The Manx Electricity Authority (MEA) and Castletown based renewable-energy experts, Stroma NX are delighted to announce a new working collaboration to increase the awareness, application and distribution of renewable technologies and energy efficiency services.
As of today, individual consumers will be able to access a whole range of new services via the MEA which could make their homes and offices more energy-efficient. Ordinary households could potentially make important financial savings and also benefit the environment by reducing the Island’s carbon footprint. Stroma NX technicians have an arsenal of affordable energy assessment measures, from Air Tightness testing to Thermal Modelling, to establish how efficient your building is, whatever the size, occupancy or usage. They can then advise on how best to improve or upgrade every aspect, including the heating and plumbing systems, to reduce fuel costs and carbon emissions, as well as saving money.
Retired engineer Ken Potter and his wife Carole, moved in to a property at Ayre View, Bride 18 months ago and took part in a trial of Stroma’s services on behalf of the Department of Social Care. After their new home had been assessed for its energy efficiency, Stroma staff designed and provided a new air-source heat-pump system that was then installed by local company IDPH Ltd. The new tenants are delighted with the results: “It’s cheap, warm and clean – we would never go back to our old system. It’s working brilliantly, and gives us all the instant hot water and central heating we need, it’s easy to use, we really don’t have to do anything, and it’s great that we now have everything on one simple energy bill.
“We can’t believe how much cheaper the house is to run. You’ve got to experience it to see just how well it works!”
MEA staff will be able to provide guidance on many products and services to help consumers find the right solution for their circumstances. From Air Tightness Testing, Energy Auditing and Thermography to Heat Pumps, Solar Thermal, Thermal Stores, Lighting and Solar PV among many others, help is at hand to point you in the right direction with sound advice with further support available from experts in each discipline from within the Stroma empire.
The new services are not just available for private households, though. The Government’s Business Support Scheme (BSS), designed to help companies develop business skills, offers a grant of up to 50% towards energy assessments and audits of buildings within the commercial sector, up to a maximum ?4,500 per project. This includes air-tightness testing, energy audits and thermography assessments, and renewable-energy feasibility studies.
Also available for businesses is the Department of Economic Development’s innovative new 0% Green Loan. This scheme provides flexible financing options for Manx companies seeking to increase efficiency and lower energy bills. Stroma NX can advise clients on eligibility for the scheme, and how best to access loans of up to 100% towards the cost of projects from ?1,000 up to a maximum ?20,000 to be paid back over 4 years. As payments are calculated to be made from anticipated energy savings, the financing option is designed to pay for itself where possible.
Over the past 5 years, Stroma has built a substantial body of diverse case studies across the Public and Private Sectors of the Isle of Man, in both commercial and residential environments. Indeed, two of their projects won prestigious Government Energy Awards at last year’s Royal Manx Show. As a further commitment to their efforts here, Stroma NX Ltd was established last September as a fully incorporated Isle of Man company, which now sits proudly within the Stroma Group. The first staff member, Air Tightness Test Engineer and DEA Phil Barber, moved to the Island with his family earlier this year and has settled in immediately. More will possibly follow but primarily, Stroma intends to recruit and train personnel from the Island workforce.
Through their experiences, Stroma NX has gathered the support and technical resources of some of the best manufacturers in the market place, across many different disciplines, which are being put at the Island’s disposal and we believe there is no better organisation to help build awareness of the latest options available than Manx Electricity.
Supported by a network of Island based trained and accredited installers and contracting companies, this association will try and open up new work from the heightened awareness created, bringing much needed jobs and additional skills to the Isle of Man.
Over the last few months Stroma NX has also provided training modules for designated MEA staff across a wide range of products and services to make them aware of the extent and scope of these new technologies and services, so that they can adapt their understanding to what they now have at their fingertips.
Prior to the start of this new association, it was agreed to undertake an extensive assessment of the MEA Headquarters on the Isle of Man Business Park. The intention was to provide first-hand experience to the staff of the MEA on the type of methodologies available that were applicable to their building, and to provide a case study to help promote the outcome across the Private and Public Commercial and Residential Sectors alike.
An initial Air Tightness test was undertaken which established serious deficiencies in the building envelope and extensive remedial measures were then undertaken to improve the integrity of the building. The re-test showed that target improvement levels were actually exceeded and the capital cost of this work will be paid back in around 3 years from energy savings made as a result. A full Energy Audit was then undertaken covering every aspect of the building using many innovative techniques including Dynamic Simulation Modelling. The cumulative potential energy saving of all improvement measures considered to be feasible was 33%, representing a significant reduction in both building operating costs and carbon dioxide emissions. The MEA can take great credit from exposing their building to such intense scrutiny and their response to the findings was positive and instantaneous, in having the building brought to a more acceptable and efficient level. The MEA building is very typical of properties that have not had any appraisal for energy efficiency and the savings as a result can be, as proved in this case, significant to say the least.
The MEA’s CEO Philip King said today: “We have been very impressed by the professionalism and experience of Stroma NX in providing value-added energy-service solutions, and for their total respect for the customer. During a project to improve the energy performance of MEA’s headquarters the Stroma team delivered beyond expectations. Benefits were noticeable and measurable from day one, with quality standards, value, respect of customer operations and courtesy apparent throughout.”
A marketing campaign launches today, and will go out to individual householders and businesses over the next few weeks.
“One of Government’s primary obligations and that of the MEA is to support the growth of the economy. I believe that this collaboration with Stroma NX will undoubtedly underpin that obligation by working towards a low-carbon environment, utilising local resources and supporting the deployment of the latest technologies on the Island.” - Howard Quayle MHK. Chairman, Manx Electricity
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