and whether the product meets expectations.  They can add comments and are asked if they would use the company again.

“In such a new market, it’s often not possible to ask a friend or colleague for recommendations,” said Cathy Debenham. “Recommendations on YouGen aim to plug that gap, and help people to choose their supplier.”

YouGen is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

The time has never been better for investing in renewable energy for your home. Until now it has mainly been the preserve of the wealthy or the committed green. Now, thanks to government plans to radically lower carbon emissions, renewable energy is a more attractive investment.

A financial incentive to encourage investment in renewable energy (known as a feed-in tariff or Clean Energy Cashback) will be introduced for electricity generation in April 2010. Germany, Spain and many other European countries have had such a scheme for some time, and it has transformed the take up of small scale energy generation.

The proposals have opened up a six month window of opportunity for people who invest in solar electricity, a wind turbine or a micro hydro scheme. If you install now, you will automatically receive the Clean Energy Cashback when it starts in April next year. You will also be able to apply for a Low Carbon Buildings Programme grant of up to £2,500, to help with the cost of installation. The grants will end when the feed-in tariff starts.
The Clean Energy Cashback will work in three ways.

• A generation tariff is paid for all electricity generated. This is likely to be 36.5p a kWh for a domestic solar system, 30.5p a kWh for the smallest wind turbines, and 23p a unit for slightly bigger turbines.
• An export tariff of 5p is paid for all electricity sold to the grid.
• You also benefit from smaller electricity bills by using electricity you have generated in your home.

The following calculations for ‘typical’ solar and wind installations show how it works:

Solar photovoltaic panels (PV)
An average size (2 kWp) system installed in southern England, producing 1,800 kWh a year, of which half is used in the home, and half is exported. (As you move further north, the system would generate less.)

Generation tariff @ 36.5p per kWh £657
Export tariff @ 5p per kWh £45
Savings on electricity bill @ 12p per kWh £108
Total annual return £810

The cost of installation would be around £10,000, giving an 8% return for the 20 years of the Clean Energy Cashback. If installed with a grant before April next year, the installation cost would drop to £7,500, increasing the return to a little over 10%. This would give a payback time of just over nine years with the grant, or 12 years without.

Wind turbine
A 6 kW Proven wind turbine has an estimated annual output of 6,000 – 12,000 kWh at an ideal site, and an average wind speed of 5 metres per second. This calculation assumes an output of 9,000kWh, of which 3,000kWh is used in the home.

Generation tariff @ 23p per kWh £2,070
Export tariff @ 5p per kWh £300
Savings on electricity bill @ 12p per kWh £360
Total annual return £2,730

The cost of installation would be around £25,000, giving a rate of return of just under 11%, and a payback time of nine years. With a grant the rate of return would increase to 12%, and payback in just over eight years.

So, although it’s still expensive, renewable electricity is now a much more attractive proposition. However, it’s not likely to hit the mainstream until there’s an attractive way of financing it. There is a lot of talk of pay as you save schemes, but so far they are mostly just talk. The Scottish Government has put aside £2m to pilot an interest free loan scheme, the UK Government is planning a pay a you save scheme, where you pay off a loan over a 25 year period from savings in energy bills. The leader in this area is Kirklees Borough Council’s RE-Charge scheme, where you can borrow £10,000, interest free, and pay it back when you sell your house.

Even if you have the cash ready to invest, microgeneration isn’t for everyone. Wind only makes sense if you’ve got a good site. You need average wind speeds of at least 5 or 6 metres a second, and no trees, buildings, hills or other obstacles that might cause turbulence. If not, you’re better off keeping your money in the bank. The only way to be certain is to measure the wind speed before you invest.

Solar PV is suitable for many more people, and can be used in built up areas. Most people put panels on their roof. For it to be effective you need unshaded space, facing between south west and south east. The panels are quite heavy, so your roof must be strong enough to hold them.

Like wind, micro-hydro is site specific, and most of us don’t have a handy river or stream or old mill we can use.

I’ve only talked about renewable electricity generation. It is also possible to generate heat with wood (biomass) boilers and stoves, solar water heating and heat pumps. There will soon be incentives for heat too. The government’s renewable heat incentive will start in April 2011. Detailed proposals are due soon.

This opens a similar (although longer) window of opportunity for investment. If you install renewable heat systems for your home between now and April 2011 you will be able to apply for Low Carbon Building Programme grants and will be transferred to the heat incentive. But until the proposed rates are published we won’t know what the return will be.

Renewable energy is never going to be a get rich quick scheme. But, whether your motive is lowering your carbon emissions, increasing your energy security, an expectation that energy prices can only continue to go up, or just a love of the technology, it’s beginning to look like an attractive investment.