First published on the YouGen blog.

For many, fireplaces are the embodiment of the British household, with the hearth taking pride of place in the home. With the advent of climate change awareness, people are looking to reinstate period features such as these, whilst using an appliance that is efficient, economical and environmental.  This explains why wood pellet stoves are enjoying a growth in popularity; but what should you be looking for as a potential buyer?

1. Temperature Control
One thing we love about pellet stoves is their controllability. You can set the temperature with a precision approaching that of a gas or oil heating system. Unlike most traditional room heaters, pellet stoves have an electronic thermostat which can be set with an impressive degree of accuracy.

2. Self-Ignition
Most pellet stoves will have the ability to self-ignite, turning themselves on and off as required. This is not done by the owner, but instead via an inbuilt computer that regulates its operation. This means that the stove functions independently, with minimal user intervention needed.

3. Fuel Feed System and Burn Time/Duration
Pellet stoves are fed from an integral fuel hopper (see image) by a motorised feeding screw which supplies fuel to maintain the small fire that heats the room. The size on the stove’s integral hopper in relation to the rated heat output of the stove will determine how often the appliance needs refilling. This is commonly referred to as the burn time and is sometimes quoted for the stove’s full output (the shortest burn time) and the stove’s minimum output (the longest burn time). In reality, the frequency of refilling will lie in between these two figures as heat demand will vary on a daily basis.

Some systems allow for this integral hopper to be filled automatically from a larger main store of fuel. Sensors in the appliance tell an auxiliary feed system that it needs topping up and it is then refilled accordingly. External fuel stores do require additional space so may not be suitable for everyone. However, this does mean that refilling is done automatically with larger stores holding enough fuel for a whole season.

4. Efficiency
As with all solid fuel appliances, greater efficiency means lower running costs and reduced environmental implications as well. You should always look for an appliance that is going to deliver the efficiency you require.  A typical pellet stove will operate at a gross efficiency of around 80%. We have a guide where you can compare the efficiencies of various appliances.

5. Storage
If you are planning to invest in this stove type, then you should be aware that correct storage of pellets essential. Pellets will absorb lots of moisture from the surrounding air and from damp on floors and walls. Bagged or loose pellets should be stored in an environment that protects against this. Wet pellets will damage appliances.

First published on the YouGen blog. For more information on renewable energy, please visit the YouGen website.

About the author: Laurence Jones is an energy expert at YouGen and marketing support officer at HETAS

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First published on the YouGen blog

“Where should I put my air source heat pump? is a question I am often asked.

I reply “where would you like to put it?” and nine times out of 10 it can be installed where the enquirer had hoped it could.

So let’s look at the basics to give us some ideas of where we can, and cannot, position our air source heat pump.

Rule No.1

An air source heat pump (ASHP), as it’s name suggests, requires air as its source of heat. So rule number 1 is position the unit where it has an ample supply of ambient (outdoor) air.

Note I mention ambient air. If you were to position your ASHP in the loft, garage or some other internal space you would effectively turn that space into a cold room (freezer); as the heat pump takes the same air and keeps cooling and cooling it until the temperatures slumped to levels where it was impossible for the heat pump to extract heat effectively.

Rule No.2

When having your ASHP installed always consider that, in that unlikely event that your unit should require attention, there is adequate access for a service engineer to take a look at it, without having to resort to expensive scaffolding or other access equipment.

So enough of rules and on to recommendations!

Ground Level or suspended?

Where ever possible I would recommend placing the unit on the floor immediately outside the property similar to the unit shown above. This has two major benefits: first, the pipework on the exterior of the house is kept to a minimum, thus avoiding increased heat loss. Secondly, any service or maintenance work is easily and comfortably executed.

I should also mention that if you are placing the unit on the floor, ample allowance should be made to ensure any ice caused by the defrost cycle in sub zero temperatures will not cause a hazard on a path or walk way – your installer will be well aware of this hazard and should be able to overcome it easily enough.

If you are fitting the unit into a corner made up of two walls, make sure there is adequate space around the unit to allow for free air flow. As an example the dimensions required for the units my company manufacture can be seen below.

You will notice that there is also a minimum distance that must be kept clear in front of the unit.
This distance is to prevent the cold air being blown out of the front of the unit from bouncing back into the rear of the unit.

