British Gas, owned by giant energy group Centrica and the UK’s largest installer of boilers, says that it has brought back the boiler scrappage scheme in order to help people reduce their energy bills and reduce emissions.

British Gas has teamed up with boiler manufacturer Worcester Bosch to offer a £400 discount which is valid when swapping a G-rated boiler (one of the worst) for an A-rated boiler (the best).

People wishing to use the scheme have to buy a Worcester Bosch high efficiency boiler and have to trade-in their old model (G-rated), in order to qualify for the £400 discount.

British Gas reckons this will be a very popular scheme and it was rolled out on 30th May, 2011 and will last until a month later, 30th June.

It is designed to emulate the success of the Government’s very popular boiler scrappage scheme which provided vouchers for those people installing new high efficiency boilers. It worked on the same principle; the vouchers were available for those who replaced an old, inefficient boiler, with a new one. The problem with that scheme was that it was capped, so thousands of people were unable to take advantage and missed out.

British Gas now intends to help all those thousands of households who were unable to make good use of the Government boiler scrappage scheme. They estimate that there are still over three million old boilers out there being used in the UK; ones that ideally need replacing as soon as possible.

British Gas says that last year alone, they installed over 120,000 new energy efficiency boilers and that the new devices can help save householders an incredible 25% off their energy usage every year.

To apply for the new boiler scrappage scheme, you don’t have to be a British Gas customer and there is no limit to the number of discounts which you can apply for, as long as they are made before the end of June.

The Energy Spring Clean Expert at British Gas, Charlie Brown, said:
“An inefficient boiler is one of the biggest sources of wasted energy and money in the home, which is why we’ve launched a boiler scrappage scheme as part of our Energy Spring Clean campaign to help consumers reduce waste and cut bills.”

He continued:
“It’s really important to ensure that your boiler is in a good condition and working efficiently during the warmer months so that there are no nasty surprises when temperatures drop. It doesn’t stop with your boiler, however: there are lots of simple changes you can make around the house to reduce unnecessary waste, such as turning down your thermostat or using a standby saver.”

Carl Arntzen, who represents Worcester Bosch, said:
“Whilst the Government led scheme ran for just a short time, it helped raise awareness of the twin issues of energy and boiler efficiency in the minds of consumers. Anything we can do to help perpetuate this has to be a good thing which is why we are supporting the British Gas scrappage scheme.”

He added:
“It is therefore important that we continue to spread the word amongst consumers about the genuine benefits available, in terms of lower fuel bills, from installing a new high efficiency boiler.”

The British Gas scheme is set to be very popular, so all those interested should apply as soon as possible.

Guest Article by Neil Camp 

It’s a shame that more boilers are not powered by electricity, especially when the number of innovative bio energy plants are being set up.

Electricity as an energy to heat boilers is not popular, mainly because of the cost and although things looked better when nuclear power was an option, post the Japan Tsunami, things look bleak again.

But it may be a missed opportunity, as projects like the anaerobic digester from BiogenGreenfinch (which has just received planning permission from Warwickshire County Council) are set to revolutionise the way we generate electricity.

BiogenGreenfinch will be the new plant’s owner and operator, in Merevale, and the facility will eventually treat up to 45,000 tonnes of waste food every year. This will be sourced from food retailers and manufacturers, and from households in the region.

It is estimated that the new plant will generate enough electricity to power 2,000 homes. This means that it could provide enough power for homes in both the Warwickshire villages of Baxterley and Atherstone.

The food waste is processed in such a way – via a complex anaerobic process – that it will not only produce electricity for the grid, but also provide a valuable bio fertiliser for farm land.

The chief executive officer of BiogenGreenfinch, Richard Barker, said:
“We are excited about being involved with this market-leading project. Merevale is an excellent site for an AD plant – centrally located with excellent transport links to nearby large population centres. This is a definite “win-win-win” project – we are diverting food waste from landfill, we are generating renewable electricity for the national grid and also delivering a fantastic bio fertiliser for crops on the land around the plant. We look forward to working with local food waste producers in the coming months and years to make this plant a success.”

