CEILITE - Key Persons

Darren Down - Managing Director

da..@ceilite.com

Job Titles:

Managing Director

The decision by the Department of Energy and Climate Change to refer air-source heat pumps for further analysis of the costs involved before they could be accepted into the full incentive scheme was a cruel blow. Many in our sector blame the damning report by the Energy Saving Trust last year, which concluded that air-source heat pumps rarely reached their design performance levels due to poor installation and over-complicated control systems. The DECC said the reason was that "more work is needed to better understand the costs associated with the technology and, for air-to-air heat pumps, we have not yet developed a means of measuring direct air heating". The government's reason that the most ubiquitous heat pump has been left out in the cold is due to question marks over the technology, largely because they are not sure how best to measure the heat benefits. It is a body blow to the ASHP sector, many of whom were banking on the RHI to help convince commercial clients that the technology is a better option that sooty old biomass which relays heavily on the fuel being dry to allow the claimed COP being delivered. There may be less financial incentive to install ASHP's, but there are plenty of carbon benefits that can be achieved with their specification. The RHI consultation issued under the previous government left the industry in no doubt that air-source heat pumps had an important role to play in achieving carbon emission reduction targets.

Graeme Fox

Job Titles:

AREA President

AREA president Graeme Fox said: "Despite the best efforts by EPEE to counter the ban to suit the interests of its members, the French government is standing firm and seriously considering the proposed ban on pre-charged systems. "Having a qualified engineer install these systems is a logical step to further reduce refrigerant emissions and tighten F-Gas regulation."