Fossil fuels account for almost all of the energy we use for heating water and our homes today with only a very small proportion of households using renewable forms of heating. However, the government has a target of reducing emissions across the economy by 80% by 2050 and as domestic heating accounts for 28% of UK energy demand, this is going to have to be reduced to almost zero.
So, the government is beginning to prepare for a roll out of low-carbon heating in the 2020s and so they have set up the Renewable Heat Incentive or "RHI" as a way of financially incentivising people to take on renewable heating systems. Such systems, like biomass fuel systems, will need to make up a major part of heating in the future and not just for domestic users but for industrial and business communities also.
The RHI for non-domestic applications opened in 2011 and now the domestic RHI is now available to home owners.
Who does it target?
It's going to take several decades for the changes to be made and so a gradual roll-out will take place. In the first instance those with properties that are off the gas grid will be targeted. These people currently pay far more for gas than those connected to the gas mains which is both convenient and currently relatively cheap. However, if they use LPG, oil or electricity for heating then a biomass boiler would offer significant savings. For example, the average cost of heating a three bedroom house was almost 50% higher when oil was used and 100% when using LPG.
There are currently 4 million households in this situation and so the RHI aims to make heating their homes and water a far cheaper option if they take on biomass.
The scheme will pay a tariff based on the technology used to heat the house, for example, a house switching to biomass-only boilers will be paid 12.2p/kWh for seven years. This will be available to homeowners, private landlords, social landlords and self-builders. Specially it will not be available to new build properties unless they are self-build.
Where can I learn more about biomass?
IEC Connect only supplies market leading Biomass and Solar equipment that has been rigorously tried and tested. We avoid products with uncertain provenance. When you buy from us, you’ll be assured the components and installation workmanship will be first class, serving you well for many years. Every element of your Renewable Energy System supplied and installed by IEC Connect is a quality component.
You can find out more information about our Biomass boilers at : http://www.iecconnect.co.uk/biomass.html