EBTech Solutions Limited is celebrating this week after a large-scale installation of straw-fired biomass boilers was approved under the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI).

The RHI is a government scheme designed to “revolutionise the way heat is generated and used in buildings and homes”. EBTech Solutions announced on Wednesday the biomass boilers would be installed at Glen Avon Growers in Cottingham.

Matthew Blood, director of the firm, claimed the project is the first of its kind in the UK to feature horticultural heating under the RHI. Mr Blood commented: “The Cottingham project has gone quite well. There have been a few challenges, such as having to build the boiler within the building.

“We are pleased to be leading the way in biomass heating, not only in Yorkshire with the Glen Avon project but with a diverse number of projects throughout the country”.

Highlighting the recent success of EBTech Solutions, which was incorporated four years ago, Mr Blood said: “We have done ten installations all over the country since 2008. This year we potentially have a further ten jobs. It is looking like a bright year for the company and we are continuing to double turnover year on year”.

The concept of horticultural heating is one many people in the UK might find difficult to understand, but is essentially about utilising various materials and substances for use as fuel, usually in central heating systems.

EBTech Solutions’ project uses the abundance of waste straw in Yorkshire to fuel specially designed biomass boilers, which are said to be environmentally neutral because their carbon footprint is more or less equal to the amount of carbon dioxide that would be naturally released into the atmosphere when the material – in this case straw – breaks down.

Domestic biomass boilers can use straw, but traditional systems are fired by wood pellets and logs. Large-scale heating systems can burn other sources of fuel, including wheat, oat husks and olive kernels.

Explaining why straw-fired boilers were chosen for the Glen Avon Growers project, David Schellingerhout said: “East Yorkshire is surrounded by straw, so this option seemed the logical choice. It will bring stability to our energy price. It is also great to think we are not using the world’s commodities, we are using something that is renewable”.

Sentec, one of the world’s leading suppliers of smart metering technology, has cast doubts over the UK’s ability to meet smart meter installation targets by 2015.

The British firm, which supplies smart meters throughout Europe and the rest of the world, has provided a ‘heat map’ to show how countries in the EU are progressing with the roll-out of smart meters.

The Electricity Directive requires all European Community countries to deploy smart meters in 80 per cent of homes by 2020. According to Sentec, Britain must do more if she hopes to meet this objective.

Explaining some of the difficulties facing energy and smart meter firms in the UK, Mark England, CEO of Sentec, said: “The deregulated structure of [the] UK market is uniquely challenging for rapid and coordinated action in a large-scale initiative like this and we believe that smart meter deployment in 65 per cent of UK homes by 2015 is not possible”.

Mr England admitted that there remains a “great deal of work still to do to finalise the technical and regulatory framework for smart metering”.

The figure of 65 per cent is based on predictions made by IMS Research, which also believes that smart meter penetration will reach 49 per cent of homes in France and 73 per cent of homes in Spain and Portugal.

Sentec’s heat map suggests some countries are not doing enough to roll out smart meter technology, which is designed to reduce energy users’ reliance on domestic electricity, thereby cutting usage and making bills more affordable. In Britain, smart meters can be used in conjunction with solar photovoltaic panels, which generate electricity for home use. Surplus energy can also be sold to the National Grid.

The heat map indicates that several countries in the north or west of Europe will exceed 70 per cent penetration by 2015, but Poland and Germany will struggle with around 30 per cent. The fate of smart metering in the UK is less clear.

Mark Baillie, of OpenText, anticipates a surge in smart meter implementation over the next few years. Mr Baillie estimates that smart meter readings on the continent will reach 130 billion a year when smart meters are deployed in 80 per cent of homes.

With a mass roll-out of smart energy meters set for UK homes planned for 2014, a report has just been published which forecasts the market to topple £1 billion by 2015. 

Although some utility providers, such as British Gas and First: Utility have already started to deploy the smart meters, it’s not until 2014 that the devices will be rolled out en masse.

IMS Research has also predicted that fitting in-home displays, also known as IHDs, will generate around £400 million in revenue over the next five years.

The deployment of smart meters to UK homes will also benefit other service providers, providing them with work, which is set to escalate as the initiative to employ full roll-out takes off.

