It is now official that the Government Feed-in Tariff (FiT) scheme for solar panel installations will end on the 31st March 2019.
The scheme was first introduced back in 2010 to reward homeowners and businesses for generating electricity through the installation of solar panels, with Government estimating it would encourage around 750,000 eligible installations by 2020. However the scheme was much more effective than they had anticipated with approx 730,000 installations achieved by as early as 2015.
Thus after a successful period in the sun, the Government are now calling time on rewards for new solar panel installations (if you’re already on the scheme don’t worry, this does not mean your payments will stop).
Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) for Heat Pumps Going from Strength to Strength
Whilst the FiT for solar panels is coming to an end, the Government’s Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) for Heat Pumps has been backed to continue until at least 2021, with payments for new installations currently at their highest ever levels.
Working in a similar way to the FiT, the RHI pays homeowners and businesses through the amount of renewable heat that is generated from renewable heating systems such as Ground Source Heat Pumps and Air Source Heat Pumps.
Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive
The Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive applies to homeowners and self-builders alike, who can claim 7 years worth of quarterly payments. Below is a table showing the most recent tariffs:
| Technology | RHI Tariff [p/kWh] |
|---|---|
| Ground Source Heat Pump | 20.46 |
| Air Source Heat Pump | 10.49 |
Table showing RHI Tariffs applicable from 01/01/2019 - 31/03/2019
A typical 4-bedroom house with a heat requirement of 20,000kWh can receive over £20,000 in subsidy payments over a 7 year period under the Domestic RHI scheme.
If you have a live project, are at early stages, or are even thinking about one, please do get in touch below to see how we can help you on your way to getting paid to heat your property while the RHI payments for new entrants are at their current highest ever levels!
Non-Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive
The Non-Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive provides financial payments over a 20 year period for those applicable for this scheme. Below is a table showing the most recent tariffs:
| Technology | RHI Tariff [p/kWhth] |
|---|---|
| Ground Source Heat Pump | Tier 1 - 9.36 |
| Tier 2 - 2.79 | |
| Air Source Heat Pump | 2.69 |
Tariffs that apply for installations with an accreditation date on or after 1st January 2019
If you would like to find out more, or are not sure which incentive your project is eligible for, please get in touch below as we are happy to help with any queries you may have!