It is quite clear the world of heating is in a transitional period. Getting away from burning dangerous fossil fuels and diversifying your business today would help you get ahead of the curve. The UK Government pledges to ban boilers in new homes by 2025 which is even further proof of a change in the times. If you are a heating or plumbing engineer, now is the time to diversify your business and start installing heat pumps. And here at Alto Energy, we are ready able able to support you on that journey.
Air Source Heat Pumps
Air source heat pumps are becoming more and more popular in new build properties, but also as a traditional boiler replacement in existing buildings. They work by transforming outside ambient air and transforming it into useful heat for the property in question. Air Source Heat Pumps are capable of generating heat at external temperatures as low as -15°C and can typically provide around 3.5kW of useful heat for every 1kW of electricity required. Please see below a video explaining in more detail how an air source heat pump works:
Ground Source Heat Pumps
Ground source heat pumps are considered to be even more efficient than air source heat pumps. This is because they extract heat from at least 1m under the ground, where the temperature is generally a bit warmer than the air temperature during the heating season. They extract heat from the ground through a series of horizontal trenches or, if there isn’t space for this, a series of boreholes drilled vertically into the Earth. It is vital that the property is designed correctly in order for the correct heat pump and ground array to be specified. Please read about the Alto Energy MCS Umbrella Scheme to see how, as a heating or plumbing engineer, you can ensure the correct heat pump is designed correctly for the project in mind.
Why Should My Business Be Involved?
Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI)
Both air source heat pumps and ground source heat pumps are eligible for the the generous Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) payments which pays out for the renewable heat the heat pump produces. As a heating or plumbing engineer you can offer this to your clients, however the heat pump would be required to be installed by an MCS Accredited Installer to be eligible for the grant. See below how you can offer this to your clients without needing to be MCS Accredited yourself…
…The Alto Energy MCS Umbrella Scheme
If you are a plumbing or heating engineer, it is possible to offer all of the above to your respective clients, without the hassle of MCS paperwork or being MCS accredited yourself, by installing them under the Alto Energy MCS Umbrella Scheme. We will effectively design the system, supply it for you to fit the heat pump, we come along and commission the system once installed and produce all the relevant paperwork for the end user. Alto Energy can also offer complete aftercare for your client should you wish.