“The UK has outlined a regulatory framework which includes the provision of in-home displays, which let consumers know how much electricity they are using; and can help manage and ideally reduce electricity consumption,” said Lisa Arrowsmith, a senior analyst at IMS Research.

She added that smart meters can improve energy management, as long as they are installed properly, and will also be able to help integrate renewable energy sources into the grid.

By 2020, smart meters will be fitted in every home, with around 53 million of the devices due to be rolled out by energy firms. With central heating and electricity costs continuing to escalate seemingly out of control, homeowners seem increasing open to implementing energy saving measures that will help them cut their energy bills.

British Gas, one of the UK’s leading energy suppliers, has offered to pay £50 to any person who refers a “vulnerable” individual for free cavity wall and loft insulation from the firm.

The incentive is being implemented as part of a wider campaign to improve the energy efficiency of households across the UK. If more homes in Britain were adequately insulated, the nation would be on target to meet its carbon emissions target.

Improved domestic insulation would also benefit energy consumers, who could expect to save as much as £310 a year by installing loft (£175) and cavity wall insulation (£135).

In order to avail of the offer, the person who is referred to British Gas must qualify as a vulnerable individual. This means that the candidate is either a pensioner (aged 70+) or in receipt of certain benefits – namely Attendance Allowance, Child Tax Credits, Council Tax Benefit, Disability Living Allowance, Disablement Pension, Housing Benefit, Income Support, Income-based Job Seeker’s Allowance, Income-rated Employment and Support Allowance, State Pension Credit, War Disablement Pension or Working Tax Credits.

To be eligible for free home insulation from British Gas, candidates on qualifying benefits must earn less than £16,190 per annum. If the candidate meets these criteria, the referrer will receive a £50 payment. After the insulation work has been carried out, the beneficiary will also receive a payment of £50.

At a time when energy suppliers are squeezing every penny out of customers, driving many into fuel poverty, the referral incentive offers at least three benefits: the £50 cash payment; the free installation of cavity wall and loft insulation; and that neither person involved in the referral need buy their energy from British Gas.

Commenting on the incentive, Jon Kimber, British Gas New Energy’s Managing Director, said: “With household budgets stretched we know that people are looking at ways to save money. £1 in every £4 spent on heating is wasted due to poor insulation, so energy efficiency can have a massive impact”.

British Gas is not the first energy supplier in the UK to offer an incentive of this kind. Southern Electric offers £25 in high-street vouchers, whilst E.ON offers a £100 cash bonus to struggling households.

Thanks to rocketing gas and electricity costs, the very thought of not paying through the roof for electricity and gas central heating seems like the stuff of fiction. But a new campaign has launched which aims to stop energy providers ripping off customers.  

With record numbers of people falling into fuel poverty – which is becoming a major social problem – consumer organisation Which? has teamed up with 38 Degrees, a campaign group, to launch The Big Switch. The campaign is setting out to achieve the best possible prices for energy consumers.

Consumers have only 31 March to sign up to the campaign, after which energy firms will be asked to take part in what is essentially a ”reverse auction” to find the best price. All those who signed up will be invited to switch en masse. The whole process will be overseen by Which?

“We’re all sick of gas and electricity companies ripping us off. If thousands of customers band together, we’ll have the bargaining power to do something about it,” said David Babbs, executive director of 38 Degrees.

Figures from Consumer Focus have revealed that just under seven million households are currently fuel poor. More than half of all people aged 60 and over and living alone are said to be struggling.

There are schemes out there which offer assistance for people struggling with energy costs. Government schemes like the Warm Front scheme for example. Helping the poorest households make their homes warmer, people have until 31 March to apply for a grant. To be eligible for funding to put towards insulation and heating home improvements – such as cavity wall insulation and loft insulation - you have to be in receipt of pension credit or certain benefits. With £143 million set as the total amount of Government funding for the financial year £143 million, up to a fifth is expected to go unclaimed, meaning up to 16,000 vulnerable households could miss out.

To find out if you could be eligible for a Warm front grant call 0800 316 2805

As temperatures plummet in the UK this week, central heating systems across the country are working overtime to keep people warm. But for an alarming number of households the cold winter months means more financial misery.

