Energy regulator Ofgem has given the go-ahead for trialling the new smart voltage management device from VPhase under the UK Government’s Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT) scheme.
The VPhase VX1 uses smart voltage management to reduce and regulate voltage in homes and SMEs, which in turn delivers enhanced energy efficiency as well as reduced electricity bills. The device will undergo a formal CERT demonstration action, which will see the unit installed in a number of Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) customer homes.
SSE signed a letter of intent to work with VPhase in September 2008 and is predominantly funding the trials, which cost in excess of £200,000. The field trials will not only measure the reduction of electricity usage, they will also indicate the level of lifetime carbon dioxide savings that can be claimed by utility companies from the sale of the VX1 device.
Paul Wilkins, SSE energy efficiency team leader, said: “This project is another example of the many ways that we are trying to help our customers reduce their energy bills. We are looking forward to confirming the energy and carbon saving capability of the VPhase VX1 and subsequently making the product widely available to SSE customers.”
CEO of VPhase Lee Juby added: “I am delighted the letter of intent signed between VPhase and SSE has resulted in an Ofgem field trial agreement. It is expected that the VX1 product will make a significant contribution both to UK carbon reduction and the carbon targets of utility companies, whilst bringing significant savings to UK domestic energy consumers.”
The CERT scheme, which came into force in 2008 and will run until 2011, sets an obligation on energy suppliers with 50,000 or more domestic customers, to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by promoting energy efficiency and other carbon reduction technologies to domestic energy users. The Government has set a CERT target of 154 million tonnes (lifetime) of CO2 and estimates that the new obligation will stimulate around £2.8 billion investment by energy suppliers in carbon reduction measures.
