On the 21st July DECC announced the details of the Renewable Heat Premium Payments Scheme. The government scheme provides money to householders to help them purchase renewable technologies such as biomass boilers, solar thermal panels and heat pumps. This is a short term scheme making a one off payment to a householder.

The Scheme commences on the 1st August 2011 until the 31st March 2012. The scheme for solar thermal is open to any householder. However, for Biomass and other technologies this is only available to householders who are not currently using gas heating.

The conditions to this scheme are that this must be the householders main home and that they have basic energy efficiency measures in place, such as cavity wall insulation/loft insulation to 250mm where practical. Prior to applying to the Energy Savings Trust (EST) the householder should also have all the necessary planning and environmental permissions in place. Also, that the householder resides in England, Scotland or Wales.

Another requirement is that the product such as a biomass boiler and the installer of the product are both MCS Approved, which TRECO is. It is important to note that if the householder is a recipient under this scheme , as long as they comply with the other conditions of the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI), they will also be eligible for the RHI Scheme.

The Scheme requires that if the householder is entitled to the payments they are required to complete two surveys. Also, as the foundation of this scheme is to gain information regarding heat usage in various homes, a householder may randomly be selected to have a meter installed at no cost, to gain further information, please note that this is a condition of the scheme.  The rates are £950 for biomass boilers, £300 for solar thermal, £850 for air source heat pumps and £1250 for ground source heat pumps.

For further information on the scheme you can contact the EST via their website: http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/Generate-your-own-energy/Sell-your-own-energy/Renewable-Heat-Premium-Payment  or via 0800 512 012 or by telephoning Treco on 0845 130 9012 or via info@treco.co.uk .