Cold air bouncing back into the rear of the unit will reduce the average air temperature the unit is extracting its heat from, which in turn reduces the efficiency of the unit and increases running costs.

In some circumstances however it is not always possible to fit a unit on the ground and the unit must therefore be fitted on brackets at a higher level. If so, take care not to cause any hazard at head height and to ensure it is easily accessed for any service visits.

Again your installer will be able to advise you and will probably suggest a drip tray be used to ensure any condensate from the unit is collected and drained away out of harms way.

North, East, South or West?

I am also often asked whether there is any benefit in positioning the unit against a south facing wall rather than a north facing wall? Not normally, is my response!

As already mentioned the unit takes it’s heat from the air, and whilst it is possible that the shade air temperature may be a degree or so warmer on the south side of the property than the north, this is only likely to be in daylight summer hours when the unit is unlikely to be operating.

Other Considerations

If possible, avoid positioning the unit immediately outside or below a bedroom window. There are always those nights when you can not get to sleep and, if you are like me, when they occur the merest murmur like the refrigerator downstairs in the kitchen becomes an irritant.

While modern air source heat pumps are extremely quiet, in the middle of the night you are just as likely to notice them as you would the refrigerator in the kitchen downstairs if they are right outside your open bedroom window. Therefore the further away you put them from the bedroom window the more likely it will be that it is only the fridge’s murmur irritating you.

It is also probably worth also mentioning that you should avoid putting the unit into a court yard, where the sound would bounce around and not decay as quickly as when there are no surfaces for it to bounce on.

One final consideration, if your property is exposed, is to avoid positioning your unit against a wall that snow usually drifts against. If the snow was to drift against the unit and reduce its air flow, it would reduce its efficiency and its output as a result.

Flexible

So apart from the few exceptions I have mentioned above an air source heat pump can be positioned anywhere around the property, making it even more flexible than a traditional gas boiler and certainly, from a positioning point of view, one of the most flexible renewable energy technologies.

Next Blog – Can you use air source heat pumps to heat domestic hot water?

About the author: John Lightfoot is an energy expert on the YouGen website. John is also director at Thermal Energy Ventures Ltd.

First published on the YouGen blog. For more information on renewable energy, please visit the YouGen website.

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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.

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If your boiler broke down tomorrow, would you just get another one? Or might you consider one of the various types of renewable heat that are now available?

I ask, because the final details of the renewable heat incentive are due to be released. This is the government’s scheme to encourage us to adopt renewable forms of heating such as solar panels, heat pumps and biomass boilers, by giving us a financial boost to choose them.

But renewable heat is a bit more complicated than just getting a new boiler, and I’m interested in finding out how successful they are being in raising interest and awareness. You can help find out how much people know about renewable heat by doing a quick survey. It will only take a minute or two. Click here to do the survey.

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Within the following article, Vicky Kenrick at International Sustainable Recruitment Specialist, Allen & York explore current recruitment trends within the wind energy sector, including an in depth look at where the latest job roles exist within Europe, what job types are on the increase and the transferable skills that exist for professionals wanting to make their career move into the wind energy industry.

Europe has a challenge ahead, in terms of renewable energy targets.  The UK government has signed up to a commitment which states that by 2020, 15% of energy production will come from renewable sources. Quite a target for any government to achieve, but in a climate where purse strings are being tightened, this challenge is ever more complex.  However, the UK in particular has made incredible headway in wind power and in fact is now known as the flagship nation for harnessing the power of wind, on an industrial scale.

The wind energy sector is one of the key employment sectors for Allen & York in Europe, with the industry as a whole employing 154,000 people (Wind Energy Assoc. data). In 2015 this figure is forecast to grow to 212,000 and in 2020 to 328,000, the current top 4 EU member country employers are: Germany with 38,000, Denmark with 23,000, Spain with 20,000 and France with 7000.

Recruitment in the wind energy industry will be significant in terms of accessibility to potential employers and employees.

According to research by RenewableUK, the number of staff employed full-time on large-scale offshore and onshore green energy projects increased from 4,800 in 2007 to around 9,200 last year.  In addition, it is expected that there will be strong growth within the European wind energy sector over the next decade, with over 250,000 new jobs created.  According to David Blake, Renewable Energy Manager at Allen & York, “this pattern could be attributable to the increase in larger organisations setting up regional offices close to wind projects across Europe”. Therefore, more vacancies are becoming available – with the aim to improve the efficiency, quality, reliability and safety of each wind energy project.   This development will benefit the renewable energy sector as a whole by raising the awareness and interest from stakeholders at a regional and national level; in turn this will itself increase investment within the sector, leading to more jobs and positive economic impact.

