Baxi Ecogen is the first, commercially available micro-CHP (Combined Heat and Power) unit for the home.

“Baxi Ecogen heralds the most important step-change for the home heating industry since the condensing boiler” says Mark Kelly, Baxi Group’s CEO. “This is the first, wall-hung micro-CHP unit.

In addition to being available for private homes, it can be specified by local authorities, housing associations and private developers. It will help them meet Level 3 of the Code for Sustainable Homes; tackle fuel poverty issues more effectively and significantly cut carbon emissions. Baxi Ecogen is a unique, world-class technology for the 21st century home”.

• The appliance’s Free Piston Stirling Engine (FPSE) generates up to 1kWh of electricity, whilst providing abundant supplies of space heating and hot water for the home.

• The unit responds to an initial heat demand up to 6kW by igniting the engine gas burner. The heat causes the gas inside the FPSE to expand, moving a piston up and down between a copper coil. As a result, electricity is generated in a similar way to an alternator in a car.

• If the heat demand moves above 6kW, Baxi Ecogen’s supplementary burner fires up to offer an additional 18kW of heat. As the heat demand in the home falls, the appliance’s controls can modulate operation down to 3kW, while still generating electricity to provide maximum energy efficiency.

• Extensive field trials in over 400 UK homes have shown that Baxi Ecogen units can reliably satisfy up to two thirds of a typical household’s electrical requirements.

For all electricity generated, the householder will receive 10pkWh, using the recently announced Government Feed-In Tariffs (FIT) scheme, effective from April 2010. Any unused electricity can be exported back to the grid for which the householder will receive a further 3pkWh.

Using its many years’ experience as Europe’s premier heating equipment manufacturer, Baxi Group has designed the appliance to be a similar size to a conventional wall-hung domestic boiler. The unit is suitable for use on open vented and sealed systems, making it ideal for straightforward specification and installation within a wide variety of new-build and replacement projects.

Dedicated intelligent Baxi controls can be incorporated into the system, to enhance comfort, increase energy efficiency even further and ensure the unit is suitable for a broad range of property types and sizes.

For further information visit the Baxi Ecogen website.

Tel: (0844) 871 1525

Consumers may be missing out on thousands of pounds of government-funded initiatives available across the UK, according to Home Heating Guide, the leading online resource for domestic heating and energy issues.

Home Heating Guide have established that many homeowners may find they are eligible for home energy efficiency grants that cover the installation of new high efficiency condensing boilers, central heating systems and home insulation, in a Government drive to reduce domestic household carbon emissions.

The initiatives available across, England, Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland are operated regionally, with varying criteria and grant amounts, which is explained in greater detail online at Home Heating Guide.

David Holmes of Home Heating Guide commented “many homeowners are unaware that grants are available, which cover a relatively wide criteria and not just reserved for a lucky few; so we’re encouraging consumers, especially those on benefits, to check on our website to find out if they are eligible”

In addition to grants, consumers will also benefit in the form of lower fuel bills, a condensing boiler can reduce household energy bills by up to £235, with a potential reduction in CO2 emissions of up to 1,260 kg/year.

Loft insulation and cavity wall insulation, can reduce bills even further, by up to £265 and a whopping 1,410 kg/year saving in CO2 emissions, a very significant amount, not only to the consumers pocket, but also the environment.

For those who may not qualify for a full grant, some regions operate a partial grant or rebate system, which is usually aimed at over 60’s who are not on benefits, but may need help with a heating system or energy efficiency advice.

Either way consumers are urged to apply now, in the quieter and warmer months, to ensure their application is processed in preparation for winter.

For more information on home heating grants and rebates, visit:
Web: http://www.homeheatingguide.co.uk

Staggering increases in gas and electricity prices have resulted in a plethora of energy saving tips from the Government and the energy companies; but the fact remains, if we want to pay less for our gas, we’ve got to use less.

Gas-elec’s g-save is a new energy saving device, launched in October 2008 – in trial conditions and has so far come up with impressive savings – from 22% in a 2 bedroom terraced cottage to 34% in a 4 bedroom detached house (calculated on actual meter readings with, and without, the g-save).

In February 2009, Good Housekeeping magazine awarded the g-save their Innovation of the Month, when it achieved savings of 31% in trials.

The g-save is a ‘smart’ technology boiler economizer, which effectively manages the amount of fuel a typical central heating boiler uses:

• In a standard domestic heating system, there is a time lag between the thermostat demanding heat from the boiler and then registering that the water or room is hot enough.
• The thermostat eventually cuts off the demand but, due to the heat that still has to work through the system, the time lag causes the hot water or the room to become overheated, so fuel is wasted.
• The g-save economizer is unique, as it has two electronic timers each pulsing at different pre-set times, which run twenty four hours a day, seven days a week.
• One timer is wired into the room thermostat, whilst the other is wired into the hot water cylinder thermostat wiring.
• The g-save pulses the demand for heat, so that the latent heat in the system is still moved around and used to full effect, even when the boiler is not active, thus making substantial savings on gas usage.

The unit, which works on gas, oil or LPG-fuelled installations, retails at £156 including VAT, or £216 for supply and fit including VAT.

The g-save economizer has been developed and patented by gas-elec, one of the UK’s leading specialist safety and service companies.

Web: http://www.gas-elec.co.uk/gsave
Tel: (01895) 420777

E.ON, one of the UK’s largest power and gas companies, has reaffirmed its commitment to helping households reduce their gas bills, by offering £700 off a new boiler for a limited time only.*

For people over the age of 60, this amount could increase to £1,000.

The Energy Saving Trust has advised that replacing an older boiler with a new energy efficient condensing boiler, could save households around a third on their heating bills, which with full heating controls, could save UK households as much as £270 a year.

As well as the financial savings, energy efficient boilers also reduce household carbon dioxide emissions by up to 875kg a year.

In addition to immediate and ongoing savings on heating bills, replacing an old boiler can also add value to the home, making it easier to sell in a slow market, with research from the Energy Saving Trust showing that nearly 70% of Britons believe that energy efficiency is important when buying a home, and that over a third of home buyers would be put off buying a property with an outdated heating system.

David Topping, Head of Commercial Operations at E.ON UK Retail, said: “It’s a difficult time for many families in the UK and we want to do what we can to help with this. By providing £700 or more, off a new energy efficient boiler, we can reduce the initial expense and households can benefit from the immediate reduction in their heating bills.”

For further information, or to find out if this offer is available in your area, visit:

Web: http://www.eonenergy.com/heating

* Terms and conditions apply, available on request.  Subject to availability.(Offer ends on 15th September)

If you’ve never hear of mCHP - you’re probably not alone - but it’s a term we’re going to hear a lot more about in the future: mCHP stands for Micro Combined Heat and Power - and is the name for boilers that generate electricity as well as providing heating and hot water.

This WhisperGen from Powergen is the first commercially available domestic mCHP boiler in the world. It is powered by mains gas, to provide central heating and hot water. It also converts excess heat that would normally escape through the exhaust flue, into electricity to power your lights and other household appliances.

The WhisperGen has a maximum electrical output of 1.2kW, and could cut your energy bills by as much as £120 per year compared to a conventional boiler. And because it’s using waste heat to create this electricity, it’s kind to the environment too.

Powergen will supply and install a WhisperGen mCHP boiler in your home for £3,000. Powergen say this is around £500-600 more than a conventional boiler installation, and that the payback period will be around four years. Any surplus electricity generated can be sold back to Powergen, offering further savings.

tel: (0800) 107 1366