Solar installers - your last chance to claim £1,000

MCS is working with Solar Energy UK and the Mayor of London’s office to deliver a joint project, Solar Skills London. The project is offering £1,000 to newly-certified London Solar PV installers, and you can apply now. The project aims to grow the capital’s solar sector by creating career pathways for the next generation of solar experts, increasing the number of registered solar installer businesses in London and helping to create more green jobs. The project is also working to support increased diversity in the solar sector, and help underrepresented groups in the renewables industry to start or grow their businesses and careers in solar. In the current phase of the project, MCS is working to develop the solar supply chain in London by increasing the number of businesses certified as solar PV installers in Greater London. It aims to increase the number of certified solar installers in London by 50% by the end of the project. This means that the initial cost of certification will be removed to help businesses enter the London solar sector. The Mayor of London will be refunding £1,000 in costs to businesses that become certified before 31 March 2023. The grant of £1,000 will be paid directly into the eligible company’s bank account when they are successfully registered on the MCS installation database. The project has already seen several contractors complete the certification process and receive their grants, and there are more businesses currently undergoing certification. Now is your last chance to apply, begin the certification process and claim your £1,000. Shirley Rodrigues, Deputy Mayor for Energy and Environment says ,”The Solar Skills London project plays a vital role in increasing London’s solar capacity and reducing our reliance on fossil fuels as we work towards our ambitious target of London being net zero by 2030. “Projects like this also boost our green economy and accelerate our efforts in cleaning London’s air as we build a greener and better London for everyone.” Dan White, MCS Market Development Director adds, “We have seen the number of certified solar PV installations grow continuously in recent years, with the total UK numbers in 2022 more than doubling those in 2021. With growing interest in domestic solar during the cost-of-living crisis and the industry support from the Mayor’s Solar Action Plan, there has never been a better time to become a certified solar contractor in London and grow your future green career.”

Drayton launches The Heating Efficiency Podcast

Drayton has launched The Heating Efficiency Podcast. The new show is hosted by Clare@Drayton, who will be joined by industry experts to discuss various topics surrounding heating system efficiency. Season one of The Heating Efficiency Podcast will air between January and May 2023, with a new episode every other Wednesday. Each episode will discuss different ways to optimise heating systems, covering topics such as system balancing, heat loss calculations, low boiler flow temperatures, heat pumps, water quality and more. The content comes from Drayton’s successful 2022 Facebook Live sessions, previously only available to members of The Drayton Community. Each episode will include expert opinions and advice from the likes of Richard Burrows from Mid Wales Plumbing & Heating Supplies; The Heating Hub’s Founder Jo Alsop; Kimbo Betty, owner of Heating Academy Northampton and Rob Berridge of Rob Berridge Heating Design Consultancy, with the bi-weekly instalments running for up to an hour for a detailed round up of the hottest topics in heating. Now live on Spotify and Amazon Music, the first episode of the new podcast - ‘How Low Flow Temperatures Can Help Reduce Energy Waste’ - features expert commentary from Richard Burrows, Rob Berridge, Kimbo Betty, Paul Hull and Jo Alsop.

Toolstation celebrates 20 years with 20 deals

To celebrate its 20th year, Toolstation has unveiled 20 deals for tradespeople to help them secure the best possible prices for trade-quality products. New customers downloading the Toolstation’s app can also get an additional 10% off their first app order until 12 February. It means customers will get access to these deals through the Toolstation app, in store and online, prices are valid until at least 20 March and are subject to availability. Stand-out offers from Toolstation include a £100 saving on the DeWalt 18V XR Brushless Compact Combi, Impact Driver, multi tool three-piece kit, reduced from £399.98 to £299.98; a £40 saving on the DeWalt 18v XR Brushless Impact Driver, reduced from £159.98 to £119.98; and a £65 saving on the tado° Smart TRV Thermostatic Radiator Valve, reduced from £264.99 to £199.99. Greg Richardson, Head of Marketing at Toolstation says, “We’ve been trusted by the trades for over 20 years to provide our customers with great value and quality. The energy crisis and consumer squeeze have meant that this is more important than ever. We have 20 compelling deals to celebrate our 20 years and Tradespeople can save even more on their first app order.” To view all 20 anniversary deals, head to the Toolstation website.

