When buying a new boiler, thoughts often turn to the accessories you might need and manufacturer Worcester has launched a new range of solar bits and pieces.

Buying a new boiler can be a fraught experience, but thinking about all the accessories you that might have to accompany it, can bring on a headache.

Worcester tries its best to help, especially when it comes to its Greenskies solar thermal panel range and has recently enlarged the offering of accessories by adding new solar pump stations and controllers.

The upshot of these additional bits of kit means that Greenskies solar panels can be used when a south west facing roof may not be available. When this happens, an east/west split system can now work.

Catalogued as TDS100 and TDS300, the solar controllers provide easy to use and operate programming.

The TDS100 has three NTC sensor inlets which have a LCD graphic display for the options menu. From here, a pump station can be modulated to help make additional savings on consumption of energy.

The TDS300 is one step up and features eight NTC sensor inlets and, because it boasts a multi-function modulating controller and a scrollable full text menu, it is good to use for a wide range of systems.

The TDS300 is particularly good when used for controlling systems that are linked with swimming pools, and for east/west split systems which require a common flow and separate return.

The new Worcester Greenskies pump stations can be purchased as single, or dual line options, and offer a wide range of options.

So when it comes to buying a new boiler, let Worcester help out with the solar panel options and accessories.

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 

Baxi has extended its range of biomass boilers with the introduction of the Baxi Bioflo.

In terms of advanced biomass boilers, Baxi believes this is a breakthrough and it will be specially designed for properties where there is no mains gas.

The Baxi Bioflo is stylish and compact, free-standing boiler which relies on a pellet fed system to keep it going. It is suitable not only for the more traditional locations for a boiler, but can also be accommodated in outbuildings.

The pellets are fed from a 34kg capacity storage compartment at the rear into the boiler via a manually operated fuel hopper at the top of the unit.

When the Baxi Bioflo control system signals that heat is required, the pellets are released into the combustion chamber by means of an advanced feed system. Then, when it reaches an even combustion level, the boiler then switches to a full modulation mode which has output levels of between 30% (3.8kW) and 100% (12kW). The levels vary according to demand.

Graham Parkes, who’s Head of low Carbon Sales for Baxi, said:
“Biomass fuels, such as the wood pellets burned in Baxi Bioflo, are classed as carbon neutral, because they absorb as much carbon when they are growing as they do when they are burned. Use of local, managed fuel sources means biomass can maintain a truly carbon neutral and sustainable balance.”

The company state that the Baxi Bioflo boiler is Microgeneration Certificate Scheme (MCS) certified which basically means that when it is installed into a home, that residence will qualify for the Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme which will be introduced shortly. The condition is though, that the boiler in question, will have to be installed by a MCS accredited installer.

The Baxi Bioflo boiler can be used in a Clear Air Zone and does not require planning permission to be installed. It provides carbon neutral heating and hot water for the house.

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 

Worcester Bosch will be one manufacturer likely to benefit from a scrappage scheme being introduced in Scotland.

The English scrappage scheme proved a boon for companies like Worcester Bosch and other manufacturers were sad to see it go.

This scheme in Scotland is being introduced by the Scottish Government and is directed at private landlords only with low efficient units that could do with new boilers. So, to qualify for the cash-back £400 voucher scheme, a private landlord must replace a band G oil fired, gas fired, or LPG boilers with a high efficiency model.

Running the scheme is Home Energy Scotland. This will process the applications and act as approver of the cash back claims.

Worcester Bosch are keen advocates of the scheme and stress that for a private landlord to qualify, the boiler must be working and must be at least G rated on the SEDBUK scheme. Such a unit is likely to be only between 50% and 60% efficient, so compared with a high efficiency at plus 90%, the difference is marked.

Those who think they qualify for the scheme, or have doubts that they have a unit which can is eligible for the £400 cash back, should use the telephone number 0131 555 8659 to contact the Energy Saving Trust Services Delivery Team.

Once a person knows that their boiler is eligible for the scheme, they then should follow the set process. Firstly, they need to obtain a quote for their boiler replacement. Then they apply for the voucher by going online, or calling 0800 512 012. Within 12 weeks of requesting the voucher, arrange for installation to take place. The work for the heating unit and installation should be then paid, effectively upfront. Once this has all taken place, the person then simply returns to the Energy Savings Trust the invoice for the unit and installation work, together with the completed voucher.

It is hoped, by Worcester Bosch, other manufacturers and the Scottish Government, that this new scheme will incentivize many private landlords to replace their old units with the latest high efficiency models.

Guest Article by Neil Camp