In the early days of the Renewable Heat Incentive, installers were often encouraged to fit a meter at every single heat out-take. Ten years later, as those meters reach their legal expiry, many owners are realising this was a costly mistake.
The Problem with Multiple Meters
Every meter you have is a “tax” on your RHI income. Why? Because most meters are placed at the end of the pipe run. Any heat lost through the ground or in the plant room is simply never recorded. On large sites, we frequently see “system losses” as high as 50%. You are burning the fuel, but you aren’t getting the payment.
The Weeks Solution: The 23-Meter Turnaround
We recently overhauled a complex district heating site. By moving from 23 individual meters to a streamlined system backed by Ofgem-approved Heat Loss Assessments (HLA), we transformed the site’s economics:
- Capital Saving: The client avoided a £20,000 bill for new meters.
- Income Boost: By using calculated losses rather than measured losses, the client now claims on nearly 100% of the boiler’s output.
Is your system optimised?
The 10-year meter swap rule (Regulation 45) is a golden opportunity to stop “heating the sky” and start getting paid for the work your boiler is actually doing.
“If you’re facing a big bill for new meters, stop. There is usually a cleverer, more profitable way to do it.” — Richard Weeks