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Joe Fergusson
Microgeneration Consultant, Ayr Office
The usual way to begin an article on renewable
energy is with the latest shocking statistics on
the likely cost of coping with climate change,
forecasts of related rises in insurance costs,
predictions of fuel cost rises, the dire
consequences from failure to comply with the
next set of energy-related regulations, how far
we are off meeting our emission reduction
targets, etcetera. However, anybody not living
permanently under a rock is beginning to suffer
chronic fatigue from all these so I won’t
mention them again.
The theme of this item is: What is the value of
advice on energy-saving systems? This is the
crux of why Bell Ingram has taken the step of
appointing a specialist to provide such advice.
In early 2003, when the Scottish Executive
launched its Scottish Community & Householder
Renewables Initiative (SCHRI) a few months
before the Clear Skies scheme launched in the
rest of Britain, there
were five accredited installers of renewable
energy equipment covering Scotland and a total
of 25 in the UK. The great majority of the
population was bemused by the idea of using
anything other than gas, oil or electricity to
heat and power their homes and commercial
buildings. Those numbers have since grown to
almost 300 installers in Scotland alone and the
market for solar, heat pump, biomass, hydro and
wind systems has expanded hugely.
The ideal solution in most situations
will involve a combination of measures, but here
are some simple examples of the ways in which
professional advice would be cost-effective
Despite the increased numbers of installers, the
level of technical understanding of these
systems amongst the general public is not high.
Whilst a condensing boiler may work pretty much
the same wherever you put it, the
(cost-)effectiveness of renewable energy systems
is very site-specific.
Whilst the level of expertise amongst the
specialised installers is generally high, a
knowledge gap still results in many expensive
misjudgements and errors in the choice, design,
specification and installation of
microgeneration systems. This does no good for
either the buyers or the industry. For this
reason, there is most definitely a role for an
experienced generalist to provide objective
advice across the full range of technologies to
help prevent such mistakes being made. It
doesn’t matter how good the |
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Straw Bail Boiler Image courtesy of Telsen
Products
hydro specialist is, for example, if the
customer’s situation perfectly suits an
automated wood boiler or a solar water heating
system.
The ideal solution in most situations will
involve a combination of measures, but here are
some simple examples of the ways in which
professional advice would be cost-effective.
Example A: Messrs A & A suspect that their
growing electricity bill could be reduced if
they installed a wind turbine on the exposed
hill above their dairy farm. They have been
quoted £20,000 and an estimated annual yield
worth £2,250. With an interest-free
energy-efficiency loan and enhanced capital
allowances, it looks worth it. They ask Bell
Ingram for a second opinion. Following a survey
of the site, processes and energy bills and some
discussion of their circumstances and
priorities, the specialist advises that as a
large proportion of their electricity is used to
heat water and they have a ready supply of low
value wood, they
should invest £8,500 in a log boiler and a solar
water heater. They still get the interest-free
loan and tax allowance. Although some extra
labour is required in the gloomier months, the
combination saves far more than the wind turbine
would have and saves on protracted planning
applications.
Example B: Mr & Mrs B are keen to cut costs and
get a Green Tourism Business award for their
holiday cottage. They have about £5,000 to
spend. They fancy solar panels and have obtained
a quote for a large system which will use this
up neatly. The Bell Ingram specialist agrees
that the quality of the proposed system is
excellent and will give copious amounts of free
water heating. However he notes that the space
heating is by 12-year-old LPG boiler, costing
about 5pence per kWh and that the insulation in
the loft is 50mm deep. With judicious use of the
available loans and reliefs they install an
air-source heat pump which provides all space
and water heating and environment-friendly
top-up insulation for the same net outlay and
cut their bills and energy use significantly
more. They also reduce their liability created
by the gas boiler.
For advice or further information,
please
contact me on 01292 886 544 or
joe.fergusson@bellingram.co.uk
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