Glow-worm – one of the UK’s leading boiler manufacturers – recognises the financial strain turning up the heating poses,  particularly for the most vulnerable members of society, and is offering some good to help tackle high energy bills this winter.

Cranking up the heating during the cold winter months uses the largest proportion of energy most households will use throughout the entire year, so it stands to reason that to get the best out of your hard-working boiler is needs to working to optimum performance.

“Accurately sizing a new or replacement boiler is very important.  But it’s also very important for homeowners to ensure their whole heating system is working as efficiently as possible,” explains Glow-worm’s Commercial Director, Pippa Wibberley.

“This may mean new or replacement radiators, controls, under floor heating or even investment in renewable technology,” she added.

An efficiently running system means not only will you not be wasting energy, but you won’t be wasting money either, which will help to reduce your fuel bills.

To get the most from your central heating system, Glow-worm has a few top tips, which includes:

• Programme your heating system to operate when you need it most – it’s the most efficient way to heat your home – rather than leaving it on low all day.

• Utilise systems with intelligent controls to set your heating and hot water, such as Glow-worm’s Climapro₂ wireless programmable room thermostat, which can be used as part of a heating system containing a cylinder.

•  Consider installing thermostatic radiator valves.  And if you’re not using a room, save energy – and money – by turning off the radiator valve.

• Treat your central heating system to an annual maintenance check by a Gas Safe Registered engineer.

• And last but not least, remember to get your boiler serviced regularly by a Gas Safe Registered engineer.

For more information about Glow-worm’s products visit www.glow-wormheating.co.uk

A survey commissioned by British Gas, one of the UK’s big six energy suppliers, has revealed that most homes in which smart meters have been installed are enjoying significant improvements to energy efficiency.

The initiative to install smart meters in homes throughout the UK attracted criticism from a committee of MPs earlier this month after it emerged that domestic energy bills would likely soar in consequence.

Chair of the committee, Margaret Hodge, claimed: “Consumers will have to pay suppliers for the costs of installing and operating smart meters through their energy bills and no transparent mechanism presently exists for ensuring that savings to the supplier are passed on”.

The survey by British Gas, however, suggests that, although energy suppliers may be reluctant to pass on direct savings to customers, smart meters are already proving their worth in households across the country.

Having installed around 400,000 smart meters in domestic and commercial properties throughout the UK, British Gas may be considered an expert in the field. After carrying out the survey on 700 smart meter users, the supplier discovered that approximately 64 per cent of households had made improvements to energy efficiency. The survey also revealed that 80 per cent of respondents had changed the way they think about energy consumption after the devices were installed.

Tom Hargreaves of the School of Environmental Sciences at the University of East Anglia, said: “This report shows that UK energy users want smart meters and they are using them regularly to help save money and change their energy habits”.

The benefits of smart meters have been discussed in detail by the UK Government, which aims to install at least one such device in every home and business in the country by 2019 – an objective that necessitates the replacement of some 53 million existing electricity and gas meters.

Smart meters help energy users save money by highlighting areas in which savings can be made. Some electrical appliances may consume far more energy than they perhaps ought to, whilst others can be replaced with more environmentally friendly substitutes. Monitoring energy usage in graphic detail also helps shape the trends of consumers, whose adjustments can improve both energy consumption and energy efficiency around the home.

To help reduce your energy bills and improve your energy efficiency, it’s also worth considering draught proofing your house or installing cavity wall and loft insulation.

A committee of MPs has warned that an initiative to introduce smart meters to homes across the UK could end up costing domestic consumers more money unless efforts are made to regulate energy suppliers.

Casting doubt on energy suppliers’ capacity to pass on savings to consumers, the committee noted that the domestic energy market in the UK is hardly the most competitive, suggesting natural market conditions would be insufficient to protect consumers. Which? has also called for the Government to adopt a more hands-on approach to the task of rolling out smart meters to at least 80 per cent of households on the grid – a legal requirement under European Community (EC) directives.

The European Community Task Force for the Implementation of Smart Grids into the European Internal Market states that “Member states shall ensure the implementation of intelligent metering systems that shall assist the active participation of consumers in the electricity supply market in line with… the electricity and gas internal market directives”.

