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Energy Saving Trust rejects advice from Solartwin on de-sleazing the solar thermal market.

Filed under: Latest News

STOP PRESS – 1/7/9 EST have now accepted that Solar Twin’s key comments on their document are in fact correct and a review has been suggested! MORE NEWS TO FOLLOW!

Twin Ltd have identified serious flaws in a 40 page solar heating document produced by the Energy Saving Trust (EST). Unfortunately the problem document (CE 131 Solar Water Heating – guidance for professionals, conventional indirect models) limits fair competition in the UK solar heating market by defining solar best practice as that which is offered by ”

Established products

” to the exclusion of Solartwin’s possibly superior solar water heating system.

This matter having not been acted on by Government or the EST, we have now published our concerns here so that the general public can decide for themselves whether the solar water heating industry in UK needs a clean-up.

Besides their strange trick of defining best practice as old solar practice, our other concerns include:

  • Why is mains pumped solar inaccurately described as zero carbon at the start of this document?
  • Why is real zero carbon solar NOT described as best practice in this document?
  • Why are solar water heating installations which fail to comply with HSE guidance on Legionella safety incorrectly described as best practice?
  • Why is HSE’s Legionella Code of Practice and Guidance L8 not even mentioned?
  • Why does the Solar Trade Association put its name to such a misleading document?
  • Who foots the bill for this biased nonsense to be published? If it is the taxpayer, do we have a right to demand higher standards? If so, might it be best practice from an ethical perspective to use authors who do not have commercial or technical axes to grind for documents such as these.

Our requests to Government are this:

  • This document is market limiting and so it should be withdrawn.
  • Reference to it for purposes of the award of grants should also be withdrawn.
  • Reference to it in building regulations and other regulatory documents should also be withdrawn.

If you agree with our requests please feel free to contact the Office of Fair Trading at  Enquiries@oft.gsi.gov.uk

Your action in emailing them now may help to reduce global warming in the future!

Many thanks from Barry Johnston at Solar Twin Ltd.

PS. EST’s Chief Executive, Philip Sellwood, responded on 18 March 2009. Unfortunately it seems they EST in denial because he wrote:

“We are satisfied that our processes for reviewing and updating all our technical guidance are robust and in-line with our organisational quality standards. However, we always welcome comments on our published guidance and ensure these are considered as a part of our publications review meetings.”

Solar Twin Ltd have expressed our concerns to EST.


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Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive Released

Solar Thermal has got the great government funding through the Domestic RHI which it deserves! Solartwin Solar Thermal panels have just become not only a cost cutting and very green option to heat your water but now you will receive additional funding too! The Domestic RHI rates – Released April 2014 Ofgem have produced a […]

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