Green Homes Grant Will Meet Only Tiny Fraction Of Target

The government’s flagship green homes grant scheme will help just 8% of its target 600,000 households switch to renewable energy by the end of March, analysis reveals. The £2bn for the scheme is being withdrawn at the end of next month. Analysis by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit thinktank reveals that at the current rate it will issue vouchers to just 49,000 members of the public by that time. This equates to an annual carbon saving of 26,000 tonnes, or 0.4% of UK residential sector emissions. Read more on the Guardian website.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/feb/26/green-homes-grant-fraction-target-england

Social Housing Solar PV Scheme Is Europe’s Largest Crowd-Funded Venture

Two renewable energy companies from Yorkshire and Scotland have embarked on a partnership to deliver what is claimed to be Europe’s largest ever crowd-funded solar energy project. Oakapple Renewable Energy (ORE), based in Leeds, is working with Glasgow-based Edison Energy to install up to 794 roof-mounted solar PV systems with a total capacity of 2,595 kW for Berwickshire Housing Association (BHA), in the Scottish Borders. The £3.1 million scheme will roll out over four months and will be installed on houses across Berwickshire helping to reduce tenants’ energy bills by as much as 30% without any cost to them, the partners said. Read more on the Housing Excellence website.

Social Landlords Miss Out On Energy Schemes

The government has not properly recognised the role social landlords can play in cutting fuel poverty through schemes to promote renewable power generation, a report has found.  The Joseph Rowntree Foundation study, Renewable energy: getting the benefits right for social housing, argues the design of mechanisms such as the feed-in tariff were based around economic rather than social demands, meaning the social housing sector failed to take advantage of the scheme. The JRF report states: ‘Only a minority of social landlords were then able to progress. Continuing uncertainty over future rates has left most schemes either abandoned or postponed indefinitely.’  The report calls for more certainty for the FIT and similar mechanisms such as the renewable heat incentive so landlords can ‘make long-term plans about retrofit strategies with confidence’.  Download a copy of the report from the JRF website.

RHPP Scheme Re-opened

Social Landlords can now apply to bid for a grant to support the installation of renewable heating systems under the second phase of the Renewable Heat Premium Payment (RHPP). The RHPP is a short-term government scheme, managed by the Energy Saving Trust (EST) and available for householders and social housing. This scheme is designed to help buy renewable heating technologies, such as air to water heat pumps or solar thermal hot water. Social housing providers have the chance to bid for money - up to around £175,000 - to support the installation of renewable heating systems. All applications need to be submitted before the 4th July 2012 and all projects need to be completed before the 31st March 2013. Read more on the EST website.

Feed-in Tariff Changes

The Department for Energy and Climate and Change has announced new changes to Feed-in Tariffs (FITs) in an attempt to create a "more predictable, certain and sustainable" scheme for householders, businesses and the solar industry.  Following its latest consultation with the industry and consumers, the Government is introducing a range of changes to the FITs scheme with effect from 1 August, which it claims will provide better value for money and allow businesses and householders to "plan with confidence".  But the changes have been slammed by one director of a leading renewable energy company, the Solar Trade Association (STA), who said the Government was "hell bent on making life difficult for the solar industry”.  Read what the STA had to say on their website.