Plumbers and installers urged to prepare for introduction of FiTs
Tuesday 23 February 2010
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| Heat pump installers need to be prepared for a surge in interest following the introduction of FiTs and the RHI, Stiebel Eltron said |
A heat pump manufacturer has urged the heating and plumbing sector to prepare for a huge surge in interest following the commencement of Feed-in Tariffs.
Stiebel Eltron said installers needed to be fully trained and prepared when the incentives, which guarantee a fixed payment for small-scale renewables generators, come into force in April.
The Merseyside-based company, which has contracts with installer partners to fit its heat pumps, said Feed-in Tariffs, as well as the proposed Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) are set to "revolutionise" how property owners view green technologies like heat pumps.
Today, renewable heat technologies meet just 0.6% of UK heat demand, but by 2020 the Government aims to meet 12% or more of the UK's heat demand through renewables.
One of the technologies it intends to use to meet this target is heat pumps, which extract energy from the air, ground or water to produce hot water and heating for a property. Despite requiring a small amount of electricity from the national grid, heat pumps are eligible under the RHI.
Mark McManus, Stiebel Eltron's UK managing director, said that the industry had been calling for such "genuinely eye catching" for years, but needed to be prepared once they arrived.
He said that while the two incentive schemes would generate a "significant" cash return for householders, tradesmen needed the right skills and equipment to install technology such as heat pumps.
He said: "This is without question one of the biggest developments ever seen in the green energy property market. Any property heated by a renewable source such as heat pumps and solar thermal will see a considerable pay back.
"However, going green is not straightforward and the best and most efficient methods of going green require expert knowledge to be understood. We urge tradesmen to ensure they use the right equipment and get the right training."
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