EMC looks at how accreditation can help you take full advantage of the DTI’s Low Carbon Building Programme.
In April last year, the Government introduced the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) Low Carbon Building Programme; a grant to fund a range of micro-generation technologies including wind turbines, small hydro and solar thermal hot water. The scheme is proving a great success, with over £5 million worth of funds committed to date. One of the conditions of funding is that projects are designed and fitted by accredited engineers. Installers of renewable energy equipment must, therefore, make sure they take the relevant steps to achieve this accreditation.
The DTI Low Carbon Building Programme, which replaces the DTI Clear Skies and Solar PV grant programmes, is scheduled to run over three years. The scheme has been structured into two phases: Phase one sees £28.5 million available to support projects in households, community organisations, housing associations, public sector and private businesses. Phase two, which began last December, provides an additional £50 million of capital grant funding for the installation of micro-generation technologies in the public and charity sectors, including social housing, libraries, hospitals and schools.
From the outset, the Low Carbon Building Programme has proved incredibly popular, with particular interest from individuals wishing to install micro-generation technology in their homes. To help meet this demand, energy minister Malcolm Wicks released further funding for domestic projects from the Phase one pot last October. Wicks highlighted the increase during a speech to the Royal Geographical Society: “Through the huge response to the Low Carbon Buildings Programme, we have already allocated over £3 million of grants to households installing micro-generation. The demand has been so great that this represents half the total household budget in only the first year of the programme.”
He continued: “To enable the continuation of this good work, I am pleased to announce we are re-allocating a further £6.2 million of the programme funding to the householder work stream. On projected demand levels, this should allow us to operate the grant programme until mid-2008.”
For householders and house building project managers looking to apply to the DTI Low Carbon Building Programme, it is essential that the installers they choose are accredited. Technologies eligible for funding include solar photovoltaics, wind turbines, small hydro, ground/water/air source heat pumps, biomass, micro CHP and solar thermal hot water. When the project is complete, a trained installer must also confirm that the installation is safe and in full working order, signing commissioning certificates. Failure to produce these certificates will result in funding not being released.
To gain accreditation, installers should apply to the DTI Low Carbon Building Programme. There are three routes to registration:
- proof of relevant experience, demonstrated through previous installations;
- mentored route – for those with no demonstrable experience but with considered relevant capability, accreditation can be achieved by working with any accredited manufacturer or installer willing to offer support;
- training – essential for those responsible for the commissioning of systems.
For solar photovoltaics (PV), the DTI is in the process of setting up a new independent accreditation scheme. The programme will take over responsibility for the accreditation of PV installers, building on the existing training courses recognised by the Low Carbon Building Programme. This includes the City & Guilds PV training course and the nationally recognised grid-connected PV course.
In January, the EU announced that, by 2020, it aims to generate 20% of its power from renewable sources. At the moment, the figure stands at 6%. Schemes such as the Low Carbon Building Programme are integral to meeting these targets and, as the case for global warming becomes more difficult to ignore, the uptake of micro-generation technologies can only increase. Installers everywhere must ensure their place in the market and take the appropriate steps to gain accreditation.
For more information regarding the Low Carbon Building Programme and the technologies covered, visit www.lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk.
For more information on grid connected PV courses, visit www.itpower.co.uk.
Hot property
At present, solar thermal domestic water heating (STDWH) is the most commonly used micro-generation technology. To gain accreditation in this field, attending an appropriate training course, such as Logic Certification's STDWH course for installers, takes up just two or three days and provides the necessary level of knowledge and authority to sign commissioning certificates.
For around £500, Logic Certification’s course equips experienced m&e engineers with the skills required to install and commission indirect STDWH circuits, where they are integrated with conventional domestic heating and hot water systems. The following issues are covered:
- regulations and standards;
- collector types;
- solar heated storage types;
- solar primary system types;
- basic system design and integration;
- installation methods and materials,
- filling and commissioning;
- servicing and fault finding.
Mark Krull, marketing director for Logic Certification, says: "Our course aims to top up the knowledge of engineers, ensuring they don't miss out on a source of business that will inevitably increase as the demand grows."
Until June 2007, firms in Essex, Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk may be eligible to a 70% refund of funds if they complete Logic Certification’s SDTWH course at Gas Logic centres in Northolt or Basildon.
For more info on Logic Certification's SDTWH Installers course, visit www.logiccertification.com,
or call 0208 839 2439.
For more info on Gas Logic centres, visit www.gaslogic.com, or call 0208 845 7222.
Source
Electrical and Mechanical Contractor