There is sizeable potential for development in Wind Energy in Central and Eastern Europe.

The looming challenge of the 2020 European Union directive on boosting renewable energy to 20% by 2020 made the CEE (Central and Eastern Europe) countries take on the challenge of developing their indigenous energy sources. According to Christian Kjaer, Chief Executive Officer of the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA), it is onshore wind which is set to be the star technology in helping the EU’s 27 Member States to meet this mandatory target.

We have also seen large growth within Central and Eastern Europe and at Allen & York we have worked with major utility companies that have been hiring in this area, this is particularly in comparison to Western Europe. For example we have recently seen large developers in France withdraw greatly from the offshore wind energy market following an announcement of Grenele2 founded on their research regarding environmental concerns for the preservation of the marine ecosystem.

Alternately, although there are many challenges to surmount within the market, Poland has seen the most expansion in the region, due to great wind potential and government support. It is the increase of the general awareness of Polish wind energy potential that has induced interest from investors and manufacturers. Banks and private equity investors are becoming more attentive to available possibilities, despite slowed down activity produced by the financial crisis. Likewise, all major European wind turbine manufacturers are active in Poland, as well as component manufacturers from western and northern Europe.  However, Poland must overcome high stakes if it is to attain its 2020 renewable energy targets. The country will need to install 863 MW – 1,002 MW yearly until 2020 to achieve the desired 10,500-12,500 MW. Nevertheless, this looks achievable with the renewable energy market in the CEE region becoming more and more attractive to investors from Western Europe and the rest of the World.

In turn, wind energy professionals from Western Europe, such as Germany and France are recognising the demand for work within Eastern Europe and, if holding experience within offshore wind or onshore wind, they are able to take advantage of the growing number of job opportunities. It is interesting to note this reversal in migration patterns; this is reflected by presence of some of the biggest infrastructure projects for wind energy in the world taking place in Eastern Europe, such as in Romania, which is host to Europe’s largest onshore wind farm.

Barbara Szlajnda, at Allen & York, who focuses on recruiting for the Renewables market within Europe, has specifically witnessed an increase in engineering job opportunities within offshore wind energy across Central and Eastern Europe. As the cheapest renewable electricity technology, onshore wind will be the largest contributor to meeting the 34% share of renewable electricity needed by 2020 in the EU, as envisaged by the 2009 EU Renewable Energy Directive.

The UK’s wind power sector has seen employment rise by 91% in three years.

A report commissioned by industry association RenewableUK and EU Skills, the Sector Skills Council for the power sector, revealed that the number of full-time positions at wind energy companies had almost doubled from 4,800 full-time equivalent staff in 2007/8 to 9,200 during 2009/10.

The European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) has also recently published its forecast for wind power installations in 2011, predicting the UK will closely follow Germany as the largest market this year.  In the UK in particular, it has become clear that individuals, especially graduates, are seeing work in the wind energy sector as a ‘stable’ career move, and even going as far as to retrain in their spare time in further wind related qualifications.  It could be that wind power can help breathe hope into the UK’s jobless recovery.

According to EWEA figures, the wind energy sector had employed 192,000 people in Europe by the end of 2009.  Christian Kjaer, chief executive of the EWEA, said: “The European Wind Energy Association expects strong growth in wind energy employment in Europe over the coming years to 280,000 by 2015 and 450,000 by 2020. That’s on average, 450 new European wind energy jobs per week over the next decade!

More specifically, Renewable Energy Recruitment Consultant, Georgina Hurst, who specialises in wind energy recruitment identified that currently Developers are recruiting in mass for Project Managers due to a rise in wind farm sites being identified and in the planning stages. However, Georgina then comments that in the future “we expect to see an increase in the demand for Windfarm Construction / Operation Managers, rather than those involved in gaining planning consent” as more windfarms are granted planning permission.  Therefore, although there appears to be an increase in the number of roles available within the project development phase of wind energy, here at Allen & York we envisage there to be a subtle change in demand over the coming years towards the construction phase of wind energy.

