Monthly Archives: March 2012

Second phase of the RHPP announced

Posted on by
Reply

A second phase of the Renewable Heat Premium Payment (RHPP) scheme has been launched, starting from April 2nd and worth £10m more than the existing scheme.

The new money will help the RHPP go further including an £8m competition to encourage community groups to install renewable heating and £10m for social housing landlords. This will be on top of the existing voucher scheme focused on the four million homes in Great Britain which are not heated by mains gas.

This is particularly good news for installers in rural communities where most end-users with off-gas heating is located. Heat pumps, biomass and solar thermal are covered by the scheme, with homes and buildings that wish to install heat pumps and biomass having to meet energy efficiency criteria to qualify.

Climate Change Minister, Greg Barker, said: “The new Renewable Heat Premium Payment scheme will be bigger and better than the original. “We’re increasing the budget from £15m to £25m, for the first time we’re including community schemes and there’ll be more social housing schemes that can benefit. Those people who are reliant on expensive oil or electric heating should consider applying to the Premium Payment scheme to cut their fuel bills in the long term.

“Generating heat from renewables will not just cut carbon emissions, it will also help create a market in developing, selling and installing kit like solar thermal panels or heat pumps.”

The scheme will continue to be administered by the Energy Saving Trust. Karen Lawrence, Energy Saving Trust Director of Delivery, said: “Our aim is to empower householders by giving them the right tools and advice to help them reduce both their energy usage and bills.

“Without a doubt, one of the main barriers that prevents people from taking the plunge is the up-front capital cost. The announcement of the second phase of the government’s Renewable Heat Premium Payment (RHPP) scheme not only offers homeowners help with the initial costs, but it also provides them with access to heat technologies that can help them to reduce their energy bills, year on year.”

With yet another incentive to consider renewables, heating and plumbing installers who haven’t yet done so should consider up-skilling with appropriate training.

For more information about our range of Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) recognised courses, click here.

Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) for FiTs deadline looms

Posted on by
Reply

As of 1st April, householders wishing to take advantage of the Feed in Tariffs (FiTs) must show that their property has an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) of Band D or higher.

For homeowners already benefitting from FiTs but whose properties have an EPC rating lower than D, after the April deadline they will receive only 9p per unit of electricity generated, instead of the current rate of 21p.

Solar Photovoltaic (PV) installations completed between April 1 2012 and March 31 2013 will have up to 12 months from the eligibility date to retrospectively install the energy-efficiency measures needed to meet the EPC requirements.

Encouragingly, the Government has confirmed that the solar PV itself could contribute to a building’s energy-efficiency rating, making it easier for properties to qualify for Feed in Tariff incentives. This means that some Band E buildings will be able to upgrade themselves to Band D simply by having solar panels installed.

While this may slightly dampen interest in FiTs it is a marked improvement on original plans which proposed properties had to meet level C or above. Currently, just over half of all residential properties meet EPC Band D requirements, a significant increase on the 13 per cent that qualify for Band C.

Some members of the industry remain concerned that the government could ratchet up the energy-efficiency requirement in future. This is due to the fact that the door has been left open for the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) to link the feed-in tariff to its energy-efficiency Green Deal scheme, to be launched in October.

Logic4training offers Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) recognised Solar PV training. Click here for more information.

Are you going to PHEX at Wembley?

Posted on by
Reply

It’s nearly time for PHEX again, with the first show at Wembley taking place on the 24th and 25th of April. This a great place for plumbing and heating installers to find out what’s new in the industry, get some free grub, with a stadium tour thrown in to boot – a great day out all round!

To celebrate the show we’re offering 15% of all bookings* for our Luton centre. As long as the training is booked during April, the actual course can be taken at any time (subject to availability).

We’ll be there, so come and see us to find out about our range of plumbing, gas and oil heating and other building services engineering courses, including those all important renewables, set to take-off once the domestic RHI’s announced.

A comprehensive series of seminars and product demonstrations will also take place during those two days, giving you all the information you need to make your business a success over the next 12 months.

To book your free ticket to PHEX, click here.

All visitors who pre-register online for PHEX Wembley will also be entered into a FREE prize draw to win £1,000 of holiday vouchers.

*Excluding AM2

ACS, have you renewed your qualifications?

Posted on by
Reply

It’s mid-March, which means for installers who haven’t re-assessed, in a couple of weeks time their ACS qualifications will be out of date. Hopefully, you’ve already done the appropriate training and assessment to maintain your place on the Gas Safe Register; here’s how the ACS has changed in the last five years:

Goodbye CORGI, hello Gas Safe Register
The biggest change is the introduction of the Gas Safe Register Towards the end of its reign CORGI was in many installers’ bad books who felt the body had lost touch with its original gas safety remit, focusing more on commercial endeavors. The introduction of the Gas Safe Register has actually led to a surge in gas engineers entering the industry ‘legally’ – many had been previously trading under the radar but decided to play by the book when CORGI stepped aside – anecdotal evidence suggests this could be between 10,000 and 15,000 individuals.

New appliance modules

Central Heating (CEN1) and Hot Water (WAT1) became CENWAT: As of April last year, CEN1 and WAT1 have been withdrawn, replaced by new module CENWAT – available as both initial training and reassessment. The new module covers all aspects of installation, commissioning, servicing and repair of domestic gas-fired central heating, hot water boilers and circulators, combination boilers, storage water heaters and instantaneous water heaters up to 70kW.

This won’t present a great deal of change for installers undertaking their ACS, other than to complete CENWAT as a reassessment, candidates must be renewing both CEN1 and WAT1 at the same time – for installers who only hold either CEN1 or WAT1 there is an initial training CENWAT module.

Introduction of Combustion Performance Analysis (CPA1): Developments in domestic gas appliance design, primarily brought about by the introduction of new technology and improvements to efficiency, has created the need for gas engineers to demonstrate their competence in carrying out combustion performance analysis using a portable electronic combustion analyser, hence the introduction of the ACS assessment, CPA1.

By 1st April this year, all installers who hold the ACS appliance elements CENWAT or Space Heaters (HTR1) must also hold their Combustion Performance Analysis of Domestic Appliances (CPA1). Domestic heating engineers have until the end of March 2012 to complete their CPA1 (if they don’t already have it) – from 1st April, CCN1 will incorporate CPA1 requirements.

Need gas ACS training and assessment? Click here for more information.