This group covers:

The Onsite Renewables Group covers the use of renewable energy in decentralised systems, mainly for individual buildings, but also for estates, developments and communities.

It is not technology focussed, and covers all related  approaches including:

• Solar thermal amd solar photovoltaics (which also has its own technology group)
• Micro-hydro and micro-wind
• Biomass heating and CHP, including pellet stoves
• Heat pumps, both ground-source and air source

Main policy areas:

• The positive planning agenda
• Accreditation of installers and certification of micro-generation products 
• The Government’s Micro-generation Strategy and related programmes
• The Low Carbon Building Programme
• Building regulations
• Domestic-scale biomass
• Heat-pumps
• Micro-wind and domestic CHP
• Metering and distributed generation issues

Participation and personnel

Subject to the bye-laws, any REA member is able to participate in any sector group.

There are currently over 50 companies on the circulation list.

Chairman & Nominated Director

Nominated Alternate

John Blower of Filsol Solar Ltd.

Responsible REA Head of On-site Renewables

Stuart Pocock

Activities

The REA is a member of the Micropower Council, a grouping with trade associations and several sponsoring corporate members, who have an interest in micro-generation.

Meetings and events

The REA holds an annual Decentralised Energy Conference - 2009 is the first year of the REA Smart Energy show.

As with many of the REA’s sector groups, meetings are held on a more regular basis whilst there are important policy issues under development. It often invites Government officials to meetings to liaise on specific topics.

Solar Panels, Burton Hall Kirklees