Northumberland heat pump specialist steps in to support smaller systems

Calibrate Energy Engineering, based near Bamburgh, has stepped in to provide support and maintenance for heat pump users.

Gary Matthews, managing director, explained: “We had a number of companies approaching us who weren’t current customers asking for help and support, because their heat systems were no longer working, were no longer efficient, were under performing or causing business disruption, and becoming a drain on finances.

“In response, we revisited our own business plan, and decided that we had both the skills and capacity to help these businesses. We re-imagined our services so we could help even more people and create a bigger positive impact on reducing carbon emissions.”

One such company to receive help had a 5MW heat pump system installed by another supplier, which had folded. The system was no longer performing as it should and despite receiving £600,000 a year from Ofgem’s RHI tariff, it was still costing the farmer £300,000 a year to run.

To make things worse its poor performance gave it a rating below Ofgem requirements, which put the six-figure income generated by it in jeopardy too.

Jack Smales, in charge of technical sales at Calibrate, explained: “Having fully assessed the system, we identified a plan of works and re-calibrations to address several problems which were stopping its optimal performance. The customer has now received ROI in the first year following our intervention and at a time of ever-increasing energy prices that is a huge relief for them.”

Susie McDonald, co-founder of Calibrate, added: “Our original purpose was to be a small business packing a huge punch by installing some of the largest heat pump systems in the world, aimed at seriously high energy users. To put that into perspective, our latest installation was 8.2MW, enough to provide heating and hot water to a small town.

"However, over the last year we have realised that if we don’t help maintain and support smaller commercial systems, fitted by companies who no longer exist, that our ethical aims and the industry as a whole will be set back.

“We have transitioned to support those smaller projects as well, reducing our original benchmark above 1MW to 200kW upwards, creating targeted support packages to look after and service existing systems.”