ECA calls for swift action on EV OFGEM plan

ECA welcomes the government’s EV Smart Charging Action Plan, and its commitment to develop Britain’s smart electricity network. With only seven years until the sale of new petrol and diesel cars end, swift action is vital. ECA has advocated for a UK-wide integrated EV network for the last two years. The aim of OFGEM’s plan is to make public EV charging easy, affordable and sustainable for consumers. It offers a vision - EVs as ‘batteries on wheels’ - transferring electricity back to the grid at peak demand. As more of our buildings are adapted to the energy prosumer model - where energy is given back to, as well as taken from, the grid - renewable generation, storage, load shifting, and time-of-use tariffs will all come into play. Electrical contractors will be instrumental in installing and maintaining these new systems. ECA Energy and Emerging Technologies Solutions Advisor, Luke Osborne says, “Developing a smart and flexible electrical grid is essential to reach our net zero commitments. Smart EV charging is a major component of this. “Right now, there are an average of 30 electric vehicles to every charge point in the UK. We must act fast to reduce this disparity and make it as easy to charge an EV as it is to refill other types of vehicles. “The government’s goal of installing 300,000 EV charge points by 2030 is ambitious. But, with a joined-up strategy for the country, which includes investment in infrastructure and talent, it can be attained.” Vehicle-to-grid trials around the world have been widely successful. As the Combined Charging System (CCS) standard extends this capability to the UK, the bi-directional flow of energy to and from EVs is expected to become commonplace. As technologies and systems continue to develop, it is important for contractors to obtain proper training with these new systems, and the skills to work with a new kind of electrical grid. ECA offers specialist guidance to its members in this area and is at the vanguard of the transition to net zero infrastructure.

BCIA Young Engineers Network elects Chair and Vice Chair

The Building Controls Industry Association (BCIA) has announced that its Young Engineers Network (YEN) has elected its inaugural Chair and Vice Chair. Greg Smith, Lead Commissioning Engineer at E.ON Controls, has been elected to the position of Chair, with Abbie Bewley, Trainee Control Engineer with InTandem Systems, in the role of Vice Chair. BCIA President Graeme Rees described the announcement as "A great step forward for the YEN”. The BCIA Young Engineers Network provides an opportunity for the future talent of the BEMS industry to come together to network and to provide support to allow career progression. Having held three successful events, and now with more than 200 Linkedin followers, the network hopes to build on its early success with its future now being directed by its members. Greg comments, “The YEN enjoyed a really positive start last year and it is a real honour for me to be elected as the network’s inaugural Chair and to be given the chance to hopefully lead and inspire the next generation of young building controls engineers towards a successful career in the BEMS industry.” Abbie adds, “I am very proud to have been elected as Vice Chair of the BCIA’s YEN and I look forward to working with Greg to build on the network’s progress so far. We enjoyed some really useful events last year and we will hopefully have some more organised for 2023.”

Brand new branch opens in Bicester

Bicester, Oxfordshire now has a large new CEF branch. The brand-new premises on Launton Trade Park covers a huge 3,880ft² of ground floor space and boasts a further 3,600ft² mezzanine to offer the widest choice of electrical essentials and accessories. Newly appointed Bicester Branch Manager Callum Machon, who has relocated after working for CEF in the North West of England for 10 years, is eager to take on the challenge of the new branch. Callum says, “The facility we have here at Bicester is simply amazing, boasting 7,480ft² of space and hosting industry-leading brands throughout. We’re actively looking to become the go-to electrical wholesaler in the area, able to serve customers with all manner of electrical essentials, a great range of power tools and the latest renewables products, backed by industry-leading service and advice.” CEF Bicester opened to the trade and public on 23 January 2023, and has plans to host special customer events in March and April.

