Key figures from the energy industry met with Greg Barker, Minister of State for Energy and Climate Change, John Hemming MP and other MPs at a reception hosted by Zenex Technologies at the House of Commons on 25 October.
The event focused on John Hemming's Family Justice (Transparency, Accountability and Cost of Living) Bill and for Passive Flue Gas Heat Recovery (PFGHR) technology as a means of achieving lower fuel bills without public subsidy, decarbonisation, and an end to fuel poverty.
The reception took place on the eve of the second reading of John Hemming's Ballot Bill. The Family Justice Bill has three parts. Part 1 deals with transparency and accountability in connection with cases concerning children and proceedings in the Court of Protection; Part 2 contains other provisions relating to the administration of justice; and Part 3 deals with the cost of living and measures to achieve lower fuel bills.
John Hemming underlined the relevance of PFGHRD to his Bill: 'Families are at the heart of Government and politics. This technology is an important part of Family Justice, concerned as it is with families and the cost of living.' As part of Family Justice he is seeking the mandatory inclusion of PFGHRDs in new heating systems for greater energy efficiency and savings on energy bills.
Dave Sowden, chief executive of the Micropower Council, described the versatility and energy saving benefits of PFGHRDs. 'The Zenex GasSaver is a more cost-effective way of producing renewable energy and saving carbon than many things the Government is doing now to reduce energy and emissions.' Mr Sowden added: 'Tax payers and bill payers will save money. If the Government is serious about its 'green' policies, it should make PFGHRDs compulsory.'
Chris Farrell, md of Zenex Technologies and inventor of the PFGHR device known as the Zenex GasSaver, spoke of an urgent need to make current heating technology more efficient in order to remove the high percentage of UK households from fuel poverty and reduce the number of fuel poor. He called for strategies to be put in place for households regarding payment of winter fuel bills and for affordable heating without recourse to subsidies.
Referring to Tim Yeo MP's paper on national security, Mr Farrell observed that energy efficiency could bring more output and capacity and, ultimately, sustainability to the nation. He claimed that PFGHRD, a British invention now recognised in Building Regulations and the Green Deal, could help bring wealth to the nation and re-establish its position as a leader amongst nations.
Recalling the Longitude Act of 1714 which offered a monetary award for anyone who could find a simple and practical method for the precise determination of a ship's longitude, Mr Farrell threw down a gauntlet to the Government: 'The same policy is needed here and now - there should be an award for the first person to halve the winter gas bill with an affordable technology!'
Mr Farrell described the GasSaver as a technology that frightened industry and legislators and the EC as it does not fit into any existing categories. 'The GasSaver can help reduce fuel poverty by affordably saving £1bn currently wasted on consumer gas and water bills each year,' he said. 'Those same gas savings could run the gas-fired power stations that are being built now.'
