Over recent months we have not heard much about the renewable heat incentive, but it has been confirmed to continue until March 2021. The future of investment in low carbon technologies is uncertain at the moment because the Government has yet to make any announcements about how it plans to support their use after the end of March, 2021.
The Renewable Heat Incentive
Private investors have been encouraged to invest in low carbon technologies such as heat pumps by renewable heat incentive subsidies, but the current level of investment may fall unless the Treasury clarifies how such investments will be supported in the future. These private investments benefit the public and result in lower carbon emissions, but the number of heat pumps being installed may fall without Government support.
Recommendations from the Climate Change Committee state that the UK’s infrastructure should include making existing homes low energy and low carbon. They should be resilient to changes in climate and HM Treasury should support this priority. Low carbon solutions such as heat networks and heat pumps are preferred.
Information about the RHI in its current form is available from Ofgem’s website.
Possible changes
It seems that the Government has plans to move from offering subsidies towards a more proscriptive regime. Since 2005 the installation of any gas boilers that are not condensing boilers has been illegal. It is important to maintain your heating system in good order and for boiler service Gloucester is well provided. You can contact a company such as http://www.hprservicesltd.com/gloucester-boilers/boiler-service-gloucester/ if any repairs are needed or you are considering the installation of a new condensing boiler.
If you are considering investing in a ground source energy installation it would be advisable to go ahead as soon as possible because the renewable heat incentive may no longer be paid on projects that are not completed before 2021. At present, however, the RHI is still available and the income from this is usually greater than the running cost of the ground source energy installation each year and this can contribute significantly to the capital investment that is required for this form of energy.
Although the future of the Renewable Heat Incentive is uncertain, the opportunity to benefit from it is still available so investing in a well designed, properly installed and well controlled system now can be financially rewarding.
