REAL Assurance Scheme
Guidance to help consumers choose micro generation systems
This document has been produced by the Renewable Energy Association as a guide for any-one buying or leasing small-scale renewable or heat and power systems for their homes, community buildings or small business premises. (These systems are referred to in this guidance as micro generation systems.)
Why is guidance needed?
It is important that micro generation equipment is specified, installed and maintained correctly, not only for the individual customer, but also for the development of the renewable energy industry at large. Unsuccessful applications will damage the reputation and credibility of this newly-emerging environmental sector. This is why we have gone to the trouble of producing guidance.
We are aware of a small number of cases where becoming a micro generator has not turned out to be a happy experience for the consumer. Our understanding leads us to believe that this can result from unrealistic expectations on the part of the customer. This could be the fault of either party. This guide - aimed at the customer, and the full Consumer Code - to be followed by member companies, aims to ensure this does not happen.
Micro generation consumers are not necessarily technical experts, and nor should they need to be. On the other hand, without being an expert, consumers should make some effort to understand what they are purchasing. They should have a clear understanding of their expectations, and appreciate the extent to which the system proposed can reasonably meet them.
This guide is designed to help you to get what you want from a micro generation system. By following it, it will give you comfort that the company with which you are dealing is following the REAL Assurance Scheme Consumer Code for the supply of renewable and micro heat and power generators.
Why do you want to install sustainable energy equipment?
You may want to help save the planet, save yourself money, simply enjoy the idea of generate electricity and selling some to the grid or show your neighbours how green you are. Or it may be for a combination of various objectives.
It is just as well to think carefully about exactly why you are doing want to become a micro generator. The bullet points in the box below may give you some things to consider. Whatever your motives are, think energy efficiency first. You want to make sure that your behaviour, premises and appliances are all as energy efficient as possible. You don’t want to be wasting your precious renewable energy.
Saving the planet
Broadly speaking emissions savings are greatest the higher up the list you come
- Space/water heating using renewables instead of electricity
- Space/water heating using renewables instead of heating by oil
- Generating your own renewable electricity
- Space/water heating using renewables instead of heating by gas
- Space/water heating using combined heat and power instead of heating by gas
Of course you may want to do several of these things.
Showing your green credentials
If you have a wind turbine on your roof, or solar panels facing the street, the chances are it’ll be noticed. Once installed, no one will know you have a ground-source heat pump... Saving money.
Broadly speaking, if you are off the gas network, then renewable heat can make financial sense, even if you couldn’t care less about the environment.
If you are on gas, and the time comes to replace your boiler, a CHP unit could deliver a healthy financial payback. (You can get more details from independent sources, such as the Energy Saving Trust.)
Selling power to the grid
Obviously the bigger your generator, the more electricity you will be able to sell to the grid. Electricity costs you more to buy than you can earn from selling it, so unless you are looking to generate power as a business, it makes sense to size your equipment to match your needs, and minimise the export of power. However, larger installations will generally have a lower capital cost relative to their power-generating capacity.
Some very general rules of thumb
If you are not on gas, then it is likely that you will get the best financial value from an installation that produces heating or hot water, such as biomass heating, ground source heat pump, solar thermal water heating.
If you have a large, un-shaded, predominantly south facing roof space, you are fortunate, as this will be ideal for solar panels. It is possible to have solar panels on other aspects or mounted proud of the roofline.
If you are contemplating a new-build project, or a house extension, then again you are fortunate, as it will be cheaper to incorporate micro generation systems at the time of building rather than fitting them later (“retro-fitting”).
Ground source heat pumps can have vertical or horizontal heat exchangers. Consider how a drill might get access to the site for a vertical well, or if you have enough space for a “slinky” if you want to have a horizontal arrangement. The feasibility of drilling is highly dependent on the geology under your property. Oversized radiators will work considerably better than undersized with ground source heat pumps, and under-floor heating is ideal.
Consider the availability of biomass fuel, and where you will store it, if you’re thinking of biomass heating.
Know your current energy use
It helps to have an idea of the amount of energy you use in your home. The company selling you the installation will be able to estimate typical consumption, based on your house type and occupancy. However, this is no substitute to information on your actual consumption. Tally up your utility bills, and see how much gas you use and how much electricity. Both will be measured in kWh (kilowatt hours) but keep the amounts separate. If you aren’t on gas, look at your oil or other fuel use.
The company should provide you with written estimates of the anticipated performance of the micro generation system it recommends for you. It should be clear if it is using your own data, or estimates from others. If the company provides you with an estimate for your type of dwelling, you may find it interesting to compare it with your actual consumption.
Understanding your current energy use is a major consideration in contemplating a home energy system and you should expect the company you are dealing with to want to know about it in detail. Lack of interest on their part should give you cause for concern.
What you should expect from the company with which you are dealing
Show-stoppers
The company must be a member of the REAL Assurance Scheme. Look out for the REALity check symbol. If they don’t have it, find a company that does. REAL companies are listed here.
By being a member of the scheme the company is required to comply with the Consumer Code. That means they only use REAL installers or are accredited as REAL installers in their own right. Also they will only use products that are certified under the Low Carbon Buildings Programme or the Clear Skies Programme.
REAL companies do not engage in high pressure selling techniques, such as:
- staying on the customer’s property for an unreasonably long time
- offering you a high initial price followed by a discount
- offering you a discount for signing on the day
- withholding price information from you until the end of the visit
- claiming that there is limited availability of a product.
Their advertising material should not be ambiguous, misleading or untruthful. It should not attack or discredit other products.
Working up your home-energy proposal
Expect the company to draw your attention to the existence of this guidance, and to deal with you in a courteous, constructive and prompt manner. Individuals should show you evidence of their identification when they enter your home, including name and job title.
Performance predictions
This is a complex area, but obviously very important. If you are technically minded, and want to know the detail, see the section on presenting performance information.
Otherwise, you should expect a REAL company to provide you with written estimates of the anticipated performance of your system in an accepted format, and indicate clearly if this is based on estimates or is referenced to your actual energy use.
If you have cause for concern over any aspect listed above, Don’t sign the contract. Instead, you should seek a second opinion from in idenpendent source. Remember also that you have a cooling off period once you have signed a contract.
Next steps: consents and quotes for the work
You should be clear as to who is seeking planning approval (if required), or any other permissions or consents required.
It should be made clear to you if you are required or obliged to carry out any duties, (such as providing information, or to operating or maintaining equipment.)
Aspects such as cooling off period, payment methods, guarantees, and the timescale for the work should all be made clear to you by the company.
If there are problems
If you are unfortunate enough to experience problems, the REAL Assurance Consumer Code sets out precisely the consumer complaints procedure, the scheme’s conciliation service and the independent arbitration procedure.
There is also information on how the scheme deals with companies that do not conform to the code and measures we have put in place to ensure that the code is effective.
We hope you found this useful, and hope that you will join the thousands of others who have become micro-generators.
REAL Assurance Scheme ©2008 | 25/07/2008 | E & OE | www.realassurance.org.uk