I make an energy fact-finding visit to Baxi

I visited the boiler manufacturer Baxi in Warwick on 14th May 2007 to find out for myrself more about microgeneration products.

I wanted to get hands-on information, for my own use and also in order to be able to spread the renewables word in my constituency and answer constituents' questions.  I think it is important to understand the different products that are available, both for domestic installation on individual properties and to use on a larger scale within the community, for newbuild and retrofitting on existing buildings. 

With climate change very much part of the Government’s agenda, I believe we must lead by example.  We each have a responsibility be as energy efficient as we can.

Above Kevin Lucas, Business Development Manager for renewables, shows me Baxi’s Solarflo solar thermal domestic water heating package.  This will provide 70% of a household's hot water needs.  

Solar thermal is the most commonly used renewable energy installation triggered by the so-called "Merton Rule", under which councils have the legal right to require a percentage of the energy to be used in new residential, commercial or industrial developments to come from on-site renewable energy developments.

Kevin Lucas then went on to demonstrate to me how the Geoflo ground source heat pump, shown above, works.  The heat pump exploits the temperature differential that exists between above and below ground (in winter it gets warmer the further below ground you go) and amplifies this, so that it effectively pumps heat from under the ground.  These pumps give out five times the amount of energy they consume (they need an energy input to run the pump) and, in my opinion, they ought to be mandatory in all new buildings, as they are in Sweden. 

Mr Lucas further explained to me how Baxi is working on the next generation of microgeneration products, fuel cells and micro CHP, a combined heat and power unit that generates electricity as it heats hot water.

I hope that my visit will help to raise the profile of these important technologies in the West Midlands area.  If you would like further information on Baxi’s portfolio of renewable products, please telephone Baxi on 08706 060 623.

There is plenty of information on the web about other companies that produce energy saving products or provide advice on installation; for example, Solar twin at www.solartwin.com,   Worcester Bosch at www.worcester-bosch.co.uk, or Solar Century at http://www.solarcentury.co.uk/