What is it all about?
The Renewable Heat Premium Payment voucher scheme is a government scheme that gives money to householders to help them buy renewable heating technologies – solar thermal panels, heat pumps and biomass boilers. This is a short-term scheme making one-off payments that will also allow us to learn more about what people think of these technologies and how they perform in a variety of conditions.
Who can apply?
For solar thermal products, any householder in England, Scotland and Wales can apply.
For ground to water, air to water or water to water heat pumps, and for biomass boilers, householders without gas central heating in England, Scotland and Wales can apply (in other words those who are not connected to the gas grid and currently rely on fuels such as oil, liquid gas, solid fuel or electricity for their heating). All successful applicants will have to meet certain simple conditions.
What are the conditions?
Your house must be your main home and it must have basic energy efficiency measures in place. This means you will need to confirm you have loft insulation to 250mm and cavity wall insulation, where these measures are practical. The renewable heat product you will be installing must be listed under the Microgeneration Certification Scheme, and be installed by someone registered under the scheme, or equivalent. Visit the MCS website for details.
You must agree to having an extra meter attached to your installation (free of charge) as we are keen to monitor and learn about how heating systems are used in practice in various different circumstances and types of home. Once the equipment is up and running, you will also be asked to fill in two customer questionnaires, one immediately after installation and one after a follow-up period.
How much are these grants worth?
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All houses
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Houses not heated by gas from the grid
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| £300 – solar thermal – voucher valid for 3 months |
£950 – biomass boiler – voucher valid for 6 months |
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£850 – air source heat pump – voucher valid for 5 months |
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£1250 – ground source or water source heat pump – voucher valid for 6 months |
If you are installing a heat pump, you will receive 80% of your voucher value when you submit a valid claim, which must be accompanied by a signed checklist from you installer setting out whether the installation is “meter ready”. You will receive the final 20% either following a visit from the metering team to check that the installation is really “meter ready” and they will install a set of equipment or if your installer has been trained to install monitoring equipment and installs it on our behalf. If you have indicated that you are not meter ready, you will receive the final 20% of the grant at the end of the scheme. All installations must be complete and vouchers redeemed by the expiry date on your voucher or 31 March 2013 – whichever is sooner. No vouchers will be valid beyond 31 March 2013.
How do I apply?
Anyone can pre-register their interest with the Energy Saving Trust from 2 April 2012 on the Energy Saving Trust: Renewable Heat Premium Payment Phase 2 web page or by phoning them on 0800 512 012 for information. Applications will then be accepted from 1st May. If you meet the conditions you will receive a voucher. You then have a set number of months to redeem the voucher by returning a signed version with a copy of the invoice and a certificate from the Microgeneration Certification Scheme.
How can I prepare?
First, you might like to make sure you have appropriate energy efficiency measures in place - see above. Carry out research to see which renewable heat technologies might work for you. Shop around for quotes from different installers. And check if you need planning permission or permits if it is a substantial installation.
Will I get the Renewable Heat Incentive too, when it comes in?
People who have installed the kit under the Premium Payments will also be eligible for support through the RHI providing they meet the eligibility criteria of the full RHI scheme, as will anybody else who has installed eligible equipment since 15 July 2009.
Important
This is a summary of the full conditions. Please consult the Energy Saving Trust: Renewable Heat Premium Payment Phase 2 web page for details of how the scheme works and eligibility rules.