OFTEC IRELAND NEWS
David Blevings and Sean McBride from OFTEC Ireland visit SERC for Sapphire Blue Flame Modulating boiler demo.
Biofuel boiler demo OFTEC Ireland visited SERC Newtownabbey recently for a demonstration to installers and housing association representatives on the advantages of the Sapphire Blue Flame Modulating low NOX liquid fuel boiler from EOGB. Speaking after the event, David Blevings from OFTEC Ireland said, “We thoroughly enjoyed the visit and demonstration of the new Sapphire boiler at SERC in Newtownards. Both EOGB and SERC are OFTEC members, and along with all our boiler-manufacturing members, EOGB are pushing the change to renewable fuels. This includes the utilisation of bioliquids, and it is great to see the investment by EOGB and SERC in developing this opportunity locally for installers.” Sean McBride from OFTEC Ireland said, “It was positive to meet a group of installers and housing association representatives who are now genuinely interested and asking questions about biofuels and how they can assist to move oil consumers off grid to a low carbon fuel.”
Northern Ireland currently using a liquid fuel would require insulation upgrades, On average, these are between £12,300 - £18,900**. On top of that, the average installation cost of an air source heat pump would add approximately an additional £11,000. So the minimum cost to install an air source heat pump could be in the region of £23,000. FUEL POVERTY We are not against heat pumps. They are a good product if used in a new or very well-insulated house. The problem we have in Northern Ireland is that our housing stock is poorly insulated. We don’t service our appliances on a regular basis and only change or upgrade a heating appliance when it breaks down. That does not bode well for the deployment of heat pumps. Pre-pandemic Northern Ireland experienced a 22% rate of fuel poverty, with many more now facing economic difficulties as we navigate out of the other side following two years of instability. OFTEC Ireland is continually reiterating that the introduction
of a biofuel is a viable, affordable option and should be part of Northern Ireland’s future energy mix. Earlier this year, OFTEC Ireland responded to the Energy Strategy consultation, issued by the Department of Energy, which outlined options for phasing out fossil fuels. In our response, we detailed that significant reductions in carbon emissions (c.88%) from a liquid fuelled boiler can be achieved today if we switched all Northern Irish consumers to 100% hydro treated vegetable oil, or HVO as it is commonly known. Replacing kerosene with HVO would be a seamless transition for existing liquid fuel users and a simple option for Government to reduce carbon emissions in the off-grid sector at least cost for consumers. The results of the consultation will be published later this year, but our hope is that COP26 highlights that achieving net zero doesn’t leave anyone behind because of their income. * Northern Ireland House Condition Survey (NIHCS) 2016. ** UK Gov. Parliamentary Questions, 30 September 2020; MCS Low Carbon Heat Taskforce Average Cost of Certified Installations by Technology
David Blevings, OFTEC Ireland Manager on T: +44 (0)28 9186 2916 Sean McBride, Ireland Representative on T: +44 (0)7540 502 304 (NI) or +353 (0)87 241 7041 (RoI) www.oftec.org
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