The Irish energy sector has been playing catch-up in the last number of years, no more so than with renewable energy systems. The building boom of late, environmental pressures, changes in building codes and updated planning regulations have all contributed.

Ireland is lagging far behind in its commitments and use of renewable energy in both commercial and domestic usage. Yet Ireland is one of the best placed countries in Europe to take advantage of renewable technologies.

While government policy on renewable energy may be well intentioned, dependence on fossil fuels is showing no signs of slowing. Ireland has seen massive growth in the availability of renewable energy systems, yet penetration is stubbornly slow.

All this at a time when public awareness of energy conservation has never been higher. The benefits are clear, so what has gone wrong?

During the construction boom, Ireland’s wealth exploded. Soaring demand set the scene for many of the problems which dog the renewable energy sector.

During this time, SEI introduced a generous grant scheme for renewable energy products in an effort to reduce the growing energy requirement for traditional systems.

Recipe for failure
With larger and more sophisticated properties being built, expectations rose. People wanted the latest equipment installed with little constraint on costs. In the rush to satisfy demand and take advantage of the grant scheme, many new supplies rushed to fill the void.

Up to this point there were very few companies or individuals in Ireland with a background, experience or in-depth knowledge in the renewable energy field.

Suddenly there were experts in renewable energy everywhere offering equipment imported mainly from continental Europe and Scandinavia in a readymade market.

Demand was so high that little sales experience was required. The grant payment only served as a catalyst. For technically advanced heating and energy equipment, this was a recipe for failure.

Installations
Installation issues quickly arose, especially with domestic systems. Knowledge was lacking and installers were left to their own devices when installing these newer technologies.

As a result, mistakes were made; leading to incorrect installation practices becoming the norm. Little time was given to undergo proper training, which meant there was little or no understanding of the basic requirements of the new technologies.

Systems were, in most cases, being installed in the same manor as a standard oil or gas system. Customers were not shown how to operate the equipment correctly or what the correct maintenance entailed. The situation was replicated around the country with many installations.
Bad Press

Many mistruths circulated. Particularly hard hit were wood pellet systems, as these have multi function digital control panels and also require regular cleaning/maintenance by the end user.

This helped to compound the problem. As more systems were installed, more installation problems arose and as many of the problems were not properly understood and so were not easy to resolve.

Customers were growing dissatisfied with what they saw as expensive equipment not doing what it was supposed to do. Frustration grew as breakdowns and under-performing boilers became more common.

This led to a prolonged period of widespread bad press. As a result, many systems were taken out, only to be replaced by oil. The net affect was a slump in consumer confidence and plummeting sales.

Of course, this is not the way it should have been. Renewable energy systems are a proven technology - they are clean burning, carbon natural, highly efficient and cost up to 50% less to run then conventional systems.

They are used successfully in many countries to reduce dependence on fossil fuel and reduce running costs.

Pros and Cons
Understanding the pros and cons of the many system types in an objective manner is hugely important. Bio-fuel systems, for instance, are not the same as oil or gas when it comes to installation.

The Irish climate and usage profile is very different from that of the countries where most of this equipment is designed for use. This alone is one of the biggest oversights made in Irish installations. In Ireland, we do not get the extreme winters to warrant continued operation.

However, many of the systems available on the Irish market are set-up to run continuously for the colder continental market.

A heating system in any building is a major part of the infrastructure, which is, for the most part, concealed during construction. Fixing mistakes later is costly and not feasible in most cases. Understanding that there is more to consider than just the boiler itself is crucial.

After all, this is just one component of any modern heating or energy (CHP) system.

Detailed consideration must be given to the most suitable delivery system (radiators, under floor, forced air, etc), how the system is controlled, the requirements/usage profile of the building, flue requirements, system of pipe runs, water storage and boiler recovery time.

A well established, fully trained and competent installer who provides a sound back-up service is essential.

Ireland needs to learn from the mistakes of the past, reduce its reliance on traditional fuels for heating and energy and aggressively promote a greater use of renewable energy products through better information on the advantages and cost saving of bio-fuels.

A proper education and training program, such as the Bord Gáis certified installer program, is critical in regaining confidence in this sector.

Professional independent advice and informed planning at the outset is crucial in helping to keep capital costs down while selecting the most suitable system to meet individual requirements.

Brian Bowe is managing director of independent energy consultants, Hescon Ltd.