The ‘big six’ UK energy suppliers have been referred to The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) by regulator Ofgem.
A report from Ofgem criticises an inadequate level of competition in the energy market with 95 percent of the UK’s energy supply currently accounted for by SSE, Scottish Power, Centrica, RWE Npower, E.ON and EDF.
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Nominations have opened for this year’s Energy Efficiency & Renewables Awards.
Celebrating the very best in industry, the search has now begun for a successful and innovative company, product or individual in 15 categories. Nominations will close on Monday 30 June.
Brought to you for the first time by Renewable Energy Installer and Energise, the annual awards will take place this autumn at a central London venue to be confirmed.
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Plans to turn the Government estate as well as factories, supermarkets and car parks into “solar hubs” have been outlined in a new strategy by Energy Minister Greg Barker today.
The Solar Strategy, the first of its kind in the UK, sets out the Governments ambition to see solar rolled out more widely and with it the potential to support tens of thousands of jobs.
Launching the Solar Strategy at SunSolar Energy in Birmingham, Energy Minister Greg Barker said:
“We have put ourselves among the world leaders on solar and this ambitious Strategy will place us right at the cutting edge.
“There is massive potential to turn our large buildings into power stations and we must seize the opportunity this offers to boost our economy as part of our long term economic plan.
“Solar not only benefits the environment, it will see British job creation and deliver the clean and reliable energy supplies that the country needs at the lowest possible cost to consumers.”
In a further initiative, the Department for Education is working on ways to improve energy efficiency across the 22,000 schools in England, to reduce their annual energy spend of £500 million. The initiative will encourage the deployment of PV on schools alongside promoting energy efficiency.
The Green Deal Cashback Scheme is open, with £100s of cash available to householders in England and Wales to make energy saving home improvements.
DECC recently announced several changes to the existing Green Deal Cashback Scheme (operating in England and Wales) which rewards consumers for taking action to improve the energy efficiency of their homes through the Green Deal. These changes were the result of feedback we’ve had from industry and consumers on how the scheme could be made more attractive to increase energy efficiency in households.
A quick recap of the changes :
Four businesses have been awarded over £4million to spur on innovation in lowering the costs of generating offshore wind energy.
ECA video guidance on forthcoming developments in energy efficiency
How today’s mega trends are changing the way you do business
Discover how to save energy from the experts + iPad giveaway »
NEW 64-page machine safety guide,FREE + 3 safety jacket winners! »
Energy jumpstart plan for your plant+ win Bluetooth hands-free kit »
The ECA today reports:
The Electric Event 2014 is the must-visit event of the year for anyone associated with the electrical industry. Taking place from 28-30 May at the International Conference Centre (ICC) in Birmingham, the ECA’s groundbreaking experience brings together the annual ECA Electrical Industry Conference – a high-level annual business conference featuring a fantastic line-up of keynote speakers – alongside a Meet the Suppliers exhibition packed with key industry players, a range of highly-focused Technology Live technical workshops covering important industry developments, plus a glittering gala dinner and ECA Annual Awards ceremony.
The Electric Event returns to the Midlands following a highly successful inaugural show last year that drew visitors from across the UK and beyond.
The unique format of the event means that there is something for everyone, whatever size of business and whatever area of the electrical sector you’re working in. And, with so many key industry people attending, it also provides an unmissable networking opportunity.
The Electric Event is all about business and fresh thinking – delivering fresh insights on opportunities to grow your business, providing the latest updates on technological and legislative changes, and keying into the essentials for understanding and managing change and strengthening your business. At a time when the economy is finally starting to emerge from the deepest recession in living memory, it is crucial that your business is prepared – and equipped – for both the opportunities and risks that the recovery presents.
The Electric Event has been developed by the ECA in consultation with key industry partners to ensure that it provides an essential experience for visitors from both the electrical contracting sector and wider building services industry. Whether full conference delegates or day visitors to the exhibition and workshop strands of the show, fresh ideas to get you thinking are guaranteed.
Day One – Wednesday 28 May
ECA Electrical Industry Conference 2014
The ECA Electrical Industry Conference will see keynote speakers from both within the electrical industry and beyond sharing their expertise and insights, delivering informative presentations and thought-provoking opinions from a variety of perspectives. They will provide delegates with detailed analysis of the marketplace, identifying both key areas of potential growth and business opportunities for switched-on electrical contractors, while communicating essential information of which everyone in the sector should be aware.
This year, the conference begins on the evening of the first day with a social networking event for delegates and partners, including a reception at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, followed by an informal evening at the Birmingham Council House, with live entertainment included.
Day Two – Thursday 29 May
Technology Live workshops and Meet the Suppliers exhibition
The Technology Live workshops and the Meet the Suppliers exhibition are open to delegates attending day two only as well as full conference delegates.
Technology Live is an ideal opportunity for electrical contractors, consultants, designers and specifiers to hear directly from leading industry manufacturers about their latest products and innovations.
