Solar electricity has taken off in the UK in recent years and has highlighted an appetite for generating energy at home. With warm, comfortable homes and high bills being key concerns for homeowners, renewable heating technologies such as heat pumps, solar water heating, and biomass are the next wave of green additions.
These technologies are not cheap to install, but the government’s Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI), which offers quarterly cash payments over seven years for generating low-carbon heat, improves the return on investment. This is similar to the Feed-in Tariff (FiT) incentive that is paid for renewable electricity. Some key changes have come into force recently to (RHI) including an increase in payments for most heating technologies.
Much has been said and written about (RHI) and a lot of households have dismissed it without really weighing up the long-term benefits. Yes, it can be expensive to install but if you work out the longer-term savings over 10 years say, it most certainly begins to make sense.
Vital planning
It’s important to make sure that a new low-carbon heating system is right for your home. The first thing to remember is that every heat-generating system gives you more “value for money” if your home is well insulated before it is installed.
Your home will need a certain amount of insulation before applying for the RHI. To be eligible for the scheme, you’ll need a recent Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). If the EPC recommends cavity wall insulation or loft insulation, you’ll need to install it first.
In general, it is better to take an “insulation first” approach to making your home more sustainable. Generating energy should be the final consideration, after your home is well insulated – and this is especially important to gain all the comfort benefits a heating system can bring.
Help required
If you require assistance with making your home more energy efficient firstly check out on this site to see if you are entitled to any benefits. Should you wish to speak to a consultant please do not hesitate to contact us.