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Boost for hydrogen in Energy Security Strategy
The government’s Energy Security Strategy has set out how Great Britain will accelerate the deployment of wind, new nuclear, solar and hydrogen, which could see 95 per of electricity being low carbon by 2030, it says.
The strategy, published last month, also supports the production of oil and gas in the shorter term. And nuclear power is set to see a significant acceleration, with plans for up to eight new power stations.
Hydrogen gets a boost, aiming for a doubling of capacity for low-carbon hydrogen production by 2030, with at least half coming from green hydrogen and using excess offshore wind power to bring down costs.
Planning reforms will support an increase in wind production, and a licensing round for new North Sea oil and gas projects is planned to launch in autumn, with a new taskforce to support developments. The government says it recognises the importance of these fuels to the transition and to energy security, and that producing gas in the UK has a lower carbon footprint than importing it.
There will also be a heat pump accelerator competition and an increase in solar capacity.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “We’re setting out bold plans to scale up and accelerate affordable, clean and secure energy made in Britain, for Britain – from new nuclear to offshore wind – in the decade ahead.
“This will reduce our dependence on power sources exposed to volatile international prices we cannot control, so we can enjoy greater energy self-sufficiency with cheaper bills.
“This plan comes in the light of rising global energy prices, provoked by surging demand after the pandemic as well as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. This will be central to weaning Britain off expensive fossil fuels and boosting our diverse sources of home-grown energy for greater energy security in the long term.”
We’re in: PipeSnug wins Dragons’ cash
PipeSnug founders Chris Burdett and Alex Lever have secured investment from two of BBC One’s ‘dragons’.
The duo pitched PipeSnug and FlueSnug to the Dragons’ Den’s famous panel of successful entrepreneurs for financing to expand their business.
They landed a joint investment from Deborah Meaden and Peter Jones following a nerve-wracking pitch and negotiation that included intense questioning from all the entrepreneurs.
“We wanted to go on Dragons’ Den to help secure investment to develop new versions of the product to satisfy the increased demand in the coming months and years as PipeSnugs become the norm on site,” says Alex.
PipeSnug is an evolution of the idea that Chris, a qualified bricklayer and builder, had to help solve a problem that he encountered on every job he ran with his construction business – sealing holes around pipes quickly, efficiently and effectively.
“We prepared our pitch carefully and rehearsed a lot – but nothing can prepare you for the experience of Dragons’ Den,” says Chris. “We are delighted Deborah and Peter saw the opportunity and chose to work with us.
“We made sure our pitch told the story and outlined the opportunity it presents to an investor, especially one who could bring real value and experience to our business. Pitching to the Dragons and then having such a (mostly) positive response was amazing.”
Competition winner
The winner of our March competition was Peter Abrey from Cambridge. He has won £500 off a full underfloor heating system from Continal, complete with all CAD designs. Congratulations!
Industry Standard Update 109
IGEM/G/11 Supplement 1– Responding to domestic CO alarm activations/reports of fumes after attendance by the emergency service provider or the Liquefied Petroleum Gas supplier(1) Date issued: 1 April 2022
This Industry Standard Update provides an overview of the recently published support document IGEM/G/11 Supplement 1 – Responding to domestic CO alarm activations/reports of fumes after attendance by the emergency service provider or the Liquefied Petroleum Gas supplier.
Introduction
In March 2022, IGEM published a supplement to IGEM/G/11 Gas Industry Unsafe Situations Procedure(2) (GIUSP).
This supplement gives guidance to Gas Safe registered engineers when dealing with reports of fumes or CO alarm activation, after the attendance to a property by the emergency service provider (ESP).
Scope
The supplement provides guidance to competent registered engineers on the scope of work they can undertake when attending to reports of CO alarms or reports of fumes in domestic properties, without the need to hold a specialist fumes investigations qualification (CMDDA1).
It also gives guidance when competent registered engineers may need to escalate the situation to an engineer who holds the relevant investigation qualifications.
Note: This Industry Standard Update is only a brief overview of the information contained in the amended standard. Registered businesses are responsible for ensuring that they are fully apprised of all the requirements of the whole published standard and its practical application.
