solar thermal

[CXR100]

thinking of going into the solar part of plumbing, have gas and oftec but have got nothing renewable to my name, whats the best course to go on? and what kind of equipment will I need to purchase to do the work? ar there any bodies like gas safe or oftec controlling this aswell? thanks, (I have water regs and unvented tickets)

 

[Ray Stafford]

Look at becoming MCS accredited

But to be honest, its not something to muck about at. The accreditations will cost you several £thousand, so you need to be doing it as a substantial part of your business, otherwise the fixed cost just isnt worth it.

 

[Worcester]

The solar thermal market is sooo slow it's like tumbleweed - the economics don't add up against heat pumps, biomass or PV, only those with green goo running through their veins will go for it.

Table 2.1 - Number of applications and accreditations by technology type, Great Britain, April 2014 to January 2015
New installations:
Solar thermal 846

That's across the whole of the country and there are currently 1187 organisations certified to install Solar Thermal ... that means that at least 30% of then didn't install a single one last year...

 

[lame plumber]

most of the solar thermals i have come across dont bother with all the mcs etc, they just got it as it was free hot water, so loads more than 846 have gone in, just not been recorded along with all the other government crap schemes.

 

[village idiot]

Funny you should say that Lame. I had to help a ''friend'' with a boiler install in Sanderstead last week. On completion I did all the necessary tests, commissioning and got the boiler registered. We then went out for a drink after everything was completed. Then he asked me a question that I just couldn't comprehend. 'Do you register every boiler you install'? Yes, I replied. 'Well, I don't.' Says he. Then he tells me he hasn't calibrated his flue analyser for THREE years?

 

[missplumb]

we were asked to provide woodchip to a prosective client so they could fire their "new" biomass boiler upfor commissioning tests. when we asked how long the installation had been done, they answered over a year, and they wanted us to backdate the fuel delivery receipts to a point when the Rhi was higher so they get paid more!!!!!

 

[Nostrum]

most of the solar thermals i have come across dont bother with all the mcs etc, they just got it as it was free hot water, so loads more than 846 have gone in, just not been recorded along with all the other government crap schemes.

Thats because most of them were probably sold with inaccurate savings figures by mis informed or inexperienced installers who couldn't work out the relative fuel savings. A lot will be pre RHI as well.

Since you will struggle to get a payback of under 30 years for natural gas and under 15 years generally, most people won't want to tie up their capital for relatively insignificant returns.

As Worcester says, with the exception of a minority, most aren't interested in a green low carbon heat source unless it saves them money, money talks.

It is a shame as the technology is tried and tested and works very well.

 

[Paul_handy]

It is a shame as we are running out of all the other sources so renewable is the future! I feel the government should be promoting it more, taxing oil and gas so it does work out cheaper to be greener, people just don't understand it.