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t’s that time again when much of the industry downs tools for two
or three days and decamps to East London for renewable energy’s
biggest tradeshow – Ecobuild. The prevailing mood at these
exhibitions has always served as a valuable barometer for wider
industry feeling and sector confi dence, with this year being no exception.
Admittedly we can expect a smaller show than 2013’s spectacle, but I am still
anticipating a far healthier dose of optimism and contentedness to linger within the ExCel’s
vast halls. Last year’s show was after all set against a bleak backdrop of plummeting PV
demand and a third damaging domestic RHI postponement lying in wait on the horizon.
Fast forward 12 months and the UK PV market is widely tipped to overtake Italy and
Germany as the fastest expanding in Europe. Just as signifi cantly, there is little now to
suggest that the domestic RHI will be delayed a fourth time. As confi rmed by DECC in last
month’s REI, there will be no extension to the RHPP stopgap beyond its expiry on March 31.
DECC is also exhibiting both at Ecobuild and later in March at the National Homebuilding
& Renovation Show within The Energy Saving Home area to reach out to consumers and
installers alike whilst publicising its newest creation.
My suspicion has always been that the incumbent government is fast running out
of time to secure any political dividend or legacy arising from launching the world’s fi rst
renewable heat tariff. With a general election looming barely 14 months away, let’s hope I’m
right and expediency will take its course.
Lastly, amid all the frantic activity at Ecobuild, don’t forget to check out the key
exhibitors preview section on p16 of this issue and to say hello to the REI team on stand
N2340.
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 KNOWLEDGE
04 News
06 Profi le
Q&A with biomass author Stewart T Boyle
plus reader discount offer
14 Analysis
Renewables timeline
16 Ecobuild preview
Who to look out for at this year’s show 28 Solar PV
Krannich, DEHN and PassivSystems
32 Biomass
34 Training
EU Energy Centre and Right Management
39 Solar thermal
42 Wind
Vergnet looks at cuts to Feed-in-Tariff
45 Product Profi le
Thermodynamics
62 My working week
Simon Cross, IXUS Energy
OPINION
22 REI’s regular MCS column
25 Q&A Mitsubishi Electric
ISSN 2049-3525
Editor: Paul Stephen
Sales director: Jonathan Hibbert
Circulation manager: Sandra Curties
Managing director: Nick Smith
Published by: Ashley & Dumville Publishing Ltd,
Caledonian House, Tatton Street,
Knutsford, Cheshire WA16 6AG
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Tel: 01565 626760
Email: [email protected]
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