RHI delay cause of industry embarrassment

Dear sir,

As a result of the RHI payments delay debacle, we as consultants also feel the embarrassment of the issues surrounding the RHI. Time and time again we have to look a client in the face and provide an honest view on the potential of the RHI even the use of renewables. We have a number of clients who have placed business for installs, as a result of our advice.

Company and individual credibility is at stake as we could be accused of misleading our customers and clients to retain our business. This really exposes the credibility of government ministers dealing with this part of our renewables legislation covering incentives to pursue alternative energy products

It simply is not good enough for government to continuously “muck-up”, will the RHPP and The Green Deal, show ministers falling on their own swords once again. What I want debated in the public domain are those of our peers who convince government to pursue constant and inaccurate incentives, which lead us all astray.

I am sure that “our ” peers have number crunched to come up with all these wonderful solutions to lowering our carbon outputs. But it is not working and I want to be convinced that all the millions of pounds, probably by now tens of millions of pounds, possibly more invested by government, equipment manufacturers, suppliers, all the accreditation schemes, the industries supporting the “altar” of carbon reduction are proving that this burden on society is or will work.

I recently met a housing association who were installing air to water heat pumps, these are properties without fossil fuel supplies for heating. I asked how much they thought they were saving by applying these devices. It was suggested 20% against direct electric heating! My view would be that this is not good enough for the overall investment of these devices.

Having said that what choice did they have if looking 10-20 years ahead of the game. With limits on insulation, double/triple glazing, replacement of radiators or in this case new larger surface radiators, as the delivered water temperature is much lower, is this good enough and what other choice could have they been sold upon!.

I don’t think we collectively are working towards lowering our carbon emissions, I believe we are appeasing “the politics” not the real reduction in the use of energy. We need to come up with a much better way forward than the current mess and confusion, which is not going to deliver what the real need is, reducing the amount of energy into our homes and buildings throughout the country in a qualified and quantified manner.

Do I have all the answers? No. Does anyone have all the answers? No. Currently with the mess we are facing we need to do so much better than we are to date.

The industry rhetoric is “loud”, the renewables bandwagon is growing apace, is it being grown for wealth and income or for the reduction in energy use? Does the industry truthfully know in which direction it is going, and the intended outcome? Can someone out there start some sensible debate for which we can direct our “energies”? Excuse the pun.

Bruce Boucher
The Bruce Boucher Consultancy