One of Northamptonshire’s premier installers of renewable technologies has welcomed government help to encourage end users to consider these energy-saving alternatives to more traditional forms of heat production.

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme, that starts in April, is aimed at those using a fossil fuel such as oil or gas, when their current boilers are reaching the end of their life.

The scheme will offer grants of £5,000 for an air source heat pump and of £6,000 for a ground source heat pump, providing they are replacing existing oil or gas boilers. The grant application and administration is all carried out by the installer.

As always with government schemes, certain criteria must be met. The heat pump has to be Microgeneration Certification Scheme-approved, as does the installer. In 2008 Griffiths Air Conditioning, based at Burton Latimer, became the first installer in Northamptonshire to be MCS-registered for heat pumps.

The installation property must meet minimum energy efficiency requirements of loft and cavity wall insulation, where possible. Homeowners will also need a domestic Energy Performance Certificate for the property.

Heat pumps use electricity that is increasingly generated from a renewable source such as wind or solar and operate is a similar way to a fridge in a kitchen, moving heat from one place to another.

The Daikin Altherma range of air source heat pumps was launched in 2006, since when Griffiths have been working closely with Daikin to provide homeowners with these energy-efficient alternatives to oil or gas boilers.

Heat pumps are now the number one choice for new self-build homes as they provide more than four kilowatts of heat for every one kilowatt of electricity needed to run them. They can be used to feed water-based underfloor heating or conventional radiator central heating systems. Running them at a low temperature for longer periods is very energy-efficient.

Griffiths also install the Kensa range of ground source heat pumps which are particularly suited to new build properties with plenty of land in which to bury the heat collectors.

To find out more, contact Griffiths on 01536 420666, at www.griffithsaircon.co.uk or by visiting the Griffiths Energy Efficiency Centre showroom at 111 High Street in Burton Latimer, open 9am-5pm Monday to Friday.