Renewable Energy Installer December/January 2014 | Page 3

REI - the leading magazine for the renewables sector since 2008 Editorial panel members Bridge over troubled water W ith the end of 2013 now fi rmly in sight, there will be a fair number of readers eager to see the back of another stormy 12 months for the sector. Forced to contend with another unwanted delay to the domestic RHI earlier in the year and its associated cost to businesses, installers have also been unable to reap the full promise of Green Deal following disappointing levels of uptake. All this compounded by a recession stubbornly refusing to let go and political infi ghting over energy policy. But for those thinking that this is the winter of our discontent, things couldn’t be further from it. For the sector has yet to be presented with a challenge it has not surmounted, nor a setback which has not been overcome. The hurdles of 2013 are no more than has come to be expected by a rapidly-maturing industry more balanced, resilient and sure- footed than we have ever seen. We end the year with energy generation fi rmly in the spotlight and microgeneration marching forward as a serious contender. What was once a luxury or peripheral technology is rapidly becoming a real consideration for hard-pressed homeowners looking to cut bills, through to a corporate world desperate to mitigate the threat of blackouts later in the decade as retired generation capacity is inadequately replaced. Political necessity should also see the domestic RHI – a global fi rst – fi nally launched during the fi rst half of 2014 giving the renewable heating market a long- awaited shot in the arm. On another positive note, REI enters the New Year with its exclusive MCS partnership growing from strength to strength. 2014 looks set to yield an expansion in our working relationship with several exciting areas for further collaboration serving the needs of you, the installer. And fi nally, may I wish you all a happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year on behalf of team REI. Andy Buchan, CEEC, Future Renewable Energy Andy Boroughs, Organic Energy Garry Broadbent, Lifestyle heating Cathy Debenham, YouGen Ryan Gill, Evoco Energy Liz McFarlane, Zenex Solar Steve Andrews, Ecoskies Phyllis Boardman, Green Deal Consortia Robert Burke, HETAS Gideon Richards, MCS Contents NEWS 04 News 07 Analysis Plumb Center’s energy effi ciency manifesto 10 Ecobuild 2014 OPINION 14 HETAS refl ects on 2013 15 Q&A Sean Sowden, GoGeothermal KNOWLEDGE 20 Solar PV Krannich & Panasonic 28 Heat pumps Retrofi tting heat pumps to UFH 30 Bahco Tools COMPETITION Hundreds of pounds of tools up for grabs 33 Biomass Training opportunities for installers 35 The year ahead Industry predictions for 2014 40 End of year review 43 Commercial section 52 Case studies 54 My working week ISSN 2049-3525 Editor: Paul Stephen Sales director: Jonathan Hibbert Circulation/directory: Sandra Curties Managing director: John McCaffrey Published by: Ashley & Dumville Publishing Ltd, Caledonian House, Tatton Street, Knutsford, Cheshire WA16 6AG Advertising Tel: [phone] Email: [email protected] Editorial/press releases Tel: [phone] Email:[email protected] www.renewableenergyinstaller.co.uk Sign up for our digital newsletter TODAY by visiting Don’t forget to follow us @REI_digital Our partner organisations www.renewableenergyinstaller.co.uk www.renewableenergyinstaller.co.uk | 3