Regional MD insists government 'takes action' to embrace clean energy tech

The managing director of one of a home services provider is calling on the government to explore the retrofitting of alternative energy systems in older buildings and premises throughout the country to help reach its carbon footprint targets.

Kevin Brown, group managing director of Houghton le Spring-based Pacifica Group, has contributed to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy’s ‘A Future Framework for Heat in Buildings’ consultation to provide evidence on and argue the case for cleaner energy systems, such as ground source heat pumps (GSHP).

Pacifica Group’s network of engineers carry out installations of energy efficient and renewable heating systems to commercial and domestic applications across the UK.

The company has worked on several projects with private sector businesses and local authorities involving the installation of GSHPs, which have the potential to deliver substantial savings through the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI), as well as cutting carbon emissions.

The RHI is a governmental environmental programme, which provides financial incentives to eligible installations of renewable heating systems by businesses, not-for-profits and the public sector. Qualifying schemes receive quarterly payments over 20 years based on the amount of heat generated.

The consultation forms part of the government’s wider Clean Growth Strategy, led by Claire Perry MP, Minister of State for Energy and Clean Growth, which aims to phase out the installation of high carbon fossil fuel heating in buildings off the gas grid.

It also sets out the government’s target of reducing emissions by at least 80 per cent by 2050.

In one of the projects cited in Kevin’s evidence, the installation of GSHP technology is expected to reduce a fire service’s reliance on fossil fuels by halving carbon emissions, while saving the council more than £200k in energy cost savings through the Non-Domestic RHI.

Kevin said: “GSHP technology is an innovative form of energy efficiency and should be considered by government as a sustainable energy source that will help to reduce its carbon emissions significantly.

“The government and large organisations should focus their attention on the older buildings and premises where GSHPs may have been previously deemed unsuitable.

“We need to embrace this cleaner alternative, which should be rolled out and considered a mainstream, sustainable energy source.”

Pacifica Group is one of the UK’s largest providers of home services, including home appliance, gas heating, inspection repair and replacement services, as well as product warranty.

It employs around 500 staff and handles more than 230,000 service calls each year.