| By :
Martin Hofschroer
Britain is in danger of failing to meet its renewable energy targets despite government schemes, claims a heating manufacturer. Robert Lockhart, renewables project manager at Vokera, told Heating & Plumbing Monthly magazine that Britain is falling behind its neighbour Ireland in combating carbon emissions and is still a long way off from meeting the 2020 15 per cent renewable energy target. Government initiatives such as the Low Carbon Buildings Programme and the 'feed-in tariff' are well intentioned but are being stifled by red tape and bureaucracy, according to Mr Lockhart. Robert Lockhart told the publication that the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) needs to be less regimented so that more suppliers and installers can benefit from new more environmentally friendly products. He told the magazine: "The pace of new 'green' technologies coming onto the UK marketplace is rapid, yet there are suppliers wishing to register new products that cannot because of the restrictive nature of the MCS." The MCS gives consumers the guarantee that certified microgeneration products and the installers of those products have conformed to a rigorous set of standards. To qualify for financial incentives such as the Low Carbon Buildings Programme, both the microgeneration product and the installer must carry the MCS mark. Robert Lockhart went on to say that electricians and plumbers may need to go on green energy courses in order to meet the demand for renewable products. Examples of renewable heat technologies include air and ground source heat pumps, biomass boilers, solar-thermal water heaters and combined heat and power plants. Heat generated from renewable sources account for around one per cent of total heat demand and this may need to rise to 12 per cent in order to hit EU targets. "The tens-of-thousands of Gas Safe registered installers, who potentially have the transferable skill set to install solar thermal and air source heat pumps," Mr Lockhart told Heating & Plumbing Monthly. Plumbing courses and electrical courses will change in the future as the installation of energy efficient forms of heating and lighting grow in importance. Powers in the Energy Act 2008 allow the setting up of a Renewable Heat Incentive, which the government hopes will be in place for 2011. Government plans for green loans that will enable householders to fund energy efficiency measures such as insulation and renewable technology were revealed recently. The Pay As You Save (PAYS) scheme is part of the government's Household Energy Management (HEMS) strategy, Warm Homes, Greener Homes and has been piloted in Birmingham, Sussex, Surrey, Sutton and Stroud.
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