24 June 2011: Back in March, DECC announced details on the launch of the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI). Some of the key points of the announcement included:
- The regulations to introduce the RHI are currently going through Parliament and are anticipated to be approved by summer 2011
- The RHI would then be introduced “shortly thereafter” (anticipated 30 September 2011)
- The scheme will be introduced in two phases with non-domestic sectors targeted first – that is larger heat users in the industrial, business and public sectors. Tariffs for the various technologies within this phase (ie non-domestic scale projects) were announced in DECC’s March RHI press release.
- Household sector support through the RHI would be introduced in October 2012, to tie in with the launch of the Green Deal however…
- …In the meantime, up to 25,000 household installations will be supported by a £15m “RHI Premium Payment” to help people cover the purchase price of green heating systems and help encourage take-up of renewable heat technologies
- The likely levels of support (set out in the DECC press release) for the RHI Premium Payments were: Solar Thermal – £300/unit; Air Source Heat Pumps – £850/unit; Biomass boilers – £950/unit and Ground Source Heat Pumps – £1250/unit
- Details of the Premium Payment were originally said to have been issued in May, for a July 2011 start, but as yet no information has appeared (the Ofgem paper released today – more of which below – simply says “Further information on the Renewable Heat Premium Payment will be available later in the year from DECC.”
- Regulations around the October 2012 domestic/household phase of the RHI will be consulted upon next year.
- Further details on the RHI are on DECC’s website.
Ofgem, who will administer the scheme, have today launched a detailed (two volume…) consultation on the eligibility criteria for installations wishing to apply for the RHI, including requirements such as the regular submission of heat data, meter readings and fuel data for certain bioenergy installations.