Another key trend within the wind energy sector is the increased demand for the grid integration of wind energy onto the network. The expected high levels of wind energy can impact on grid stability, congestion management, transmission efficiency and transmission adequacy. In many parts of the world, substantial upgrades of grid infrastructure will be required to allow for the levels of grid integration

Grid operators in a number of European countries, including Spain and Portugal, have now introduced central control centres which can monitor and manage efficiently the entire national fleet of wind turbines.

Recruitment Consultant at Allen & York, Tom Wolsey, specialises in Power Networks comments;

“The transmission market is an increasing focus for many companies involved in the sector. Due to a shortage of suitably skilled people in the market, candidates in this sector are rare and highly valued. Managing the technical, regulatory and risk related issues of grid integration projects are an essential part of any successful wind farm development.  Design and engineering of transmission systems as well as management of grid code compliance are all key issues that must be addressed”.

As these changes take place, wind energy practitioners may have to adopt additional skills in order to more closely match the job descriptions. 

Currently, there is a candidate shortage within the wind energy sector in Europe and fierce competition exists amongst businesses for the best candidates.  In turn, this is naturally having an affect on salary trends in the industry, but it also means organisations have to be flexible and consider transferable skill sets to meet the growing demands of the sector. Therefore, suggesting compromise from both the candidate and organisation in order to best fill the job role.  

Georgina Hurst, Wind Energy Recruiter at Allen & York goes on to comment that;

“Candidates are able to best match job roles by emphasising their transferable skills. There are lots of useful skills gained within planning related industry sectors as these candidates have key experience with local planning authorities.  Therefore, if organisations are prepared to take into account non-specific wind experience then they are able to employ excellent ‘all round’ candidates, enabling them to fill their vacancies more quickly”.

With additional training it will also be possible to open up job opportunities to more people coming from declining and traditional sectors such as automotive, aerospace and shipbuilding.  Meanwhile current workers within the wind energy sector should always keep up to date with the new technologies and training in the latest tools and regulations on the EIA side is compulsory.

Wind has been the world’s fastest growing renewable energy source for the last eight years.  As the costs of generating wind energy fall and the urgent international need to tackle CO2 emissions and prevent climate change grows, it’s a trend that’s set to continue. As the windiest country in Europe and world leader in off-shore technology, the potential exists to meet the UK’s energy needs several times over.  Job opportunities within wind energy are predominately within the project development area, and with strong growth within the wind energy market continue to grow within Central and Eastern European in particular, wind employment could withstand the recession whilst offshore wind farm development, port refits and supply chain manufacturing set to further boost sector employment in the years ahead.

As a market leading Energy Recruitment Consultancy Allen & York are able to provide a huge selection of wind energy jobs throughout Europe and within onshore and offshore wind, and at all levels from Wind Engineer and Business Development Manager to Project Developer and Wind Analyst.

Please visit us today at: www.allen-york.com

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According to a new report from green website Treehugger, it just might be possible to commercially produce Algae oil in enough quantity to replace diesel, gasoline, jet fuel, plastics and solvents. The wonder of algae oil is that is can be produced and burned without the harmful global warming effects of petroleum. Farming and producing algae oil as a replacement for petroleum does not take away vital land from rainforests and farmland in the same way as other replacement oil like corn or palm oil can do.

According to Treehugger a company based in California, OriginOil have been contracted by the Mexican Government to produce 1% of the nations jet fuel from algae over the next 5 years. Their aims are much higher however as they plan to produce 20times that amount by the end of the decade!

Treehugger explains:

What’s significant here is a move to demonstrate industrial algae production. If it succeeds, Mexico may invest in large-scale jet fuels production. OriginOil is seen as a leader in the algae biofuel industry, and had success last year in an algae pilot project with MBD Energy of Australia.

“Much of the world’s oil and gas is made up of ancient algae deposits,” OriginOil reps explain.

“Today, our technology will produce ‘new oil’ from algae, through a cost-effective, high-speed manufacturing process. This endless supply of new oil can be used for many products such as diesel, gasoline, jet fuel, plastics and solvents without the global warming effects of petroleum.

We wish OriginOil well in this exciting and earth saving endeavour

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As the Government gets firmly behind renewable energy with the confirmation of the Renewable Heat Incentive, it’s a good time to look at the different technologies available.

