Nearly every business or home uses a boiler to heat radiators and provide hot water. But traditional boilers can be inefficient, consuming large amounts of energy.

During his 30-year career as an electrician, Jim Bisset became frustrated with the problem and decided to develop a cost-effective way to improve the efficiency of existing heating systems, while lowering their carbon footprints.

The resulting technology is Hydro Genie Systems – a bolt-on solution that reduces carbon output and can result in energy cost savings, according to the company.

Jim explains: “If you were putting a pan of water on a cooker, you’d see bubbles forming on the bottom of the pan. That’s exactly the same as what’s happening within a boiler – the bubbles act like a bubble wrap and slow down the heat transfer to the water.

“By taking the dissolved oxygen out, those bubbles don’t form anymore and with domestic Hydro Genies, if we fit the platinum system, we can get up to a 50% saving.”

The company’s patented technology cleans, enhances and regulates the heat transfer to the circulating water using applied physics, fluid dynamics and electronics. This leads to up to 20% more heat being generated across radiators, according to the company’s website.

Before the recent energy price increases, Jim says businesses were asking him how their companies could reduce carbon emissions. Now their priority is reducing their energy costs by cutting gas, oil and liquified petroleum gas (LPG) consumption.

“Either way, we can help,” says Jim. “Businesses say they really care about the environment, they want to invest in renewable energy and energy-optimising solutions. But it’s the expense, and they want to see immediate results. While the return might not come straight away, there are benefits.”

Hydro Genies are a relatively cheap alternative to other renewable technologies and can be retrofitted to existing heating pipes. Installation involves connecting the device to a boiler which then removes dissolved oxygen from the hot water the boiler is producing.

The result is that businesses can reduce their carbon emissions by up to 35% immediately, and also benefit from a quick return on investment thanks to the savings made on energy bills, the company claims.

All businesses across the private and public sector can benefit from Hydro Genie, asserts Jim, and landlords can prolong the lives of their boilers by installing the system.

He adds: “Consumers are changing. They’re thinking about their purchases differently and if businesses don’t do the same, they’re going to fall behind.

“I think that’s where there are further opportunities for business growth, as well as the efficiencies and the cost savings of sustainable energy sources.”

Watch or listen to Jim on The Ulster Bank Business Show:

The Ulster Bank Business Show Sustainability Special: Is now the time for businesses to switch to renewable energy?