The MP committee has questioned whether the existing framework for implementing the directives is sufficient to “assist the active participation of consumers”. In other words, would energy savings from smart meters actually be passed on to consumers? Chair of the committee, Margaret Hodge, is uncertain.

Ms Hodge said: “Consumers will have to pay suppliers for the cost of installing and operating smart meters through their energy bills and no transparent mechanism presently exists for ensuring that savings to the supplier are passed on. The track record of energy companies to date does not inspire confidence that this will happen.

“The Government is relying on competition in the market, but, as has been previously reported by Ofgem, the energy market does not currently operate as an effective competitive market”.

Smart meters can help energy users save money by highlighting appliances and systems that consume the most electricity, thereby shaping usage habits and purchases (such as replacing an energy inefficient central heating boiler with one that uses gas and electricity more economically). If consumers are required to pay for the implementation of the EC directives, however, it is entirely possible that households will end up paying more money on energy bills in the short-term.

With the announcement that E.On is to cut their customers’ electricity bills by 6%, Scottish Power remains the last one standing to drop energy prices after EDF Energy, British Gas, npower and SSE all confirmed price cuts last week.

For E.On’s 3.7 million electricity customers, the drop will come into effect from 27 February. With no one implementing a dual fuel cut, the energy provider’s gas prices will remain unchanged.

According to E.On – now the fifth of the “Big Six” energy firms to instigate cuts to either gas or electricity tariffs – around 75% of the households it supplies will benefit from a reduction in their average annual bill of around £31.

Thanks to falling wholesale energy prices, energy companies have been facing increasing pressure to pass on reductions to customers.

“Whilst we’re pleased to pass on this recent slight fall in wholesale prices, most experts agree that global energy prices will continue their long-term rise,” commented E.On UK’s chief executive, Dr. Tony Cocker.

Dr Cocker added that as one of the UK’s largest energy providers, E.On is committed to providing financial advice and support to its millions of customers, including helping them to benefit from energy efficiency measures such as loft insulation and cavity wall insulation.

“Over the coming months we will continue to help our customers to monitor their energy use and control their bills so they become energy fit,” he added.

The cuts will take a customer’s average annual dual fuel bill to £1,159 which would make E.On’s standard tariff the third cheapest after npower and EDF Energy.

It seems Scottish Power’s customers will have to wait a little bit longer to hear whether they will be in line for similar price cuts.

Are you struggling to pay your energy bills? Are you too scared to put your central heating on? If the answer is yes, then help is at hand thanks to Big Energy Week. 

Citizens Advice, in conjunction with energy suppliers, consumer organisations and Government agencies, has today launched Big Energy Week, a campaign designed to offer money saving help and advice to consumers looking to reduce their energy bills.

To back the launch of the campaign, Citizens Advice has revealed the findings of a recent study, which claims two in five people are worried that they will not be able to pay their next energy bill. The study revealed that 43% of people fear being unable to find the funds to pay their next fuel bill, while one in two of the survey’s participants said the rising cost of their energy bills would be a strain on their finances.

Last year the charity dealt with more than 95,000 fuel debt problems. Chief executive Gillian Guy said every day they were called upon to help people who simply cannot afford to pay their fuel bills, thanks to prices hikes which put even more pressure on finances when money is already tight.

“We’re worried that some people are struggling unnecessarily because they’re not on the best deal, live in homes that hemorrhage heat or are not getting all of the financial help available to them.”

Running from 16 – 21 January, Big Energy Week aims to highlight the measures consumers can take, which will help them save money and cut back on their energy cost, including:

• Keep on top of your bills – by working out how much your spend on your fuel bills, you’ll be able to budget to cover the costs.
• Search around for the best deal – according to the CA a household could save up to £200 annually by switching suppliers
• Implement energy efficient home improvements, such as cavity wall insulation, installing a new energy efficient boiler or fitting loft insulation. Check to see if you are eligible for a grant – such as the Warm Front scheme in England – to help insulate your home.
• Other energy saving measures, such as turning your thermostat down by one degree and making sure you don’t leave appliances on standby will help to reduce your energy costs.

If you are struggling to pay for your fuel bills, contact your energy supplier straight away. They should be able to offer you affordable repayments and may even be able to offer assistance when it comes to insulating your home.

For more information please visit the Big Energy Week website