| Plumbing company Micaul Solar has said that plumbers | | | | and we are now extremely busy." |
| can reap the rewards of taking green energy | | | | Mr Dowell is now advising plumbers and people taking |
| courses due to the potential profits in the renewable | | | | plumbing courses to follow his lead and update their |
| sector. | | | | skills by enrolling on green energy courses. |
| Mike Dowell, co-owner of the Welsh plumbing firm, | | | | Micaul Solar saw a dramatic increase in their business |
| told Heating & Plumbing Monthly that his business is | | | | between 2007 and 2008 and they now have a |
| benefiting from increased trade since it become | | | | workforce of 20 people including fully qualified heating |
| qualified to install renewable heat technology. | | | | engineers who have completed the appropriate gas |
| An increasing number of people are interested in air | | | | training courses, plumbing courses and green energy |
| and ground source heat pumps, biomass boilers, | | | | courses. |
| solar-thermal water heaters and combined heat and | | | | Mr Dowell explained that his decision to change |
| power plants as they can reduce energy bills and | | | | career and take plumbing courses in order to become |
| combat carbon emissions coming from houses. | | | | a qualified tradesperson has resulted in great success |
| Mike Dowell and his brother-in-law Paul Hoddinott | | | | and lead to many benefits. |
| initially took plumbing courses in order to create a | | | | Green energy courses may increase in demand as |
| new business but realised it was vital to learn from | | | | government plans for loans that will enable |
| green energy courses as more people would be keen | | | | householders to fund energy efficiency measures |
| on environmentally-friendly equipment. | | | | such as insulation and renewable technology were |
| Micaul Solar became the first plumbing company in | | | | revealed recently. |
| Wales to be Microgeneration Accredited and Mike | | | | The Pay As You Save (PAYS) scheme, which ties |
| Dowell feels this gave them a crucial advantage over | | | | the financing to property rather than people, forms a |
| their local competitors. | | | | key part of the government's Household Energy |
| He told Heating & Plumbing Monthly: "Back in 2005 we | | | | Management (HEMS) strategy, Warm Homes, |
| started to look at renewables seriously and we did | | | | Greener Homes, which aims to reduce carbon |
| probably the complete opposite to everyone else | | | | emissions. |
| and spent a lot of time studying. | | | | Pilot schemes are already being tested in Birmingham, |
| "We ... started undertaking product training and doing | | | | Sussex, Surrey, Sutton and Stroud; however, |
| all of the things we felt necessary to support the | | | | legislation will need to be introduced before PAYS can |
| market - our investment and efforts have paid off | | | | be implemented. |