New research carried out by rb&m provides further insight into the system performance of 1700 air and ground source heat pumps subject to strict monitoring by Ofgem under the Renewable Heat Incentive regulations. 

The ground-breaking research funded by the GSHPA, RECC and DESNZ and published today provides valuable new new information about heat pump efficiencies in UK homes.

As the new Labour Government lifts the ‘de-facto’ ban on onshore wind power, there is renewed interest in small-scale wind energy. But while planning rules are important, are there other issues constraining the market for standalone turbines? Our report sets out our research into wind resource forecasting methodologies and examines the various market challenges.

2023 was a busy year for rb&m with one major market research report published and several other projects started including continuing work on consumer protection in the energy flexibility sector, technical research comparing wind energy forecasting methods and an examination of the thermal performance of properties in the Scottish Highlands.

rb&m is now certified as having robust information security measures in place to defend against the vast majority of cyber-attacks.

Building consumer trust is the key to energy decarbonisation and, to that end, we’ve been working on a range of new tools and methodologies to help consumers make informed choices about renewable energy generation performance.

rb&m’s Colin Meek talked to Nathan Gambling for the latest award-winning Betatalk podcast about heat pump performance and our research on in-situ efficiency using data provided by Ofgem.

Our second briefing paper on heat pump performance issues looks in more detail at the correlation between industry performance forecasts and actual outcomes.

Our second briefing paper on heat pump performance issues looks in more detail at the correlation between industry performance forecasts and actual outcomes.

In looking at our rearview mirror on what has been a momentous 2021 in the energy transition, we realised how our busy year reflects the paradigm shift occurring in UK’s energy markets.

When the Government announced the closure of UK’s Feed-in-Tariff there were dire predictions for UK’s Solar PV installation sector. Yet even though installation numbers are well down compared to 2015 there are signs of optimism.

The Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) and the Renewable Energy Consumer Code (RECC) have collaborated to publish a definitive best practice guide for the installation of heat pumps.

The total number of heat pumps sold in the UK in 2017 was 20,000 – just 8% of the total sold in France (2017) and 20% and of the total sold in Sweden (2016) (GLA, Heat Pumps in London, 2018).

Clear and consistent contractual terms are essential for the sale and installation of complex goods and services such as microgeneration.

Welcome to the blog of rb&m, the consumer experts building trust in the energy transition.