Fuuse increases public charging utilisation by 85%

Fuuse is raising visibility for public chargers through integrations with Zap-Map, Google Maps and Apple Maps, and agreements with popular charge card networks. These latest charger promotion features, piloted by Charge My Street, enable organisations with public chargers to advertise live charger status' to more EV drivers. Through a series of partnerships and integrations, Fuuse can now offer its clients wider exposure for public chargers and increased visibility amongst drivers. Drivers can now find Fuuse powered chargers through their preferred map tools, see real time availability of those chargers, and check whether they are currently working. Drivers can also access Fuuse chargers through preferred charge card suppliers, including Paua, Allstar and Octopus Electroverse, with more partnerships to be announced. Fuuse piloted its new charger promotion services with Lancashire based Charge My Street, who install and operate community funded public EV charge points. The results were instant, with an immediate uplift in unique drivers, charging sessions and revenue seen in the first month. Last month, Charge My Street chargers saw an 80% increase in unique drivers and an 85% increase in charging sessions, since before the trial began. Resulting revenues had increased by 246% between September and December. Daniel Heery, Director of Strategy at Charge My Street explains, “Charge My Street is committed to making the charging experience as simple as possible. Integrating with eMobility service providers like Allstar, Electroverse and Paua opens up the network to more drivers and helps increase usage. The Fuuse team have really delivered on the technical integrations - letting us get on with growing our network.” Dan Lucy Lloyd, Chief Projects Officer for Fuuse says, “We are delighted to offer increased exposure of our clients’ chargers with these latest integrations. Not only are we delivering on our promise to help operators get more from their chargers by increasing utilisation and revenue potential, but we are also playing our part in making public chargers more accessible to all EV drivers.”

Molex elevates electrical safety in harsh environments

Molex has introduced the Super-Safeway Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) industrial-duty product at the 2023 International Production and Processing Expo. The new GFCI offering is the first portable 20A device to earn the IP69K rating, which is the highest level of industrial protection against the penetration of high pressure, high temperature water and dust. This latest addition to Molex’s Woodhead line of permanent-mount and portable GFCI solutions is ideally suited for the food processing industry as well as other applications where sanitising equipment continually creates excessive moisture and humidity conditions. “Molex’s industrial customers operate highly complex processing equipment in some of the harshest and wettest environments, so addressing their safety concerns is a critical business priority,” says Tony Quebbemann, Product Marketing Manager at Molex. “We developed the portable, IP69K-rated, 20A GFCI product to give our customers the highest levels of protection possible to safeguard them from the dangers of electrical failure or electrocution.” Meeting challenges with solutions A multitude of industrial and electrical challenges exist in food processing, petrochemical processing and mining plants where excessive water, moisture and humidity can create hazardous conditions. Similar risks occur in temporary outdoor environments where exposure to the elements can damage electrical equipment. Molex’s new double-insulated GFCI meets industry standards while offering extra measures of protection to keep workers safe. The product’s open-neutral sensing relay stops power flow under threatening conditions in accordance with OSHA requirements. Additionally, the product meets both UL-listed and CSA-certified regulations. The IP69K-rated Super-Safeway GFCI industrial-duty product also features unique sealing properties, impact-resistant housing, chemical/UV-resistant enclosure and vulcanised rubber for long-lasting operation. Nuisance tripping is minimised by the inclusion of an electronically enhanced filter while various product options, including automatic and manual resets as well as different outlet-box configurations, are designed to accommodate a variety of worksites. The cable drops on the Super-Safeway GFCI feature a primary cord that can accommodate an overhead configuration for more convenient and safer installation. Moreover, the device can be coupled with cable drops using Molex Watertite wiring devices with IP67, IP69K, NEMA Type 4X and 6P ratings. Reinforcing Molex’s power and connectivity expertise For more than two decades, Molex has combined product innovations and industrial experience to support more than half of the largest food-processing companies nationwide. The company’s overarching commitment to safety, reliability and performance has driven the ongoing expansion of Molex’s extensive lineup of industrial power and connectivity solutions, encompassing ArcArrest, Safeway, Super-Safeway, Watertite and Woodhead products. Molex’s industrial-power portfolio is designed to support optimal worker safety and reliable performance in the most demanding environments, including the food and beverage, commercial construction, utility, and petrochemical industries.