The chief executive officer of customer Merevale Estates, Philip Blackman, said:
“We are delighted to be working with BiogenGreenfinch in this ground breaking project. Their proven track record in delivering AD plants, contracts in the industry and expertise with bio fertilisers makes them an ideal partner to anchor the first phase of this centre for renewable energy in North Warwickshire.”

BiogenGreenfinch believes it is the UK’s leading integrated designer, manufacturer and operator of such food waste anaerobic digestion plants. Three units are already in operation (Shropshire, Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire) and others are planned around the country.

Guest Article by Neil Camp 

Users of oil boilers are being advised to seek out new heating technologies as the price continues to rise, but also there is a question mark over the future of the supply marketplace.

The Worcester, Bosch Group – which manufactures one of the best known range of heating devices in the UK – believes that users of oil boilers are being assailed from two angles: the ever rising price of the commodity oil (which then increases the price of heating kerosene) and a concern about the marketplace.

Although the oil price fluctuates (depending on political unrest in the Middle East and environmental disasters), it is likely to keep rising say City analysts mainly because as the world economy recovers, the demand for oil from the emerging markets will intensify. Experts say that the price per barrel (at around $40 before the first Gulf War), is likely to stay around $110 and then climb to nearer $150 at the end of 2011. Some experts reckon that the price could reach $220 a barrel by
the end of the year.

A further pressure is possibly market manipulation which is leading to a lack of transparency in the market. Recent reports in the media suggest that a oil boiler fuel comparison website which set it’s store out as an independent which listed the best prices. In reality, the media has shown that the website was owned by an oil company and that prices quoted were up to 25p more a litre than the average market price.

The situation is causing some concern at Government levels and Charles Hendry, the Energy Minister, has asked the Office of Fair Trading to take a close look at the off mains gas grid (those who can’t access mains gas) to see how commodity pricing is effecting users of oil boilers.

Director of Marketing and Technical Support, at Worcester, Bosch Group, Martyn Bridges said:
“Consumers need to shop around to get the best oil price for their domestic heating systems, not just rely on their usual supplier or a supposed price comparison website. It is becoming clear that there are some sharp practices being employed, not least the charging of up to £200 for delivery, which is normally bundled into the cost of the oil.

“My own view is that the market for oil boilers has reached its natural floor now. We expect there to be a market for the replacement of oil boilers for many years to come as the technology tends to have a long operational life and there are more than one million households in the UK which still rely on oil for heating.”

Such is the problem with the price of the commodity on international markets, that the demand for new boilers has dropped steadily over the last ten years, with 100,000 units sold in 2000, dropping to 60,000 last year.

Worcester, Bosch reckon that some hope may lie in the increasing use of bio-oil which is included as part of the Renewable Heat Incentive.

Mr Bridges added:
“Installers also need to be advising anyone off the mains gas grid is to investigate the potential for renewable technologies, such as solar thermal and solar pv, or perhaps heat pumps in conjunction with an oil boiler, in order to give households an element of energy security and a hedge against rising commodity prices.”

But, for the moment, the users of oil boilers look in a precarious position as regards pricing.

Guest Article by Neil Camp 

Worcester Bosch Boilers welcomes the watering down of the European Commission forthcoming EuP Directive which is designed to force heating manufacturers to produce more energy efficient products.

The EuP Directive is set to go live at the end of 2011 and Worcester Bosch Boilers is just one of the many UK manufacturers who were worried that it would be based on unrealistic standards.

But following lobbying from the Heating and Hot Water Industry Council (HHIC), the body which represents the UK’s heating industry, and OFTEC, the Commission has taken a step back from the brink.

One of the biggest bones of contention involved the current SEDBUK banding scheme which is used in the UK. This grades boilers in terms of their energy efficiency levels and condensing technology has allowed UK manufacturers to claim that most of their units are rated A, if not B. The band A means that a boiler is over 90% efficient, with many achieving efficiencies of 96% and even 106%.

When the EuP Directive was first put forward in draft form some years ago, the condensing boilers were to be graded B which shocked the UK heating industry. Not only did it suggest that the boilers were somehow less efficient than they should be, but that it would cause a great deal of consumer confusion. Boilers which had been graded in the A band for many years, would suddenly become B band. The idea was that this would be a common standard across the whole of Europe.