Renewable energy encompasses any technology that takes its energy from the natural resources of the sun, wind, tides and ground. ‘Renewable’ simply means that this energy, unlike fossil fuels, is self-replenishing. There is now a wide range of renewable products, from wind turbines and wave hubs to biomass boilers, heat pumps, solar thermal and photovoltaic.

Currently no single technology offers a complete solution, so the way to achieve the most energy efficient system is to integrate several technologies. Nu-Heat has been researching the different options available based around its range of products.

Most of the heating systems in our homes run at 70 – 80°C but heat pumps can work efficiently at temperatures as low as 35 – 45°C. Underfloor heating is an ideal partner for heat pumps as it works efficiently with low temperatures, although factors such as floor coverings have to be considered as this will influence the performance.  

Connecting a heat pump with radiators used to be impractical, as the reduction in flow temperature would require a standard radiator to be approximately 250% bigger than normal! However, new high-efficiency radiators (incorporating low energy fans that cut in if the temperature drops below a certain level) are a similar size to regular models giving a more realistic alternative. Using the same radiator type, underfloor heating downstairs can also be combined with radiators upstairs, although it’s important that the temperature of both elements is kept exactly the same to maintain the effectiveness of the heat pump.

For an even more efficient system, solar thermal can be added into the design to supply domestic hot water. For this, a hot water cylinder with solar coil will be needed. With different controls for the separate elements of such a system, it’s important that the controls work in harmony and are correctly programmed. It helps the supplier to know when heating and hot water is likely to be used and the estimated water usage for a property.  

A holiday cottage development in Awliscombe near Honiton is a good example of how an energy efficient system can be successfully installed. The conversion of two derelict barns into three contemporary holiday cottages utilises a combination of underfloor heating and air source heat pumps. The farm buildings were Grade II listed, so the way the internal space was used for the conversion was crucial, as the existing ‘footprint’ of the building couldn’t be expanded. The choice of underfloor heating removed the need for radiators, freeing up around 15% of the room space. System design indicated that heat pumps were viable and an 8kW air source heat pump linked to a cylinder (for the hot water requirements of each cottage) was specified. As air source heat pumps are located outdoors, even more practical use was made of the existing internal space. For this property, Nu-Heat’s heat pump calculations show that potentially the annual fuel consumption of the cottages could be reduced by around 50% against gas and 58% against oil – and even more as fossil fuel prices continue to rise. Before installing the system, Paul Pulman of Pulman’s Builders received specialist training at Nu-Heat’s Honiton based training centre.     

When thinking about renewable products and systems, it’s good to talk to local experts who can give advice about what will and won’t work. For example, a heat pump may not be the right product for a poorly insulated older property but solar thermal could be a suitable alternative. A reputable supplier will be able to put you in touch with an experienced renewables installer.

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Adrian Troop, Sales & Marketing Director for Nu-Heat Underfloor & Renewables believes that the conclusions of the Energy Saving Trust’s (EST) heat pump field trials serve to underline Nu-Heat’s existing procedures and policies. He assesses Nu-Heat’s capability in response to these conclusions.

Design

When the report was made public in September the Trust’s Head of Business Development Simon Green commented that the trials showed that heat pumps ‘are very, very sensitive – it is imperative they are designed to heat the relative load; if they are undersized or oversized, then the efficiencies are significantly reduced.’ ‘Nu-Heat works tirelessly to ensure that maximum heat pump efficiency is achieved through good design and an understanding of the technology,’ says Adrian.   

Nu-Heat designs and supplies complete packages ready for installation after establishing the most suitable system for each individual project. The first stage of the design process is to correctly size the heat pump by assessing the heat loss through full heat loss calculations. With a wide range of heat pumps available, including ground source (GSHP), air source (ASHP) and exhaust air (EAHP), Nu-Heat can specify the most appropriate model.

Requirements for the installation of ASHP are relatively simple – in essence space outside by a wall where they can be sited and space inside for the other system components. As a rough guide, installation of a GSHP requires space approximately 2.5 times the internal floor area of the property. If there is insufficient land, vertical boreholes can be drilled, dependent on ground and geological conditions. The heat pump needs to be housed inside with the other system components.  

Ethical selling

‘Nu-Heat takes a strong ethical stance,’ says Adrian, ‘and where it is obvious that a heat pump will not work efficiently, such as in a badly insulated older property, we will explain why it is not a suitable solution. The most important issue is the quality of the building in terms of insulation. Ideally the building heat loss should be 35 – 40W/m² – and if this isn’t achievable then a heat pump is not likely to work efficiently.’

