News: Profile
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Launched to great fanfare last October, the RHI Training Support Voucher Scheme
has recently seen its budget increased to £750,000 to assist installers with the cost
of training in renewable heating technologies. REI caught up with Tom Hunisett,
who was the first person to receive a voucher, and his boss John Holloway, from
TSG Building Services
John Holloway: TSG has been
established for 52 years, initially delivering
heating installations, gas maintenance,
construction and electrical services.
We started recognising the potential of
renewables six years ago, starting off with
solar thermal. At that time it was very
much a cottage industry but we were
keen to push it forward and could see the
potential, it was important to us to be part
of it from the beginning.
In the main, TSG’s focus is the social
housing arena, which has been quicker
to get on board with renewables due to
local authority pressure and the RHPP.
We see the domestic RHI as our way into
the private sector, it’s where we’ve got to
be as a company to continue reaping the
rewards renewables have so far afforded
us.
The RHI presents an exciting
opportunity for the building services
engineering sector and we are confident
that it will generate a good amount of
interest from homeowners, interest that
will see TSG, and businesses that take
similar steps to up-skill, reap considerable
success in the future. We’re particularly
well placed to meet its demands with
a few years under our belt delivering
numerous heat pump, solar PV and solar
thermal systems to countless social
housing properties.
Tom was an ideal candidate to be put
forward for the first RHI Training Support
Voucher recipient; he’s enthusiastic
and positive with lots of potential to
progress – a great ambassador for TSG
and renewables installation in general,
hopefully someone that will encourage
others to get involved.
8 | www.renewableenergyinstaller.co.uk
Learn and earn: Tom Hunnisett (left), TSG Building Services, is already eyeing up other renewable
technologies having qualified in April to fit solar thermal with financial assistance from the RHI
Training Support Voucher Scheme
Tom Hunnisett: I’m a gas installer by trade, starting off with TSG as a plumbing and
heating apprentice. I’ve been installing air source heat pumps for around three years, a key
product for our social housing customer base.
Moving into the renewables arm of building services engineering is exciting and
rewarding. The technology is interesting and the pace of change is moving rapidly. At the
end of the day, our reliance on fossil fuels has got to stop so I see greener ways to heat and
light our homes becoming more mainstream.
The RHI Training Support Voucher Scheme is a great incentive for installers to get
involved, and I’m honoured to be the first engineer to receive one. Once this training’s
finished, I’ll have solar thermal and heat pumps under my belt but I’m keen to keep learning
and fit other types of renewable technology in the future.
Tom redeemed his voucher this April, on a Solar Thermal Hot Water course at
Logic4training’s Luton centre.