Following an intense period of lobbying and negotiations, it now appears that the band A will remain as is, but two new bands will be introduced for more efficient technologies (including renewable technologies). Thus, band A+ and A++ will be introduced.

Another issue which became contentious was the Directive’s planned requirement for each boiler to be manufactured and then delivered with all the ancillary controls systems. This would include room thermostats, time-clocks and many fixtures, and fittings. Again, the UK argued that this plan would be impractical, given the vast number of different properties in which boilers are installed. One box of fittings would not work.

Again, it appears that this ambition has been dropped. Another concession is over the initial plan that oil fired boilers should not exceed 35 milligrams per kWh of NOx emissions. This now appears to have been scaled up to an allowable 120 milligrams per kWh for oil fired boilers and 35 milligrams per kWh for gas fired boilers.

The Director of Marketing and Technical Support at Worcester, Bosch Group, Martyn Bridges, said:
“I am pleased to say that there has been a realisation within the Commission that initial drafts of EUP Directive were not workable, particularly for the UK heating industry. The requirement for controls to be dispatched with the boiler was impractical due to wide variations in the size of houses and the ability of different individuals to use and programme more complex control devices. In addition, the NOx emissions requirements would probably have been practically impossible to meet.

“We now have a much more practical set of proposals which can be implemented within the UK market, but still set a demanding target for UK heating manufacturers.”

The EuP Directive will go before the Regulatory Committee by mid 2011 and likely to become law in the autumn.

Worcester Bosch Boilers is one of many manufacturers who will no doubt breathe a sigh of relief that the Directive has, in their eyes, become more workable.

Guest Article by Neil Camp 

If you’re already asking yourself the question, do I need a new boiler?, then it’s clearly time to take a long serious look at your current heating device.

You might also discover that it’s time to renew, or upgrade, your whole heating system. Boilers are usually the source of the problem if you discover that your house is not being heated efficiently. Many of the older boiler models suffer from low efficiency levels which can be as low as 50%, but more usually around 70%.

If you consider that a modern, high efficiency condensing boiler operates at around 96%, you will appreciate the difference in energy cost that comes every month out of your wallet. When you compare older 70% efficient boilers to modern condensing boilers operating at 96%, you could be wasting 25p in every pound you spend on your energy.

And not only that, an older boiler sends more waste gases up the flue than a modern boiler which means you are contributing more carbon emissions to the environment.

But don’t lay the blame entirely at the feet of your boiler. It may mean that your whole central heating system is in need of an upgrade, refit, or clean. The boiler might be the heart of the system, but the network of radiators, pipes and controls are vital for the most efficient operating levels.

You need therefore to take a close look at your heating system, including the:

• radiators;
• water tanks;
• piping;
• controls.

And by close look, always err on the side of caution and get an expert to run their eye over your kit. Remember that your boiler can never be examined, serviced, moved, or repaired, by anyone other than an engineer on the Gas Safe Register. This is a legal requirement, not just good advice.

But the boiler aside, have a think about how your central heating system is functioning. Are the radiators working properly? Do they need bleeding (removing air which creates cold spots)? Flushing out (getting rid of sediment which also creates cold spots)? Or, checking for corrosion (which can lead quickly to dramatic leaks)? Water tanks – whether they be hot water tanks, or header tanks – need regularly checking for efficiency and possible corrosion. Piping does not last forever and, like radiators, the miles of pipework in your home can suffer from blockages, sludge build up and corrosion.

Controls (such as individual room thermostats) should be the most modern type you can afford, as the latest models allow the user to spread heat more efficiently throughout the house. And the latest boilers usually have built-in controls which allow the user a large degree of control over their heating system’s work rate, which will allow you in turn to control your consumption and therefore cost.

So when you consider boiler replacement, remember to take stock of your whole system as efficient central heating will mean lower energy bills.

Call British Gas on 0800 327 7832 to ask about arranging a FREE heating system survey!

Article by Alan Potts