[ Spotlight: RHI ] The roll-out of the domestic scheme is certainly
Five things you need to know about heat pumps
1. Payback in just fi ve years Householders can now install heat pumps with confi dence, knowing they will be rewarded for the renewable heat they generate. The domestic RHI will pay for renewable heat generated for seven years, and tariff s have been set at 7.3p/kWh for air -source heat pumps and 18.8p/kWh for ground -source heat pumps. ‘I t is the combination of the RHI payment and fuel -cost savings that generates the attractive payback,’ says Clare Campbell, product marketing manager for Dimplex renewables, ‘something installers need to be mindful of as this means the effi ciency and quality of the system (and installation) are vital in providing customers with a fast return on their investment.’
2. Heat emitters are critical Heat pumps work more effi ciently at lower water temperatures and this means it is important to consider the correct sizing of heat emitters . The Heat Emitter Guide, an industry document, has been created to illustrat e the relationship between heat -pump effi ciency and water -fl ow temperature using a star -rating system. Emitters that can operate at lower temperatures optimise the performance of the heat pump and, as a result, will earn more stars in the Guide. ‘Conventional radiators need a higher water temperature and underfl oor heating is not always practical for retrofi ts, so low -temperature, fan-assisted radiators, such as the Dimplex SmartRad, are becoming increasingly popular, maximising system performance for a far smaller footprint than conventional radiators,’ says Campbell.
3. Higher effi ciency earns bigger rewards Under the RHI, payment for heat pumps will be based only on the renewable portion of the heat they produce. Together with additional funding for metering and monitoring, this will encourage end-users and contractors to focus on high -quality, high -effi ciency systems that can benefi t from a larger RHI payment and better savings on running costs. It has never been more important to look for a good -quality, high -effi ciency heat pump from a reputable manufacturer.
4. Size matters The MCS heat -pump installer standard, MIS3005, is designed to ensure the quality and consistency of installations in the UK, and the RHI requires compliance for any installation to be eligible. Among the updates made to MIS3005 in March 2012 was a ‘100 per cent’ sizing rule, which means heat pumps must be capable of meeting the full heating load down to a specifi ed minimum outside temperature, without the use of supplementary electric heaters. ‘This is especially important for the sizing and selection of air -source heat pumps, where output often reduces as the air temperature drops, to prevent high running costs by reliance on electric back-up heating,’ says Campbell. ‘ Installers are often forced to “oversize” the system to meet the full heating load. Only the latest models from leading manufacturers can off er a full-rated output at low air temperature and high water temperature to prevent the need for oversizing.’
5. Get trained To access RHI, electrical contractors or renewables installers have to be MCS approved. This is the fi rst step towards taking advantage of the renewable opportunity.
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 19.2 p/kWh for solar thermal. The government is predicting a big take-up.
‘We anticipate 3.9 TWh 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 off er an extra payment of £230 per year whe n 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 (250 mm) and cavity -wall insulation requirements. All installations and installers must be certifi ed to Microgeneration Certifi cation 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- fi red or LPG boilers.’ Wessex is already getting enquiries. However,
homeowners are holding fi re until the scheme kicks off . ‘We expect a busy period around that time,’ predicts Mortimer, ‘and consumer confi dence will grow as they hear about it from their neighbours.’ Burton-based ECA fi rm Parker Energy is also
expecting good take-up from the domestic scheme. ‘The tariff s 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 fi nance – homeowners will want to earn money out of it.’
Opportunities At current prices, paybacks can be expected in about fi ve 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
28 ECA Today March 2014
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