5 minute read
Meet the member
Alan Marcon’s interest in heating engineering began at the age of 11, while helping his CIPHE member father, Tony, on jobs whenever he could. He has now built his own business, focusing on energy e cient heating systems
ALAN’S YEARS of experience working alongside his father created a career path that was only headed in one direction. At 16 he applied to Whitwood College in Wakefi eld for a Joint Industry Board for Plumbing, Mechanical Engineering Services (JIB-PMES) fi ve-year indentured apprenticeship, training with his father’s business.
Initially, Alan continued working in the family business carrying out plumbing, heating and gas work on private jobs, in addition to subcontracted work for British Gas. However, he started to look to the future and realised that diversifying into other areas was the way forward and in 2012 he launched Green and Reliable Heating.
“The world is moving towards cleaner technology and I wanted to be a part of that,” explains Alan. “I wanted to be involved in providing cleaner heating technology, which includes heat pumps, zero carbon fuels like HVO (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil), solar thermal power and bespoke customer systems.”
ALAN MARCON EngTech MCIPHE RP RHP
Founder, Green and Reliable Heating Alan’s company specialises in sustainable oil heating
Sustainable solution
An estimated 4 million UK homes and 1 million businesses aren’t connected to the mains gas supply, particularly in rural areas. Based in Yorkshire, where this is true of many homes that therefore rely on oil for heating, Alan saw potential for a move to a more sustainable solution for his customers.
Alan’s company supplies, installs and services heating systems and oil storage tanks. Keen to push the green agenda, he has championed the use of HVO fuel to his customers.
HVO is a biofuel produced from many kinds of vegetable oils, using hydrogen as a catalyst. Using hydrogen instead of methanol as part of the process means HVO is widely considered a more environmentally friendly, sustainable biofuel than traditional crop biofuels.
“We install energy-e cient oil heating systems that are kinder to the environment and customers’ pockets,” he explains. “Tests have proved the boilers we install have a winning combination of the lowest
emissions and oil consumption along with the highest performance.”
HVO is a zero-carbon fuel that consumers can easily swap with traditional oil to become carbon neutral immediately. From 1 April 2022, distributors will only be able to supply agricultural red diesel under license and it will be banned from domestic and commercial use. At the moment HVO is slightly more expensive than oil, but these changes next year will mean it will be in higher demand and prices should even out as a result.
Although the vast majority of people would like to reduce their carbon footprint, the technologies often make it prohibitive. “People want to be green but can’t afford it, but we can make them carbon zero overnight with HVO,” says Alan. “The fuel itself burns hotter, so you use less fuel for the same zero-carbon output.”
Green machines
The majority of heating and plumbing engineers drive diesel-fuelled vans, which pump out significant amounts of emissions and are often the biggest cause of roadside air pollution. Well aware
of this, Alan decided to switch to HVO.
“I would estimate that around 99% of engineers run a diesel vehicle, but within 24 hours they can be carbon zero,” enthuses Alan.
“HVO is currently the most sustainable option for running my van. It’s fossil-fuel free and there are no particulates as with diesel, which means all the engine components are free from carbon. This means less likelihood of needing repairs. However, I would consider moving to an electric vehicle when the technology improves and prices come down.”
Rising stars
The buzz around sustainable solutions for heating and plumbing is growing as consumers become increasingly aware of their impact on the environment. However, there is mounting concern from the heating and plumbing industry about the practicalities of installing them on a grander scale, particularly in light of the ongoing skills shortage.
“It is a good time to be in the industry as we have such a diverse range of carbon zero products out there,” says Alan. “However, we need more apprenticeships and skilled workers to bring the UK up to speed, but there is no help from the government to achieve this. We have to help the youth because in another 10 years we are going to be stretched and the problem is only going to get worse unless more investment is put into training young people in how to use new technologies.
Setting the agenda
“The UK needs a balance of heat pumps, hydrogen and HVO,” says Alan. “However, we need a fresh mindset. We need to get young people into the industry by letting them know it is worth the wait training and that they can earn a decent wage. If we don’t encourage the younger generation to train then we won’t move forward as an industry.”
Alan is in no doubt that by being part of the CIPHE, his co-workers in the sector can help to find solutions to both the climate crisis and the skills shortage.
“The CIPHE is pushing the industry forward, which gives some guidance to engineers on the future of business and reducing emissions by offering training on better practices that contribute to lower CO2 production, warmer homes, lower energy bills and very happy clients,” he adds.
“Being a member helps me feel proud to push forward and share these new practices, learn from them and contribute to a cleaner, more sustainable future. Without the CIPHE I would most likely not have my engineering recognitions and extensive qualifications. We need tradespeople to join and learn, and to get the recognition which helps get more valuable clients that respect the journey we travel to become better engineers.”
As a result of lack of inspections, water gets into oil fuel tanks which destroys the fuel pump and fuel lines
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