This year, there are four workshop streams available, with a timetable that offers delegates maximum flexibility in choosing what to attend. These are:
■ Lighting and lighting controls
■ Power distribution, controls and automation
■ Energy solutions, renewables and microgeneration
■ Fire, security, emergency lighting and data controls
The Meet the Suppliers exhibition will run throughout the day, offering visitors the opportunity to talk with key members of the supply chain and get hands-on demonstrations of the latest equipment and services. With dozens of exhibitors showing their gear, it’s an ideal forum for electrical contractors and suppliers.
Day Three – Friday 30 May
ECA Electrical Industry Conference 2014
Gala Dinner and ECA Annual Awards 2014 presentation
The third day of The Electric Event begins with an opening address from ECA group chief executive officer Steve Bratt, followed by the traditional inauguration ceremony for the new ECA President for 2014-2015, Andy Basham.
The day proceeds with a series of keynote speakers from the electrical industry and beyond, covering key topics in detail and providing stimulating insights into areas of opportunity for new business. Among those addressing delegates will be Dr Noble Francis, economics director of the Construction Products Association, who will be outlining ‘The opportunities and risks associated with recovery’.
The presentation from Professor Rudi Klein, chief executive of the Specialist Engineering Contractors’ (SEC) Group, will look at ‘Identifying and dealing with payment/contractual risks’.
From a broader perspective, Paul Kavanagh, CEO of Imtech UK will be delivering a presentation relevant to every business in the building services sector: ‘An integrator’s view on surviving the recovery– considerations for BES contractors’. Paul Reeve, ECA director of business services, will deliver another important presentation exploring how contractors should navigate the upturn, entitled ‘Managing the recovery; key considerations for contractors’.
The guest speaker for the first day is TV presenter Clare Balding OBE, who promises a thoughtful and inspirational end to the business side of the conference.
ECA Annual Awards 2014 presentation and Gala Dinner
On the Friday evening the ECA Electrical Industry Conference comes to a close with the presentation of the ECA Annual Awards 2014 at a glittering black-tie Gala Dinner.
These awards acknowledge and reward the very best in the electrical contracting industry and recognise the excellence, innovation and best practice of ECA registered members in the electrical and electronic business services engineering sector.
The seven awards for the inaugural presentation this year include:
■ ECA Large Contractor of the Year Award
(sponsored by Schneider Electric);
■ ECA Medium Sized Contractor of the Year Award
(sponsored by Hager);
■ ECA Small Sized Contractor of the Year Award
(sponsored by Edmundson Electrical);
■ Best Client/Contractor Partnership Award
(sponsored by ECIC);
■ Innovation in Contracting Award
(sponsored by Newey & Eyre);
■ Best Electrical Safety Initiative
(sponsored by the Electrical Safety Council); and
■ ECA Commitment to Training and Development Award
(sponsor TBC).
The winners will be selected by an independent judging panel of leading industry figures, representing different areas of expertise and interest. See right for details of how to submit entries for the awards.
The evening will be hosted by master after-dinner speaker Gyles Brandreth, TV personality, former MP and journalist, who is guaranteed to raise eyebrows and laughter with anecdotes from his long, varied and interesting career.
As well as an enjoyable social event, the ECA Annual Awards and Gala Dinner make great business sense, too. Those attending will have the opportunity to network with fellow ECA members, other electrical and electronic systems installers, main contractors, representatives from government departments, manufacturers, wholesalers and industry professionals.
So make sure you’re switched on, and book now for the electrical industry event of the year.
ECA Today reports:
The commercial Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) was launched with much fanfare at the end of 2011, but take-up remains lower than expected. With the much- delayed domestic scheme soon to be rolled out, could the RHI yet prove to be a lucrative opportunity for contractors? ANDREW BRISTER reports
Nearly half of all the energy consumed in the UK is used to produce heat. The government knows, if it is to meet its target to generate 15 per cent of its 2020 energy consumption from renewable sources, it needs to do something about heat – and quickly.
Only about two per cent of current heat demand is met by renewable sources. The coalition estimates that 12 per cent of heat needs to come from renewable energy by 2020 if overall targets are to be achieved – a near six-fold increase from today’s levels. The Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) is the principal mechanism for driving this tough transition.
The first such scheme in the world, the RHI was launched at the end of 2011 and aims to bridge the gap between the cost of fossil-fuel heat sources and renewable-heat alternatives, through financial support for owners of installations. A tariff, payable in pence per kilowatt-hour (p/kWh) of heat generated, is available for eligible technologies, including biomass boilers, ground-source heat pumps and solar thermal.
Take-up
Figures from the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) show that take-up has been lower than expected. Some building owners have been put off by their experiences with the government’s Feed-in Tariff (FITs) scheme for renewable electricity (tariffs were slashed after the scheme became too popular), while the tailing-off of the market for solar photovoltaics (PV) resulted in many installation contractors giving up on the renewables sector. The RHI has also garnered a reputation for a lengthy and bureaucratic approvals process, and onerous metering requirements.