In such a case, Nu-Heat will offer alternatives for installers to suggest to the customer, such as a condensing boiler partnered with underfloor heating (UFH), enhancing the efficiency of the boiler and giving a degree of fuel savings. Even for a well-insulated property, a GSHP might be the ideal, but the budget could indicate an ASHP as a cheaper but still effective choice.

Integration

Heat pumps work most efficiently with the lower temperatures of warm water UFH. UFH is core to Nu-Heat’s business, and the company has invested a great deal in understanding all the elements necessary to design a fully integrated system. This can also include solar thermal for domestic hot water. Nu-Heat’s solar design and sizing process uses its own unique calculation package to specify the ideal configuration of cylinder, solar collectors and ancillary components for the project,

One point of responsibility

EST’s report highlights the need for responsibility for the installation to be with one company. Nu-Heat offers total product support available in one place to any installer which is a great help to those considering heat pumps for the first time. Nu-Heat also offers on-site and commissioning support on the complete range of heat pumps, along with technical back-up via telephone and email and comprehensive installation and user manuals. By using one supplier there is assurance that all products and parts are compatible, making installation stress free and uncomplicated. Nu-Heat is also committed to the end user and part of our service is to make sure that customers understand how to control their heat pump system.

Accredited training

The report also flagged up the need for a review of installation guidelines and training. Nu-Heat saw the requirement for well-trained installers and opened a specialist training centre in 2008. Courses in heat pumps, solar thermal, photovoltaic and underfloor heating are NICEIC approved and focus on the principles and suitability of the technology. They cover the different models available, benefits, health and safety and the latest news on government grant funding.

MCS  

Successful completion of a course enables application for acceptance onto the NICEIC ‘Competent Persons’ (CPS) register. Membership of the CPS means that installers are eligible to apply for their own Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) number so they can quote for work as both a competent person and a MCS approved installer. Nu-Heat’s umbrella scheme provides a simple route for installers committed to a business future in renewables to achieve MCS approved status.

‘When a renewables project has the benefit of first rate design, correct sizing and well trained installers a truly energy efficient system can be realized,’ says Adrian, ‘and this is exactly what Nu-Heat is committed to achieving.’

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Nu-Heat Underfloor & Renewables provides energy efficient solutions that can be practically applied to meet the increasing levels of the Code for Sustainable Homes and offer future proofed properties to the buyer. Having supplied more than 20,000 underfloor heating (UFH) systems in the UK, Nu-Heat has applied its skills to the art of designing integrated heating systems incorporating UFH working with an air source or ground source heat pump.

Nu-Heat is committed to making sure that each system delivers optimum performance, and uses highly regarded design capabilities to achieve this, paying particular attention to ensuring the correct sizing of heat pumps to meet the demands of our diverse weather. This includes designing to an outside temperature of -3°C and calculating the optimum bivalent point – the point at which supplementary heating cuts in. Once a heat pump has been sized, Nu-Heat will calculate a year’s heating and hot water requirement to give an assessment of the seasonal performance factor to enable an estimate of the total heating and supplementary energy usage and providing an approximate cost for running the system.

To help achieve an even more efficient system, Nu-Heat will also incorporate solar thermal in the design. With both in-roof and bracketed flat panel models available for tiled and slate roofs, Nu-Heat can specify the correct configuration of solar collectors to suit the project requirements for just domestic hot water or domestic hot water and heating combined. Solar PV and rainwater harvesting systems complete Nu-Heat’s renewable and sustainable product offer.

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With the feed-in tariff, solar PV panels are more accessible than they have ever been, but you still need to make sure you’ve got a suitable site before you install them. In this video, Stuart Houghton of Abacus Renewable Energy talks through the key things to check.

If you prefer to read, here’s the summary:

1. A predominantly south facing roof, although south east to south west is fine.

2. From flat roof to 45 degree angle is OK. Optimum in the south west is 38 degrees. The steeper the roof, the better it is in winter. Shallower is better in summer.

3. Shading can significantly reduce the output. What you don’t want is something that is shading any part of the panel permanently all day.

This was first published on YouGen. For more information os solar PV for your home, visit the YouGen website.

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