Air Source Heat Pumps dropped from Renewable Heat Incentive

The government has decided that air source heat pumps need more work ‘to better understand the costs associated with the technology’ before they can be included in the Renewal Heat Incentive. In its launch of the RHI today, the government explained that ground source and water source heat pumps would attract the initial incentive but that air source would not be part of the scheme until at least 2012.

The Department for Energy and Climate Change said: “for air source heat pumps, work is ongoing to develop a robust methodology for measuring heat delivered in the form of hot air. Subject to successful conclusion of this work and other factors (such as the role of cooling as opposed to heating in such systems) we intend to extend eligibility to this technology from 2012.”

Energy secretary Chris Huhne launched the Renewable Heat Incentive this morning in a bid to increase green capital investment by £4.5 billion over the next nine years.

RHI tariff payments will start for homes in 2012, while 25,000 installations from July will be supported by an RHI Premium Payment to help people cover the purchase price of green heating systems.

The incentive will encourage installation of equipment such as renewable heat pumps, biomass boilers and solar thermal panels to reduce emissions and support the existing 150,000 jobs in the heating industry.

The government estimates that by 2020, the renewable heat sector will have grown to include about 13,000 industrial installations and 110,000 commercial and public sector installations.

Chris Huhne said: “Renewable heat is a largely untapped resource and an important new green industry of the future. 

“This incentive is the first of its kind in the world. It’ll help the UK shift away from fossil fuel, reducing carbon emissions and encouraging innovation, jobs and growth in new advanced technologies.”

See policy document below

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