An exciting trial at Keele University in Staffordshire is bringing the possibility of replacing natural gas with a gas/hydrogen mix a step closer. The project, led by the gas distribution company Cadent, is the UK’s first live usage of hydrogen in a modern gas network. It is hoped that the year-long trial will provide evidence that customers don’t have to change their cooking or heating appliances to take the blend.

Throughout 2019, Ofqual, Qualifications Wales and CEA have reviewed and consulted on the recognition criteria for Awarding Organisations (AOs) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The consultation is to ensure risks associated with qualification delivery at centres is minimised and that employers can have confidence in regulated qualifications.

The Association of Plumbing & Heating Contractors (APHC) has announced the return of its training awards for 2020, with money off available for some LCL Awards courses.

LCL Awards’ Technical Expert & External Verifier, Steve Humphreys, recently led a session on the 18^th Edition Wiring Regulations for CEDA, the Catering Equipment Distributors Association and CESA, the Catering Equipment industry's largest trade organisation. Steve joined others from the catering sector as part of a Service Engineers CPD Forum on 9^th October in Cannock in Staffordshire.

LCL Awards is pleased to welcome new Halifax-based, Viva Training Academy to its list of approved training centres. Set-up by heating and insulation business owner, Richard Firth, Viva prides itself on providing a supportive and learner-focused environment which offers a range of building services courses, including LCL Awards’ New Entrants Gas MLP and Level 3 F Gas qualification.

We’re delighted to be the sponsors of the training category at the forthcoming ACR and Heat Pump Awards. Awards will be given to the winners of a wide variety of classes in the ACR and heat pump sector and other sponsors include manufacturers and wholesalers. This is the first time we’ve sponsored the event.

To bring our Domestic Electrical Installer qualification in-line with new industry requirements a revised version, DEI20, will be available early in the new year.

From January 2020 current F-Gas legislation will enforce new rulings to ensure that installation, service and equipment bans come into force for appliances that run on higher GWP products such as R404A.  RAC magazine held its annual F-Gas Question Time event in London recently and experts from the cooling sector agreed that now the use of R404A as a variable refrigerant in Europe was coming to a definite end, it was time to get down the nitty gritty.

Last month the government extended the deadline for its smart meter roll-out from 2020 to 2024. Largely due to a lack of confidence in the original technology and the reliability of the SMETS1 devices, installation figures have fallen way behind projections so there’s an urgent demand for installers to help redress the shortfall.

A recent BBC report into the UK’s response to climate change, written by business editor, Simon Jack, makes interesting reading. Government targets to cut carbon emission to zero by 2050 require immediate and strong action from today.