ECAs

[Argus]

Certain of the most energy efficient equipment, including Heat Pumps, Chillers, and Boilers etc has attracted Enhanced Capital Allowances (ECAs) in the UK for some years now.

It’s a government scheme promoting a tax break for companies intended to promote the use and increase the market acceptance of the top percentile of energy efficient machines.
The intention is to ultimately reduce carbon emissions through a shift in the growth of the market to this type of products.

http://www.eca.gov.uk/etl/default.htm

Put in basic, simple terms, it can be equivalent to a 30% reduction on the cost of the equipment for the End User.

It’s a scheme that has met with mixed success, and I would be interested to hear any experiences with this scheme:

• Knowledge of it in the first place:
• Installer’s experiences:
• Customer’s acceptance / insistence:
• Claiming the allowance:

Any experiences, even anecdotes would be welcome.

.

[NoNickName]

As producers, we have been pushed by UK resellers and dealers to try and get an ECA certification for our chillers and aircons.
Turned out the process of certification is a nightmare and forces producers to be SLAVES in the hands of the carbon trust.
Eg. I've got a 1000kW air cooled chiller worth 50 grands in the catalogue, but if I want to certifiy it I have to sign an agreement under the disposition of which I agree to make ready a sample of it ANYTIME and pay for the testing in a certified rig of an independent company.

Of course this is not going to happen.
It is wrongly understood that ECA helps in CO2 reduction by increasing the use of energy efficient units. No, it's not true.
It only helps multinational companies, who have access to greater financing reservoirs. Infact, the minimum COPs and EERs by ECA scheme are easily achieved by any reasonable company.

[Argus]

As producers, we have been pushed by UK resellers and dealers to try and get an ECA certification for our chillers and aircons.
.

Independent testing of a large chiller is difficult, especially in Europe where the facilities hadly exist.

Asuming from your repy that you don't have the listing for your products, have you found that it has impacted your UK sales because the buyers insist on it?

.

[NoNickName]

Independent testing of a large chiller is difficult, especially in Europe where the facilities hadly exist.

Asuming from your repy that you don't have the listing for your products, have you found that it has impacted your UK sales because the buyers insist on it?

.

Yes it did. And buyers have a temporary benefit from allowance, but they are buying (in some cases) less reliable, ECA-badged, products.
EDIT: let me add, that ECA specifically prohibits to submit application per-series, and it allows only per-model. We've got 192 chillers and 144 type of aircons in our catalogue, so it will be unfeasible for us to submit over 300 applications.

[Andy]

Yes it did. And buyers have a temporary benefit from allowance, but they are buying (in some cases) less reliable, ECA-badged, products.
EDIT: let me add, that ECA specifically prohibits to submit application per-series, and it allows only per-model. We've got 192 chillers and 144 type of aircons in our catalogue, so it will be unfeasible for us to submit over 300 applications.

Hi NoNickName

I suppose they don't allow type approval

I deal with another Italian chiller manufacturer, they spent a lot of money on a test facility, to eurovent which they use for getting their product on the ECA list.

Although I think they only have the Coolmation range on the ECA list.


You could put a few of your best selling chillers on the list like the other manufacturers to keep the peace


Kind Regards Andy

[NoNickName]

Infact, Eurovent is not an independent body. It is a manufacturers association, so being Eurovent certified is not enough for ECA

[Andy]

Infact, Eurovent is not an independent body. It is a manufacturers association, so being Eurovent certified is not enough for ECA

Yes to certify to Eurovent, you can use a third part Lab or have you Lab certified by a third part body. If you Lab is third party certified will this not satisfy ECA.

Kind Regards Andy

[NoNickName]

Yes to certify to Eurovent, you can use a third part Lab or have you Lab certified by a third part body. If you Lab is third party certified will this not satisfy ECA.

Kind Regards Andy

Third party lab doesn't mean Independent. In fact, Carrier labs in France are able to release a certificate valid for Eurovent, but ths is not acceptable for ECA. The same applies fo ASERCOM certified compressors.

[Andy]

Third party lab doesn't mean Independent. In fact, Carrier labs in France are able to release a certificate valid for Eurovent, but ths is not acceptable for ECA. The same applies fo ASERCOM certified compressors.

Then Rhoss's Lab would be the same. I could ask them what way they went about it They have a few of there chillers ECA, mainly for Coolmation (although we could in theory sell ECA complient chillers in N.Ireland) and let you know. They will be over with me next month.

Kind Regards Andy