Bibliography
(1) IGEM/G/11 Supplement 1- Responding to domestic CO alarm activations/reports of fumes after attendance by the emergency service provider or the Liquefied Petroleum Gas supplier (2) IGEM/G/11 Gas Industry Unsafe Situations Procedure
Brits want low-carbon gas as alternative, finds EUA survey
More than three-quarters of Brits (78 per cent) would support the UK generating and distributing alternative, lowcarbon gas through the existing grid to replace importing natural gas from countries such as Qatar and Russia, according to a survey for the Energy and Utilities Alliance (EUA).
The research of 2,000 consumers also found almost three-quarters (74 per cent) would support developing low-carbon gas boilers that could be easily swapped with existing boilers. Almost two-thirds (64 per cent) said they would choose a low-carbon boiler if they replaced their heating system.
Amid increasing cost-ofliving concerns, 82 per cent of respondents said the government should prioritise affordability when developing renewable technologies for heating homes.
However, only 6.2 per cent would be willing to pay the average additional expense of retrofitting a heat pump.
EUA chief executive Mike Foster says: “It is clear that Brits back action on climate change. However, with the cost-of-living crisis causing concern for pretty much everyone, the government has got to commit to a more affordable route. The vast majority of UK residents cannot afford the price tag for a heat pump, nor do they want to switch away from some kind of low-carbon gas.
“The gas grid is gearing up for hydrogen, and boiler manufacturers have already made promises around price for consumers. Now it is up to the government to pull their finger out and prioritise UK people and their finances by progressing hydrogen as part of the UK’s energy mix.”
The UK public have made it clear that an alternative to natural gas is their choice, says the EUA, and 71 per cent agreed that the government should make a clear statement that, in future, all gas supplied to UK homes through the gas grid is low or zero carbon.
Mike says: “Mr Kwarteng [the Energy Secretary] and the Prime Minister have a decision to make with this energy crisis. Either they continue with an electrification of heat, imposing large bills on the public and pushing more people into fuel poverty.
“Or they can start prioritising the financial wellbeing of the British public and listen to their demands when they say they want an alternative to natural gas, which can be found in hydrogen.”
Beat tool theft with ARMD protection
A new dedicated tool insurance is designed to protect the livelihoods of tradespeople, with a promise to get you up and running quickly if you suffer a loss.
ARMD enables you to record, protect, insure and replace your tools quickly, either online or via its app.
The free tool inventory lets you record your tools in one place, which is useful for audits, accounting and claiming insurance.
A second protection is dedicated tool insurance that covers you if you do not take your tools out of the van at night, which other policies may require. Once your tools are in the inventory, you can claim digitally, saving hassle and time.
ARMD also gives access to smart anti-theft security products for your van, protecting your tools with a range of powerful locks, alarms and smart sensors that automatically call you when someone tries to break in.
Its tool shop has more than 30,000 tools: when you buy, you can quickly insure your tools so that you are protected from the outset. Tools bought or replaced through the tool shop are automatically added to the tool inventory so that you do not need to upload them manually.
Co-founder Stephen Holland says: “There is one tool theft every 23 minutes, which equates to approximately 23,000 a year – and that figure is only those that are reported.
“It can’t go on, and that is why we developed ARMD. In just a few minutes you can insure your tools, protect your livelihood and secure peace of mind.
“We listened to and developed ARMD with the trade, to tackle the many different pain points they experience when trying to protect themselves and their tools.”
You can download the app for iOS and Android or go to
www.armd.uk
Develop Training has opened the doors on a new training centre, its sixth, in Brentwood, Essex.
With centres opening in Birmingham, Ashford and Norfolk, and both the York and Derby centres undergoing extensive refurbishment, the company expects 2022 to be one of the busiest years in its 50-year history.
Matthew Gray, head of Operations and Training, says: “We are continuing to grow and are set to rapidly expand our nationwide training provision throughout 2022. We are really looking forward to seeing our customers enjoy the benefits of all our latest developments.”
New Brentwood centre for Develop Training
Go Green and train in the North-east
Gas engineers in the North-east of England and Scotland can now become qualified in air source heat pumps at Go Green Training Academy. The centre, based in Peterlee, County Durham, delivers qualifications in installation, servicing and maintenance of ASHPs.
Go Green Training is the brainchild of Brian Weir and Lee McCann, who have more than 40 years of ASHP installation experience between them. There are not enough trained installers to meet predicted ASHP demand, says the Academy, which provides ASHP qualifications fully certified by LCL Awards.
