Boris Johnson announces 10-point green plan with 250,000 jobs-HelpWith comments
Following Boris Johnson’s announcement, Founder of HelpWith, a novel, new, NetZero consultancy, Educates, Supports & Protects, comments on the issues:
We have been helping homeowners and property owners navigate the now-defunct Green Homes Grant. Additionally, helping them get to NetZero by defining their technological needs across a wide portfolio. We discuss their technical, financial, emotional needs and mutually produce a requirements document.
Classes of users:
1. High-value people with large estates and the need for multiple technologies
2. Low budget people on government grants, trying to navigate and claim the grant
3. Charities getting given local council assets to manage
The Elephant in the Room is insulation. Our Victorian houses, which are highly “Leaky” and need to be better insulated. When North Sea gas was discovered, the UK & Netherlands opted for installing the necessary infrastructure to enable distribution. Scandinavia, with now the highest population of heat pumps, have/had modern, highly insulated (Passive Haus standard) houses. Scandinavia also wanted to move away from its reliance on OPEC (Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries), flexing the oil price upwards or closing the valve on supply for political reasons. The UK has famously failed to deliver insulated housing stock. It is not easy or cheap without skilled resources to deliver this promise.
This lack of resource caused us to speak recently to over fifty insulation companies. We found just one willing to bid for the job. Heat Pump vendors treat the sale as if it were a gas boiler replacement or even worse use double glazing tactics. Typically heat pump installations require accurate heat calculations, replacing single with double radiators and their associated new pipework, replacing water tanks, since taken out, high electricity bills. In worst cases permafrost and iced solid compressor units. We have experienced companies never responding to requests for quotations, never returning emails or phone calls.
Heat pumps are an interim fix, hydrogen-based boilers are the future, cheaper and far simpler to install with a whole lot less risk. (Being field-tested in the UK & Netherlands)
Photovoltaic (PV) installers are overwhelmed with demand and only focus on maximising the number of panels they can fit on a roof. PV is now 80% cheaper than it was 10 years ago. Combine PV with Solar Hot water heating, keeping, and protecting your old gas boiler infrastructure, is a really simple, low cost, risk-free approach. Soon, with the price of batteries falling, that will complete the circle, using excess production for night-time and low sun situations. In the future, utility companies will give batteries away for free, in return for their use.
In summary, the total, lack of engineering skill, the poor educational and vocational approach to labour, the old UK chestnut of lack of investment and support from the Government (Now being forced to improve, due to Climate Change pressure). Lack of integrity and sales skills. Suppliers not taking a holistic and caring approach to people. What is needed is a mix of technologies, the ability to deliver complex heating systems where necessary, or simplified solutions, with care.
HelpWith is a unique organisation, taking a fresh approach.