The building press are all over the RHI at the minute, here are some bullet points that we recently submitted;

1. In your opinion, what effect it will the RHI have on the industry in practice (both commercial and domestic

• The commercial RHI has stimulated demand and we are receiving a greater level of interest from the market.
• However, there is still low awareness of the RHI per se, with many of those enquiring about biomass boilers not having even heard of the scheme
• Financial incentives in the short term will encourage fossil fuel users off oil/lpg electric, stimulating growth in the renewable heating industry.
• Longer term, the RHI will help UK meet its renewable heating target and to achieve binding/ CO₂ reduction targets.
• It is not clear what the structure of the domestic RHI will be yet, so its impossible to say.

1. The domestic phase has been delayed until 2013, what impact will this have on the product market? What effect will the delay have for you as a company?

• Has created uncertainty from customers, renewables companies and the industry and makes planning a challenge.
• Like a lot of other companies, we are closely following developments and assessing our product offering to the domestic sector.

1. Which parts of HVAC sector are most likely to lose out – are some renewables technologies more at risk than others, due to installation costs/tariff levels?

• Lower efficiency/quality end rather than other different technologies with the minimum efficiency ratings in the building regulations due to increase in 2013.
• High efficiencies will ease planning and approval/ developments under the Code for Sustainable Homes .

1. A common view is that even when the RHI kicks in properly, there won’t be enough expert advice to specify the products. Do you agree?

• Biomass boilers under 45kW, have to be fitted by a Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) registered installer to be eligible for RHI payments.
• However, there approximately 200 MCS accredited fitters nationwide today when the RHI is expected to create tens of thousands of new boiler installations.
• This gap is a fantastic opportunity for plumbers and heating engineers to diversify into renewable heating.
• There is no shortage of interest in filling this gap from the installer community, which we have seen first hand with enquiries from a large number of heating engineers wishing to work with us having steadily grown over the past few months. They are out there, but until the structure of the domestic RHI is finalised, they are less likely to make the move.
• When the domestic version of the RHI is finalised, we expect this to drive demand further and encourage even more installers into renewable heating.

1. What do you think of the RHPP interim solution? Is it a suitable and apt alternative?

• It’s a good scheme, although its take up has been slow which may reflect the small relative subsidy available.

www.treco.co.uk or 0845 130 9012