Whereas some companies in the heating industry are lamenting the closure of the Government’s Low Carbon Buildings Programme, Baxi Boilers actually think that it might be a good development.

Baxi Boilers thinks that there is a definite silver lining with the ending of the Low Carbon Buildings Programme.

And with it gone, says Baxi Boilers, thoughts can now be focussed on a: “…broader, more financially sustainable approach in encouraging the installation of low and zero carbon (LZC) heating technologies in our home.”

The Low Carbon Buildings Programme first came into being in April, 2006 and has dished out, estimates Baxi Boilers, some 20,000 grants which have helped pay for the cost of micro-generation equipment for homeowners, as well as not-for-profit organisations. The grants covered both the capital and installation costs of such equipment.

But as with many such initiatives, the Governments deficit busting axe has been at work and as part of the initial attempt to remove £6 billion from the sums, the Department of Energy and Climate Change chopped the £34 million scheme.

Baxi Boilers’ own Mr Osborne, said:
“On the surface, the termination of the LCBP appears to be bad news for the LZC heating sector" says. "However, in the Queen’s Speech the Government announced the introduction of new Green Loans for those who want to save energy. These offer a more financially sustainable option than the LCBP, and will, in our view, do more to grow investment in LZC technologies, especially for those on low incomes. Loans will be paid back through a pay as you save scheme which, unlike the LCBP, does not require the homeowner to finance the LZC technology up front".  

Baxi Boilers highlight the fact that the Department of Energy and Climate Change all new incentive schemes, and tariffs, will be structured so as to operate under the Micro-generation Certification Scheme framework. And what’s more, they will be supported by tariffs on the utility bills.

Simon Osborne, who is Specification Channel Manager at Baxi Boilers, went on to say: “This new link with the Micro-generation Certification Scheme will be an important change. It will effectively pass the ownership of being green from the eligible few under the LCBP to everyone. That has to be a positive step forward.”

One of the final points made by Baxi Boilers is that the nearly £60 million worth of Low Carbon Buildings Programme, already being processed, will be honoured by the Department of Energy and Climate Change; if they meet the original criteria of course.

Guest Article by Neil Camp

The Labour Government has been reported to be considering a scheme by which a homeowner could fund eco-improvements through a long term loan, possibly provided through the energy companies.

And although an inevitable row has broken out between the political parties as to whose idea it is – both the Tories and Liberal Democrats claim they had the idea first – it is a genuine attempt to help people afford home improvements with the environment in mind. We have already seen the boiler scrappage scheme has been welcomed with open arms as lots of people have jumped on the chance to buy a new gas boiler at a discount. So if it goes through it will hopefully have a positive affect.

It has always been a dilemma for anyone contemplating making changes to their house and more energy efficient, is that the pay-back can be decades.

Take double-glazing which undoubtedly makes a property warmer. Although it will save hundreds of pounds off an average energy bill every year, that won’t cover for a long time the actual cost if installation which will cost thousands of pounds.

Even the simpler job of installing loft insulation is not that cheap, especially if a householder cannot do it as a DIY project.

So the Government plan is simple: provide people with access to long term funding so they can make their home more energy efficient.

The crux is of course, can the Government afford such schemes, especially as over the coming years the public purse is going to have to be considerably tightened and home grants will be hit hard? If you look at the welcomed boiler scrappage scheme, this has proved very popular, but the scheme itself has a limited shelf life, grants for new gas boilers cannot last forever. What’s more, various consumer groups are already complaining that a number of home improvement grant schemes are being withdrawn, or wound-down. Will this result in many of the government boiler grants being forgotten by the power companies as well?

So, it’s perhaps inevitable the Government will want to involve the energy companies in the scheme. Maybe not to wholly bank roll-it, but to act as a clearing house, although you could see the temptation of ministers asking the big energy companies to put their hands in their pockets for people’s house improvements; almost a corporate tax by proxy.

But the cynics might also point out this is the period before the general election, when the Government and opposition parties alike will promise many things which are then conveniently forgotten when they become leaders.

So, it’s a great idea, but don’t hold your breath!

Guest Article by Neil Camp

Geothermal heating is a new greener way to heat your home. It takes advantage of the earth’s constant temperature below the frost line and harnesses the heat to use in your house, office or commercial building. Experts say that a full geothermal heating system can save you up to 40% on your energy bills while decreasing your household emissions dramatically. On the surface it sounds like the best thing since electricity but how does it really work and are the benefits worth the rather large investment?

The Principles Behind Geothermal Heating Systems

The idea behind this great new energy source involves harnessing the Earth’s heat and using it to warm your house. This is done by drilling a series of boreholes close to your property and inserting looped pipes filled with a conductive fluid, such as water with added antifreeze. The average property needs 2 or 3 boreholes to provide adequate geothermal energy and they need to be between 150-300ft deep to be effective! Once the looped pipes are in place, they can then be linked up with a Ground Source Heat Pump which circulates the fluid around the pipe. As it circulates, the fluid absorbs the earth’s heat, which is a constant 57 degrees Fahrenheit below the frost level, and brings it to the surface where it is extracted by a heat exchanger. From here the heat goes to each of the rooms in the house via a suitable heating system.

