Diamond Green Energy is a family-run company operating in and around Hampshire, which specialises in heating, cooling and renewable energy. Jake Barnes is their Renewables Manager, overseeing all projects for customers looking to lower their carbon footprint.
Tell us a little about yourself and how long you’ve worked in this industry.
Started when I was 15, and I’m now 33, so I’ve been working in the industry for 18 years. I started as an apprentice and worked my way up, from plumbing, moving into gas and heating and then moved into renewable energy. I’m now the Renewables Manager for Diamond Green Energy, where I run all the renewable side of the business.
Have you noticed a change in customer attitudes towards more sustainable heating solutions?
Massively, yes, it’s been huge. This year alone we’ve seen such an increase. In the last two months we’ve had six or seven quotes in for a ZEB, we’ve just seen this massive spike in interest. I think it’s down to the cost of the energy crisis and the Government doing a lot more to push green energy, people are taking notice.
How did you first hear about tepeo?
I got talking to them at The Installer Show, we got chatting and they seemed like a great company, so we signed up for their installer training course which gave us a much better understanding of the ZEB and then went on to start installing them.
What was it about tepeo and the ZEB that appealed to you?
It’s a very clever product, very different. And it’s a great solution if you want to move away from gas and don’t want a heat pump. It’s a very clever piece of equipment that’s quick to install and helps them go greener.
How did you find the training to become a tepeoPRO?
The training was very good, and the support afterwards has been great. Our local rep, Chris, is really good, and always on hand if you need him. We fitted a ZEB last week and Chris popped down to see all was running okay and make sure we were all happy. They’re very good as a company, with support on hand if you want it.
What is the installation process of a ZEB like?
Installing a ZEB is very easy. tepeo will deliver the product to the customer’s house and we’ll do the installation from there, connecting the flow and return pipework to the ZEB and the electric supply from the fuse board. It’s a very simple process. The one thing to consider is finding the right location, due to the weight and size, it might have to move from the previous boiler’s location, but the installation overall is good and takes a maximum of one to two days.
What are your thoughts on the tepeo App?
It’s very good. We don’t use it very much, as we pass it over to the customer, but it’s easy to use and customers tell us how much they like it. No other boiler manufacturers have an app like it.
What are your overall thoughts on tepeo as a brand?
I think the brand is really good, they do some very good marketing and put lots of good content out online. They’re putting themselves out there and getting their name out there more and more, to the point that we’re starting to have customers come to us who have seen them online.
Would you recommend becoming a tepeoPRO?
Yes, I would. It’s a very good product and I think they will be the future.
What does the growth in low-carbon technology mean for you?
The Government’s heat pump grants have made a huge difference to people’s attitudes, which for us means more sales. People are looking into solar power, heat pumps and renewable energy as a whole, and they’re interested in coming off gas I think it’s only going to get bigger and bigger as time goes on.
What do you see as the biggest benefit of the ZEB?
The way it charges overnight. You can store 40 kWh of heat within the ZEB using a low-cost overnight tariff. Charge it up using a cheaper rate, then heat your house as you need it. The ZEB is the only product on the market that does that, it’s unique.
Professional boiler installers and heating engineers like you can make the transition to low-carbon heating happen.
Join our tepeoPRO network and take your business to the next level.
👉 Free marketing support – materials for your website, customers and installation teams.
👉 Receive direct enquiries from tepeo for customers in your area.
👉 Ongoing support from our team – regional lead, technical support and customer services.
Once qualified we’ll send you everything you need to get started and add you to our installer network so that when customer enquiries come in we can send them directly to you. We’ll accompany you on your first survey and installation to give support, feedback and hints/tips specific to the ZEB.