Renewable Heat Grants to Double

Today the Department for energy and climate change have announced that the grants paid via their scheme to promote domestic renewable heat technology, the Renewable Heat Premium Payment, are to double.

The money paid to homeowners who buy solar thermal, air source heat pumps, biomass boilers and ground source heat pumps will now rise to £600, £1,700, £1,900 and £2,500 respectively; hopefully kickstarting a summer surge in installations in the run up to the rescheduled launch of the domestic Renewable Heat Incentive in Spring 2014.

Stuart Elmes, Chair of the Solar Trade Association’s Solar Thermal Working Group, said:

“This is fantastic news for solar heating. The industry can really get behind the improved voucher levels and vigorously drive towards a spring 2014 launch of the domestic RHI with renewed enthusiasm."

“This announcement is, at last, a tangible demonstration of Government’s oft-proclaimed commitment to domestic renewable heat technologies.”

He added: “We now need to get the good news out there and let householders know that solar heating is more affordable.”

This good news comes on the back of some notably good campaigning work by the Solar Trade Association, who were able to engage with the Minister for Climate Change along with key industry players via Twitter using the hashtag #tweetforheat.

The idea to double the RHPP grants also stems from a blog post by the STA solar thermal guru Stuart Elmes, in which he criticised the government for delaying the RHI and called for the RHPP incentives to be doubled as a cost effective way to help the renewable heat industry (as the grants are recouped later on through earnings.

The STA’s CEO, Paul Barwell was also quick to praise the government’s actions, saying:

“It’s great to see that Government has reacted so positively to our suggestions on how to speed up development of the renewable heating sector. The STA led the industry campaign urging Government to consider this proposal and is delighted to see that Ministers have listened to our calls.”

If you would like to make the most of the doubly attractive RHPP scheme for solar thermal, call us now on 0800 157 7340 to speak to an adviser.