Building trades competition opens with £18k training prize

The hunt is on for Britain's first building trades entrepreneur superstar in plumbing, heating, or electrics, thanks to a new competition from Logic4training. With over £18,000 worth of accredited trades training courses up for grabs, one lucky candidate at the end of the process will receive substantial support to start their own business - including a website, Checkatrade membership, and a lifetime of training in plumbing, heating, or electrics. The brainchild of Logic4training's founder and Managing Director, Kevin Budd, the competition will see the lucky winning candidate receive substantial support - but to win they will have to beat their peers in a challenging process, which includes a task on social media, and a face-to-face boardroom interview with Logic4training's founder and fellow judges. With a recent poll claiming that nearly two-fifths of young people would currently not consider a career in construction, the competition is designed to help rebrand the plumbing, electrics, and heating trades as a more exciting career option. What does the first UK Tradesperson Apprentice win? The training will start with an entry-level programme in their chosen field, followed by annual training credit vouchers so that the winner can choose how they wish to progress in their chosen trade, or even upskill future employees if they decide to start their own business. Worth up to £7,995, the courses cover all the qualifications and experience needed to become a plumbing and heating engineer or domestic electrician, as well as everything required to start a successful business, such as 12 months of free Checkatrade membership and website design and build. Once qualified as a plumber, gas engineer or domestic electrician (the new entrants' programmes take around two-years to complete) the lucky tradesperson entrepreneur superstar will be able to choose additional courses - for themselves or other employees - to the value of £1,000 annually. Who can apply? Open to anyone 18 years old or over with a desire to enter the building services sector the competition and prize is suitable for people with no previous experience, such as college leavers or career changers. Logic4training has centres in Northolt, Basildon, Luton, and Sittingbourne, so the winner must be able to easily commute to one of these locations. How to enter: Step 1: Put together and post a reel for Instagram or TikTok explaining why you should win. Logic4training wants to see your drive, your interest in your chosen area, and your personality. Creativity is encouraged! The video needs to include: A bit about why you want to train in the trades, what interests you, and why you think you would be an asset to the building trades industries. A bit about you, including your age, interests, what you are currently doing for work. What are your ambitions? What interests you? What are you currently doing? Why would you be a good addition to the industry? Tag @Logic4training and use the hashtag #trades4life. You will also need to fill in this form here. All stories must be uploaded by 13 February. Step 2: From these videos Logic4training will put together a shortlist. This will be announced through Logic4training's social media platforms. Everyone in the shortlist will then be asked to fill in a more detailed application form. Step 3: Logic4training will pick a final shortlist for interview. This will be conducted online or at your closest Logic4training centre. The winner will be chosen during this round. Step 4: The winner will embark on their chosen new-entrants programme. Logic4training will be following their journey closely, sharing video content online and encouraging them to do the same. Once completed, the winner will receive up to £1,000 worth of training vouchers for the next 10 years, which can be used by them or other employees. Logic4training is looking for someone who will continue to share their training and business journey, tagging in Logic4training along the way.

Morrison Energy Services delivers overhead lines refurbishment

Morrison Energy Services’ transmission networks team has secured a contract with National Grid to refurbish the southern section of the 4VK line between Cottam and Wymondley. The work involves carrying out essential refurbishment works on 170km of overhead line between Cottam Power Station, Nottinghamshire and Wymondley, Hertfordshire. The project team will upgrade overhead lines that have been in service since the mid-1960s. This work will provide a safe and reliable electricity supply to homes and businesses in the area for years to come. Phase one, completed in November, involved replacing the conductors that run between the pylons on the 90km stretch between Cottam and Ufford, near Peterborough. The next stage, taking place in 2023, requires the team to upgrade the next 80km of overhead line, which includes replacing the conductor and fittings between Peterborough and Wymondley. The 4VK line project has a number of high-risk, complex crossings including railways, dual carriageways and high voltage third party power lines. To understand the extent of these crossings and the detail on each site, the project team will be using drones to provide 360 degrees of visibility. Working with the project’s archaeologists, the team will avoid interfering with important historical sites while carrying out the work. In line with Morrison Energy Services’ sustainability strategy, the team has been consulting the project’s ecologists on environmental elements. Any species found to be near the line will be carefully monitored with strict controls put in place to make sure they are safe and undisturbed. Additionally, the team is looking to reduce its carbon usage at all stages of the project by using alternative fuels, solar powered products and sourcing circular materials to reduce waste. David Maddocks, Managing Director for Morrison Energy Services Transmission Networks, says, “We are proud to be delivering this project for our client which we have been working with for over 30 years. “Around 170 of our people will be helping to deliver reliable electricity to National Grid’s southern customers.”