Case Histories

GROUND SOURCE HEATING INSTALLATION BY EARTHTEST ENERGY IS THE FIRST IN THE UK TO BE SUCCESSFUL FOR THE RENEWABLE HEAT INCENTIVE!

DECC recently announced the first successful applicant to the Renewable Heating Incentive (RHI) scheme.

Booth Brothers Printing in South Yorkshire entered the history books by becoming the first place in the UK to get the government's Renewable Heat Incentive. Its offices, housed in an 18th century former corn mill in Penistone, will be kept warm through an underfloor heating system powered by a renewable energy heat pump.

The 24kW system was installed by Earthtest Energy, and will generate an inflation linked RHI payment of £2,600 per annum for twenty years.

The installation is part of a zero carbon office complex in a converted corn mill and incorporates underfloor heating and mechanical ventilation with heat recovery, which was also installed by Earthtest Energy.

Ralph Bennett of Earthtest Energy said: "Due to the careful integration of the heat and ventilation and the use of an open loop system the heatpump is 45% more efficient than the base requirements for this scheme. Heatpumps are never likely to generate the superb investment potential achieved by photovoltaic panels prior to the recent government cut, but they can offer low cost heating and an excellent capital payback."

Chief Executive of Booth Brothers, Charles Booth said: "Being the first installation to be accredited under the Renewable Heat Incentive using ground source heating is very satisfying for Booth Brothers in terms of developing our strategic target of carbon neutral for our Bullhouse Mill site and eco-umbrella factory. Last year our Old Corn Mill offices were commended for their eco rating resulting in a rare A+ energy performance certificate thanks to Earthtest Energy."

The £860m Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) was launched last year to make it more financially attractive for industry and businesses to install low carbon heating systems like heat pumps, biomass boilers or solar thermal panels.

The RHI is expected to increase the number of installations in industry, the commercial and public sector by seven times to around 126,000 and support the thousands of existing jobs in the heating sector.

Climate Change Minister Greg Barker said: "It's fantastic news that the Renewable Heat Incentive has received its first successful applicant, and this is just the start." "Renewable heat is a largely untapped resource and an important new green industry of the future. It'll help the UK shift away from fossil fuel, reducing carbon emissions and encouraging innovation, jobs and growth in new advanced technologies."

The RHI for non-domestic heating opened for applications on Monday 28 November 2011. It is the first financial support scheme for renewable heat of its kind in the world. It aims to help the UK reduce carbon emissions and hit its EU renewable energy targets through the provision of incentive payments to eligible generators of renewable heat and producers of biomethane.

The RHI tariffs will be paid for 20 years to eligible technologies that have installed since 15th July 2009 with payments being made for each kWh of renewable heat which is produced. Once in the scheme the level of support an installation will receive is fixed and adjusted annually with inflation. The next phase of the RHI, to include domestic properties, is expected to launch in autumn 2012

Over 95% of heat in the UK is currently produced by burning fossil fuel but with North Sea supplies now in decline leading to an increase in imports, low carbon alternatives are needed.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON GROUND SOURCE HEATING CALL 01484 681314 TODAY.