Not enough being done to promote renewable energy options

Paul Boughton

AA Projects has backed findings from the Renewable Heat Report by Innasol and Frost & Sullivan that point to a significant lack of awareness when it comes to changing renewable heating solutions.

According to the report there's widespread suspicion of renewable energy costs, with many failing to grasp the large savings that could be made on their energy bills if they were to take part in the government's Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme.

AA Projects, a management and consultancy company, provides professional, independent advice on energy efficient technologies. The company has helped clients with RHI-eligible biomass, solar thermal, geothermal, ground and water source heat pumps and more.

While the Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme, which started in 2011, is set to be rolled out to domestic homes this year, providing homeowners with the opportunity to save up to 45 per cent on their heating bills, many believe that the scheme still isn't doing enough.

The concerns come as only a relatively small number of homeowners in the UK have opted to switch to a renewable heating solution. A representative for AA Projects said:

"The Renewable Heat Report shows that there isn't anywhere near enough being done to promote energy efficient heating. There's still a lot of pessimism and confusion surrounding energy efficient heating, particularly the Renewable Heat Incentive."

The authors of the recent report stated that the Renewable Heat Incentive scheme as it stands isn't enough, and that the government must do more to push cheap energy efficient heating.

"We agree with the findings of the report, there is a lot more that the government could be doing to promote energy efficiency, especially when you consider that heating makes up 78 per cent of consumer energy bills in the UK. In fact, houses in the UK are widely recognised as the worst in modern Europe when it comes to efficiency," explained an AA Projects representative.

The problem, believes AA Projects, is that the majority aren't aware of what's available and how it could benefit them.

"If you ask most people they're more than happy to look at the likes of double glazed windows and energy efficient light bulbs but only a very small minority have given any thought to biomass systems, for example. In fact, according to this study, 74 per cent of people in the UK aren't aware that biomass systems are a great source of renewable heating, and a further 84 per cent don't see heat pumps as a solution for renewable heating either."

"At AA Projects we have seasoned environmentalists who are able to provide British people with feasibility studies, financial appraisals and financing options. We'll identify which low carbon technologies will work best for your business or home, whether it's in regards to a lower carbon footprint or your financial bottom line."

For more information, visit www.aaprojects.co.uk