As the government takes steps towards utilising more renewable energy, you may be rewarded for heating your home or business using solar or wind power or technologies such as heat pumps. Whether you already heat your home or business in this way or are considering the switch to renewable energy, you can find just some of the grants that could help you below.
In October 2021, the government announced a brand new heat pump grant as part of the heat in buildings strategy that could provide grants of £5,000 towards the installation and capital costs of ASHPs and biomass boilers, and grants of £6,000 for GSHPs*. As part of a campaign to get Britain incentivised to install low-carbon heating options, the new Boiler Upgrade Scheme has up to £450m available to cover part of the costs of installing a heat pump.
*BEIS (Future Support for Low Carbon Heat: Boiler Upgrade Scheme)
The scheme will run from April 2022 until the goal of 90,000 heat pump installations is achieved.
Please note that this scheme ends closes 31st March 2022. The Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive, otherwise known as the Domestic RHI scheme, is a government financial incentive scheme set up to encourage the installation and usage of renewable heating technologies in existing homes.
Launched in spring 2014, the scheme enables those using renewable heating systems to receive quarterly payments at a set rate (pence/kilowatt hour, or p/kWh) per unit of clean, green renewable heat their system produces.
The Domestic RHI scheme covers single domestic properties and is open to homeowners, private landlords, registered providers of social housing, third party owners of heating systems and self-builders. It is available to households both on and off the gas grid. Once you have joined the domestic RHI, you'll remain on the same tariff rate.
For non-domestic properties, such as businesses, schools and hospitals, there is a separate scheme called the Non-Domestic RHI.
At Viessmann, we offer a comprehensive range of heating systems that are eligible for the Domestic RHI scheme. These include air source heat pumps, ground source heat pumps, biomass boilers and solar thermal technology.
Taking part in the Domestic RHI scheme will enable you to help the environment and save yourself money at the same time.
The scheme is a government financial incentive to promote the use of renewable heat. Switching to heating systems which use renewable energies in place of fossil fuels will help the UK reduce its carbon emissions. As fossil fuels are finite resources that are steadily increasing in price year on year, you will also save on the cost of these.
In addition to this, you will be paid for the hot water and heat that you generate and use yourself. This payment level varies depending on the type of technology you install in your property.
The Domestic RHI scheme is ideal for those looking to reduce their carbon footprint and CO2 emissions through sustainable technology. Additional incentives are also available for those wishing to install metering and monitoring packages.
The MCS is a standards organisation that certifies both installers and products. A requirement of the Domestic RHI scheme is that all heating systems are MCS-certified to ensure that both the products and the installation are of a sufficiently high standard. To claim the RHI, you will need to provide a valid MCS certificate number, otherwise you may not be eligible for the scheme.
The following products are certified under MCS:
PLEASE NOTE: Products certificated under the MCS are eligible for financial incentives as are products certificated under the equivalent scheme CEN Solar Keymark. For more information about The Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) please use the link below.
For more information about The Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) please use the link below.
While products such as heat pumps require an MCS certificate in order for you to claim the RHI, biomass boilers require an emissions certificate to prove that they meet specific air quality requirements. These requirements are quite strict and you can find out more about what the test and certificate involve below.
Please note that Viessmann UK do not currently sell Biomass products. A test will be carried out on your biomass boiler to see if it meets RHI requirements for emissions.
Depending on the type and size of your boiler, the test may vary, however the results should be the same. The government states that all boilers tested must meet the maximum limit of 30g/GJ4 for particulate matter (PM) and 150g/GJ for oxides of nitrogen (NOx). When applying for RHI support, you must show that your boiler falls within these 30/150 emissions limits by providing your test certificate to Ofgem. The boiler must be tested by an accredited laboratory.
In order for your test certificate to be valid, there are other things it must contain too, including:Finally, a statement should be issued that confirms the test was completed to standards, either EN 303-5 for smaller appliances or, for larger appliances such as commercial boilers, EN 14792:2005 as well as EN 13284-1:2002 or ISO 9096:2003.
The Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) for industrial, commercial, public sector and not-for-profit and community installations opened its doors for applications on Monday 28th November 2011.
If you are interested in applying for support under the scheme you will need to contact Ofgem who are responsible for administering the scheme. More information about how to apply, as well as detailed guidance documents to support you through this process, is available on their website at Ofgem. Alternatively you can contact their enquiries centre on 0845 200 2122 or by email to RHI.Enquiry@ofgem.gov.uk.
The scheme ended on 11th January 2013. For further details, or if you have equipment installed under the Warm Front initiative please use the link below.
Please Note: The Green Deal Home Improvement Fund has now closed. Please use this link for more information.
The boiler scrappage scheme was introduced in 2010 as a way of encouraging homeowners in England to install newer and more energy-efficient boilers. The scheme allowed up to 125,000 households in the UK with G-rated boilers to claim a £400 voucher that could be put towards the cost of a new A-rated boiler. It was thought that the switch could save people money on their energy bills and help them to use less energy. The voucher could also be used towards renewable heating systems, such as a biomass boiler or heat pump.
Some energy suppliers even agreed to an additional £400 off, so homeowners could have saved up to £800 on a new appliance.
It’s estimated that an A-rated boiler could save you £200 a year on your gas bill compared to a G-rated one. Therefore, people who used the scheme were not just saving money on the appliance itself, but they could also save a huge amount each year in energy. Over 10 years, they could save up to £2,000.
The scheme proved to be hugely popular, which meant all 125,000 vouchers were used up in a matter of months. The scheme closed in March 2011.
Announced in July 2020, and coming into effect from August 2020, the Green Homes Grant Scheme offers money off energy-saving home improvements, such as new wall insulation, heat pumps and double glazing. Households that have these kinds of improvements done can claim up to two-thirds of the cost back from the government up to £5,000. Poorer households can claim 100 per cent of the cost up to £10,000.
For more information on this grant, please see our Green Homes Grant Scheme guide. This scheme is now closed.
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