As of 31 December 2013, the non-domestic scheme has registered 4,100 applications, representing 827MW of installed capacity, with 2,900 accredited installations. Only 634,810MWh of heat have been generated by accredited installations that have received payment, against a target contribution of 72TWh from heat by 2020.
Some technologies hardly figure in the data: biomass-boiler installations account for 99 per cent of RHI applications by heat generated (93 per cent by number of installations) and the coalition is seeking to stimulate take-up of technologies such as ground- source heat pumps by increasing the tariffs – by as much as three times the present rates – while largely holding biomass tariffs at current levels.
Domestic RHI
Moves to increase the scope of the RHI to include technologies such as air-source heat pumps, biomass direct-air heating, biogas combustion, biomass and bioliquid combined heat and power, and deep geothermal have been welcomed by industry practitioners. The changes are expected to start in spring 2014, alongside the much-delayed introduction of the domestic RHI scheme.
The roll-out of the domestic scheme is certainly good news for contractors. The tariff levels have been set at 7.3p/kWh for air-source heat pumps, 12.2p/kWh for biomass boilers, 18.8p/kWh for ground-source heat pumps and 19.2p/kWh for solar thermal.
The government is predicting a big take-up. ‘We anticipate 3.9TWh of renewable heat will be supported through the domestic scheme by 2020/21, equating to around 745,000 installations cumulatively over that period,’ says a DECC spokesperson. ‘We expect to see steady growth in installations over the next few years.’
Anyone who has installed a renewable-heat technology since 15 July 2009 will be able to join the scheme. DECC will offer an extra payment of £230 per year when consumers take out metering and monitoring support packages for heat pumps, and £200 for biomass boilers. Applicants will need to complete a Green Deal assessment before submitting their application and must ensure they meet minimum loft (250mm) and cavity-wall insulation requirements. All installations and installers must be certified to Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) standards.
In the run-up to the domestic roll-out, DECC’s Renewable Heat Premium Payment (RHPP) scheme has provided one-off payments to subsidise the capital costs of equipment. Householders who receive money under RHPP will have this amount deducted from any future RHI payments to avoid a double subsidy.
Incentive
‘The domestic RHI is a great initiative that will be good for homeowners, helping them to make the case for renewable technologies,’ says Thomas Mortimer, general manager at ECA member Wessex Renewable Energy. ‘We are pleased that air-source heat pumps are now being included – and at a tariff that will push people to make the choice over oil- fired or LPG boilers.’
Wessex is already getting enquiries. However, homeowners are holding fire until the scheme kicks off. ‘We expect a busy period around that time,’ predicts Mortimer, ‘and consumer confidence will grow as they hear about it from their neighbours.’
Burton-based ECA firm Parker Energy is also expecting good take-up from the domestic scheme. ‘The tariffs for air-source and ground-source heat pumps look attractive,’ says the company’s renewables director, Rafe Bateson. ‘If you are using oil or LPG, then biomass or air-source heat pumps are a brilliant solution. Against gas, it’s not so great. The issue will be finance – homeowners will want to earn money out of it.’
Opportunities
At current prices, paybacks can be expected in about five to six years – which should entice homeowners. The ECA is encouraging members to gear up for the expected interest and make sure they are trained for air-source heat pump installation. ‘Electrical contractors just need to think of the technology as an electrical piece of kit, with two pipes coming out of it that happen to contain water,’ says Bill Wright, head of energy solutions at the ECA. ‘Because water is involved, the plumbers have tended to hang on to it, but the electrical sector needs to think afresh and see this as an opportunity.’ Wright does not think the electrical sector will find MCS certification onerous.
Clare Campbell, product marketing manager for Dimplex renewables, also urges electrical contractors to get involved: ‘The rates set by DECC look good and have created a real incentive for consumers to invest in renewable heat. I am certain it will stimulate the market and electrical contractors are well placed to take advantage of this uplift if they are willing to undergo the necessary training.
‘One particular product set to soar is air-source heat pumps. The latest high-quality, highly efficient models from reputable manufacturers offer improved efficiency, easier installation and quicker paybacks – not to mention the added benefit of RHI payments. It creates a compelling product for electrical contractors to offer alongside more traditional electric-heating options – particularly for retrofit projects in larger, older, off-gas private homes.’
For any contractor looking to capitalise, the most important thing is to make sure they have the correct certification and are up to date with the latest standards. ‘MCS approval is a minimum requirement of any renewables installation in order to access RHI, and the MIS3005 installer standard has been designed to ensure the quality and consistency of heat-pump installations in the UK,’ says Campbell.
If the government’s predictions are to be believed, the domestic RHI roll-out offers contractors tempting new markets as the industry starts to emerge from recession. What are you waiting for?