Obviously this description is a simplification but it gives the general idea behind the process. Once in the house, the heat is distributed to where it is needed by means of individual heat pumps in each room. So for example, if you want more heat in a specific room then you simply turn up the thermostat and more heat is pumped from the Ground Source Heat Pump into the room.

The Benefits of Geothermal Heating

As already mentioned, geothermal heating systems can reduce your heating costs by up to 40% however the average household sees savings of around 25%. Also, once installed the system virtually cares for itself and problems are very rarely encountered. You can vary the amount of heat released into each individual room and easily turn rooms off when not in use. In the warmer months, the main ground pump can be used in reverse so that it pumps heat out of the house and back into the ground which means that it effectively acts as a cooling system for the entire home.

The Downside

Unfortunately there is always a downside with new concepts and geothermal heating is no exception. The entire heating system is required to get the best from this type of energy source and with a starting price of around £6000 it doesn’t come cheap. Based on the average annual savings that you could attain, it would still take you a very long time to recoup your investment however if money is no object then this is definitely one of the better renewable energy sources to go for.

Guest Article by Clare Lynock

It was formally announced today that the government aims to reduce Britain’s greenhouse gas emissions by at least 25% over the course of the next 12 years and in order to do that they want to impose a new Green Levy – also known as the Renewable Heating Incentive – on the fossil fuel energy providers of today. The money raised is to go towards subsidising solar panels, domestic wind turbines, wood burning boilers and insulation in over 7 million homes but it isn’t difficult to work out who is going to end up paying in the long run…and it isn’t the big, rich companies.

In order to pay the new levy, the energy suppliers will undoubtedly raise the cost of their services so that the consumers ultimately pay, but with millions of people already struggling to pay their gas and electricity bills, who is really going to benefit?

2008 saw the price of gas increase by 59% while the price of electricity rose by 26% and this means that the average household is now paying around £400 more for their fuel per annum than they were in 2007. And now the government want us to pay – albeit indirectly – even more so that we can fund the energy of the future. The question is how much is it going to cost us and when are we expected to start paying?

In an article posted in the Mail Online, the government claim that the package will have many benefits to householders of today and the future. It is said that this new incentive will reduce the amount of energy we waste whilst also dramatically cutting our current levels of greenhouse gas emissions. It will also put a stop to our reliance on imported fossil fuels and the ‘volatile’ nature of their prices. Lastly, the article mentions that millions of people will ultimately save money on their future fuel bills and this will be a welcome plus, but what about our fuel bills now?

People have already pointed out that some low-income families will end up subsidising green energy but will never actually use it. For example, people who live in high-rise apartment blocks are going to have no interest in solar panels and domestic wind turbines and so it is being argued that they shouldn’t be made to pay for them. Wood burning boilers cost an average of £7000 and solar panels cost upwards of £3000 for a single house. Then there’s geothermal heating which starts at £6000 and wind turbines that also cost in their thousands so even with grants and funding, there are going to be very few households that can afford to go green – now or in the future.

The new levy being imposed is undoubtedly going to be very unpopular, especially with those of us who already struggle to make ends meet each month, but at the end of the day what can we do? The government think it’s a great idea and we don’t get a say – but then again we never really do.

Guest Article by Clare Lynock

The straight answer, when talking about home energy considerations, is yes, the credit crunch will be good for the environment.

As an aside, the credit crunch is generally good for the environment. Less money around means less car miles, less lorry and van miles, less ship miles and less air miles. A world economy in recession means a slowdown in most things and that means a slowdown in fossil fuel burning.

Ironically, for the last decade, let us be honest, governments and people alike have only paid lip-service to the threat of global warming. Only a minority of people have become spooked with the disappearing ice caps, worse global weather and changing world habitats. And relatively few people have changed their lifestyles to accommodate the threats we face.

But now, as government’s take on the arguably more pressing problem of keeping the world economies ticking, global warming has taken a back seat as regards the media’s agenda. And people have followed suit; now it’s keeping your job that’s vital, not so much checking the water table in Asia.

And for the home the same thing is happening. Ironically, in the boom time, everyone was obsessed with the price of rocketing oil, gas and electricity, but what with the large amounts of credit and disposable income washing about, the majority of the working population didn’t really have to worry too much. Like rising petrol prices, it was just another thing that came with the high standard of living.

For pensioners and those on benefits though, the sky-high energy prices were a taste of things to come. If you are on a set income, which only caries a few percentage points from year to year, how do you cope with the 50% rise in gas prices, or the near 400% rise in oil prices. The fact is most can’t cope with such rises and either they take money from somewhere else, or go cold.

And now, as most of the working population begins to wonder if they will have a job in the next couple of months, suddenly the idea of ignoring the household fuel bill doesn’t seem so clever. People are pulling in their belts, just in case the wages stop.

So, basically, whereas the hike in fuel prices might not had such an effect on the world’s global warming problems (because high prices reflect an ever growing world economy), the lower fuel prices are not so much great because it costs cheaper, but because they now reflect recessionary times.

So, lights get turned off, thermostats get switched down, heating timers get turned off for longer periods, there are fewer baths taken and less standing under those outdoor heaters.

The result, a respite for the environment, a break from over-consumption.

The problem is, of course, when things start to recover (as they will, given the cyclical nature of the world’s history), once again consumption will pick-up and once again the environment will be under threat.

The only hope is, that during the downturn, someone will come up with some key answers to the problem of global warming.

Guest Article by Neil Camp