The Government boosts Renewable Heating grants, meaning there?s never been a better time to consider clean alternatives to oil and LPG heating
The Renewable Heat Premium Payment (RHPP) scheme offers one-off grants to householders to help with the cost of installing renewable heating technologies.
As part of the Department of Energy and Climate Change’s desire to further support the growing market for domestic renewables, the Government has decided to increase the funding available to encourage more homeowners to switch to renewable heating.
The scheme is particularly beneficial for home owners living in areas off the natural gas grid, where the savings against oil or LPG can be significant.
The new incentives for installing each of the four eligible technologies has increased substantially:
| Technology | New Grant Available until March 2014 |
|---|---|
| Ground- or Water-source Heat Pump | £2,300 |
| Biomass Boiler | £2,000 |
| Air-to-Water Heat Pump | £1,300 |
| Solar Thermal Hot Water | £600 |
The RHPP scheme will only run until the end of March 2014 when it is due to be replaced by the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI).
However, the RHI is anticipated to be retrospectively applied to include anyone who has installed a renewable heating system after 15th July 2009. Therefore if you apply now you will be able to receive the RHPP grant, as well as qualify for seven years of on-going RHI payments when they are announced later in the autumn. Whilst the Government is likely to claw back the RHPP payments through the RHI, if you are thinking of switching to renewable heating there is no reason not to act now in order to benefit from both schemes.
Details of the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme due to be announced in the autumn are expected to be:
Indicative tariff ranges for MCS certified products meeting relevant required standards:
- Air source heat pumps (6.9-11.5p/kWh),
- Ground source heat pumps (12.5-17.3p/kWh)
- Biomass boilers (5.2-8.7p/kWh)
- Solar thermal technologies (17.3p/kWh)
Payments are expected to be made for every kWh of heat produced for a period of seven years from fully commissioned installation date.
Minimum energy efficiency requirements will also apply based on ?Green Deal? assessments.
Certain eligibility criteria are expected to apply, including:
- having installed an eligible technology
- meeting the energy efficiency criteria. This will in the main involve getting a Green Deal assessment and, in some cases, installing some additional energy efficiency measures
- declaring any government funding or support already received
- not having a back-up fossil fuel heating system, or if they do, being prepared to have a heat usage meter installed on which the RHI payments can be based
- meet all current MCS standards. In particular, for air-source heat pumps this includes evidence of either planning consent, or that when applied retrospectively, that the installation complies with the PDR (Permitted Development Rights) procedures in the MCS system.
Contact me about the RHPP
To find out more about how the Renewable Heat Premium Payment (RHPP) could benefit you, or for expert advice on how the complete range of renewable energy solutions available for your home, school or business can help to reduce your energy costs, please visit the Cheshire East regional page or call me (Charles) on 0161 917 2715 or mobile 07734 973450 or email me at charles.holland@energymyway.co.uk. I?d be delighted to help you.
