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We all know we need to lower our carbon emissions and make the shift towards renewable energy. To help you make the change, the government set up the domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) to encourage UK homeowners to switch to renewable home heating.

 

The domestic RHI offers quarterly payments over seven years. Your payments are calculated on a set of tariffs, based on the type of system you have installed in your home. It could all add up to thousands of pounds, helping you offset the upfront cost of installing your air source heat pump heat pump.

 

Some of the benefits of having an Air Source Heat pump fitted into your home to replace your current boiler are listed below

 

  • lower fuel bills are likely, especially if you are replacing conventional electric heating.

  • potential income through the UK government’s renewable heat incentive (air-to-water).

  • lower carbon emissions.

  • no fuel deliveries needed.

  • can heat your home as well as your water.

  • minimal maintenance required.

  • can be easier to install than a ground source heat pump.

 

The domestic renewable heat incentive offers ongoing payments when you make the switch to an eco-friendly heat pump.  To get an idea of the potential RHI payments you might receive and also how much you could potentially save on your energy bills by having your own air source heat pump fitted,  just take a look below…

Oil                 Gas              LPG

Government RHI payments over 7 years       £10,999     £10,999     £10,999

Government MMSP payments over 7 years  £1,610        £1,610         £1,610

Fuel savings over 7 years                                     £2,918       £0             £9,753

Total benefit over 7 years                                    £15,527      £12,609     £22,362

Who can claim?

 

The scheme is open to anyone who can meet the joining requirements. There is a detailed guide from OFGEM 'Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive Essential Guide for Applicants' that you can view by clicking on the button below.

 

The domestic RHI is available for people living in England, Scotland, and Wales in homes that are on or off the gas grid.  To apply you must own the property that the renewable heating system is in.  The scheme is open to

 

  • Homeowners

  •  Private and social landlords

  • Self-builders

How do payments work?

 

Your first payment will be made three months after you apply and set at the tariff rate applicable on that date.

 

Payments come from OFGEM, the government's energy regulator, and are made every three months for seven years as long as you remain eligible and follow the scheme rules.

 

Your tariff may differ depending on which type of system you have installed and the amount you earn is calculated on a number of factors, including your home's Annual Heat Demand.  This is listed on your property's Energy Performance Certificate.

Eligible Systems

 

If you chose an eco-friendly heat pump to meet your heating and hot water needs, you can rest assured that your heat pump exceeds the criteria you'll need to meet to qualify for RHI payments.

 

Eligibility Criteria

  • Your heat pump should use a 'liquid medium to heat your home, using traditional radiators, underfloor heating or heat convectors.

  • Your heat pump must be certified under the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS).  All the systems we use are MCS accredited and RHI-ready.

  • You must have an MCS certification for your installation - this means choosing an accredited installer, like us.

  • You'll also need your home's Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), which should be less than 24 months old.

  • The 'seasonal performance factor' how efficient your heat pump is on average, in all weathers - must be at least 2.5.  All the heat pumps we recommend and install exceed this minimum standard for the RHI.

Metering

 

Metering for Performance

 

Domestic RHI heat pumps are metered for performance, ensuring the electricity your unit consumes meets certain efficiency standards.

 

You'll need either a standalone on-board electricity meter, or a Metering and Monitoring Service Package as part of the scheme.  Visit OFGEM for more information by clicking on the button below.

 

Metering for Payment

 

Under some circumstances your heat pump will also need to be metered for payment , so you can receive the right amount for the heat the system produces.  This may apply if:

  • You have a Hybrid system (e.g. a combined heat pump and gas boiler)

  • You have a renewable heating system installed alongside a fossil fuel heating system

  • You lived in your home for less than 6 months before applying for the domestic RHI

How to apply

 

To complete the application form for the Domestic RHI, you’ll need:

 

  • Your Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS)certificate number

  • Your Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) 

  • Your bank details for the account to which you want the payments made. The details you use for your application must be the same as on your bank account.

  •  Your metering questions, if you need to be metered

  • Invoices or records stating both the cost of the system and labor to install (these can be approximations and will not affect your payments or eligibility).

 

We can help you with the application for the RHI payments so that your application is processed as quickly and as efficiently as possible by OFGEM.  

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