Renewable Heating Incentive – information for Norfolk & Suffolk
If you’re thinking about how you might be able to reduce costs on fuel bills and add value to your property, the Renewable Heat incentive might just be the answer.
On 20th September the Government published its final consultation for the Renewable Heating Incentive due to begin around September 2013. Under this scheme payments will be made to home owners that install a Microgeneration Certification Scheme approved ground or air source heat pump, solar thermal for hot water or a biomass boiler. See the full document http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/11/consultation/RHI/6453-rhi-consultation-domestic.pdf
Although the rates of the Renewable Heating Incentive have not been finalised the indication is that the pay back will roughly total the capital expense. The amount paid may include an allowance for interest assuming the homeowner may have needed a loan to pay for the upfront cost.
Until March next year there is an additional grant payable – RHPP The Renewable Heat Premium Payment phase 2 – Generate your own energy – Energy Saving Trust which will subsidise the installation by £1250 for a ground source heat pump, £850 for an air source heat pump, £300 for a solar thermal system and £950 for a biomass boiler. These grants are payable if the property is ‘off the mains gas grid’, which includes many villages in Suffolk and Norfolk.
The advantages of replacing an old oil boiler or LPG gas system with for example an air source heat pump become obvious when you look at the efficiencies of these type of renewable technologies. At best a new oil boiler may achieve 97% efficiency, whereas MCS Microgeneration Certification Scheme – Home approved ASHPs will on average (through the year) be over 300% efficient. This may seem magical but it is actually a tried and tested technology which is a kind of reverse refrigeration process. Electricity is required to run the fan and other components in system, but it is not producing the heat, this comes from the air. Installing a heat pump system is more expensive than replacing an oil boiler but if the Renewable Heating Incentive is going to cover the capital cost, householders should save around 50% on their heating bills compared with oil – a source of energy that many households in Norfolk and Suffolk currently use.
It is very important to engage a reputable MCS qualified company as the regulations have been tightened up considerably this year in preparation for the introduction of the Renewable Heating Incentive scheme. If you’d like to talk about how the RHI scheme might benefit your property why not get in touch? We’re happy to give free advice so you are well informed, please go to rabrown.co.uk .
