Future for installers

[sbrown2]

Can't you get trained up do the assessments yourself?

 

[sbrown2]

Also are most of the people in the PV trade sparkies? Are a lot not roofers etc?

 

[toomanylogins]

Hello
Paul from complete picture here. As we do sap software I agree with the posters here that the real problem is the requirement for C rated performance certificate. This is a big deal as this really limits the marketplace and if this requirement remains the number of installations will definitely drop.

The strange thing is PV that it is a generation technology so I don't understand why it's related to the heating efficiency of the house. It's in direct contrast to solar thermal where you are creating heat whilst at the same time losing heat through the building. Therefore I can see the rationale of the Green deal and renewable heat initiative requiring insulation alongside the renewable technology.

In the case of PV makes no difference you are generating electricity not heat and electricity from power stations is generally not used to heating.

This is apparently a consultation document I will be writing to request the removal of the C rating requirement as in my view that is very bad news.

The tariff reduction was not welcome is probably fair if they're going to stick within the budget and that will be up to the industry to work with it.

I think it would help everybody in the industry if we were to write to our MPs regarding the energy rating issue. I will be sending my letter off today.

Regards
Paul

 

[CES Heating]

The energy efficiency aspect is not just tied into the heating element of a homes efficiency. It takes into account lighting and electrical appliance energy ratings. That said I believe it is nothing more than a kick start to the ill thought out Green Deal that they are so precious about.
I'm a heating installer who is now shrugging off any venture into the renewable market (after Ive invested a lot of money into training and MCS & REAL) as this government has shown their true colours and it certainly isn't Green! Solar PV is now dead, Solar Thermal is inefficient in terms of payback, Air source heat pumps and Biomass are not considered "green enough" to be considered for RHI, so we're left with Groundsource which is expensive to install amd Wind which in my own opinion is far from reliable.
For reasons best known to themselves the people in charge are bulldozing change through and labelling it as green in order to do so. If I were suspicious then I would be looking into energy & insulation companies and suppliers who stand to make a lot of money out of fitting energy saving lamps & insulation products as part of a "new" government initiative.
There wouldn't happen to be anyone in government who are on the board of these companies would there?...

 

[Dcf]

this bunch of clowns supposedly running the country make that old witch thatcher seem reasonable n level headed.i wonder which of these muppets is an non exec on the board of sse, scottish power etc etc.
correct me if i am wrong but was it not the utility companies that paid the feed in money and not the government?the same utility companies that are building a £275 million pound wind farm about 10 miles from my house.Also the renewable part of the utility company is based in ireland probably for the low corporation tax as well
makes you proud to be british eh?

 

[stevechorner]

i think that the potential customers are going to be stagnant for a little while as the new pricing structure sinks in. I think its rather like a house that you get told is worth 300k then when you come to sell it it goes on the market for 275k ! you think you have lost 25k when in reality you never had it in the first place.

The PV will be much the same, as people will still get a return on their investment albeit extended by a further 6-7 years, but how many home improvements actually pay for themselves over time?

The price of electricity will only increase, yes you wont be able to sell as readily as we have before, but ultimately people will come rounf to buying again.

Those companies without any other revenue streams are going to suffer the most, but ultimately there is still a good PV market albeit we are going to have to work that bit harder to sell it, and we wont be able to kick each other in the nuts and keep dropping the prices!

I only wish that this were the case but I'm afraid I can't agree. Basically you will still gt business from rich people with money to spend but the average previous majority will not spend their savings for the 2 very good reasons that we simply can't get away from.

Firstly, to get most houses to Level C will cost - sometimes massively to the average person putting PV out of the question, and,

Secondly, the rate of return to break even will be much longer - longer than many older people will live for to be honest - and they would be better served as pensioners by investing their money in bonds where they can get their hands on it. Younger people would be better investing it in their growing families. I'm afraid the announcement is very very serious to the future of PV for the average person and what is still requested will be nowhere near enough to keep people employed. Very sad days coming up for many people I feel. I am one of the lucky ones having installed 2 weeks ago but there would be more chance of me visiting the moon than there would have been in me investing in PV post April 2012.

To all you genuine (most) installers out there I wish the very best. Try and get your business planning hats on as much as you can cos you have some big decisions to make. Good luck to you all.