Director Brian Weir says: “We are on a mission to upskill installers in the North-east with the training they need to take advantage of the expanding renewables sector. We want to be at the forefront of training the next generation of air source heat pump engineers across the North of England and Scotland.”
www.gogreentraining.co.uk
CIPHE low-temperature qualification gets lift-off
Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (CIPHE) has launched its qualification for low-temperature heating and hot water systems in dwellings.
The Ofqual-regulated qualification is the result of a two-year collaboration with the Heat Pump Association, LCL Awards, manufacturers and industry professionals. It aims to upskill heating engineers to design and install lowtemperature heating and hot water systems, which use less energy and can be used with heat pumps.
CEO Kevin Wellman says: “Public demand for lowtemperature heating systems is only going to increase, and we need to ensure the industry is ready to step up.
“With this new qualification, installers will have the knowledge, competence and confidence to install technologies that may have previously felt quite unfamiliar.
“If we are to reduce emissions, the simple fact is that systems need to be correctly designed and installed, and so it’s installers who sit at the heart of net zero. This course will be a prerequisite to the Heat Pump Association’s own training courses and will help launch a number of new careers in the renewables sector.”
LCL Awards director Mark Krull adds: “We are delighted to have worked with CIPHE on this venture, developing a new qualification that meets the demands of multi-skilled installers – the type of engineers required to deliver evolving heat and power demands.
“Low-temperature heating and hot water systems are often renewable, but the latest gas combi boilers combined with underfloor heating, for example, also meet this brief, making this qualification a future-proof choice for today’s building services installers.”
At the end of the two-day course, heating engineers will: • Be aware of the latest industry standards and regulatory framework relating to heating design • Know the requirements for undertaking room-by-room heat loss calculations • Understand how to size heat emitters correctly • Know how to size pumps and pipework correctly • Understand how to size a domestic hot water system correctly • Be familiar with the basic design principles of system configurations.
www.ciphe.org.uk/ lowtempheating
Resideo has helped raised more than £2,700 for construction charity Band of Builders by organising a fundraising football match.
The charity match at Ascot United saw Resideo take on Graham Plumbers’ Merchant in a fierce head-to-head, resulting in a 6-4 victory to Graham.
A silent auction and a raffle were also held, with prizes donated by local businesses including an England shirt signed by Declan Rice and a round of golf for four people at a choice of venues.
The money raised will help Band of Builders continue its work to support tradespeople by delivering life-enhancing projects.
Dan Kent, Resideo area manager and captain of the Resideo football team, says: “Mental health in our industry is something that tradespeople aren’t always comfortable openly talking about.
“We thought a charity football match would help get everyone together and promote Band of Builders’ ‘let’s talk’ message.”
The charity’s operations director Tony Steele says: “Band of Builders has been set up by tradespeople for tradespeople who are in difficult circumstances or have had life-changing injuries.
“With the help of our volunteers, we make adaptions to their houses and provide other types of support, all free of charge.”
JTL opens Birmingham centre
Apprenticeship provider JTL has a new training centre in Birmingham, unveiled recently by the city’s Lord Mayor Muhammad Afzal.
The centre in Aston is the 10th dedicated training facility operated by the not-for-profit training provider and is set to deliver a variety of qualifications. Following a £4 million investment, courses will include plumbing and heating and electrical apprenticeships, as well as continuing professional development (CPD) courses from Develop Training.
The 30,000ft2 centre has several modern classrooms and fully equipped electrical and plumbing workshops, as well as a refectory area.
JTL chief executive Jon Graham said: “We were delighted to have Councillor Muhammad Afzal join us at our Birmingham centre and to have him officially open what is JTL’s 10th dedicated training facility. It was wonderful to spend the day with local employers, current apprentices and JTL staff and to fully see at first hand the excitement and enthusiasm everyone feels.”
BPEC celebrates 30 years
BPEC is celebrating three decades of delivering qualifications, assessments, training courses and learning materials in the heating industry. Set up in 1992, all surplus funds generated by its work in heating, plumbing and the wider energy sector are re-invested by the BPEC Charity.
Chief executive officer Neil Collishaw says: “The past 30 years have been a huge success story for BPEC and, indeed the industry, as it has made a major contribution to raising the skills of so many people. This is something the BPEC directors and staff are immensely proud of.”
The BPEC Charity funds projects that promote the benefits of a career in the plumbing industry to young people.
BPEC is continuing its expansion into training, assessment and qualifications in heat pumps and electrical energy.
