The DECC has announced consultation on proposed reforms to the existing domestic and non-domestic RHI scheme – which affects Welsh construction. Got any views?

The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has announced their consultation on proposed reforms to the existing domestic and non-domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) schemes. The consultation closes on 27th April. It’s time to get informed and begin influencing the process if you feel your work in the Welsh built environment might be impacted in anyway.

Check out the details:

• Removal of support for new solar thermal systems under both RHI schemes.
• Introducing assignment of rights to payments to allow third party financing (domestic).
• One tariff for all new biomass boiler deployment (non-domestic).
• Introducing tariff guarantees and extending the range of technologies eligible for preliminary accreditation (non-domestic)

Further details on the consultation can be found here.

Amendments have also been made to the scheme eligibility which will come into effect on 24th March. This means:

• New applicants will not be required to provide a Green Deal Advice Report (GDAR).
• New applicants with self-build properties will be exempt from the 183 days’ occupancy declaration
• There will be more clarification on Ofgem’s powers to request a new Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) and amend the RHI payments accordingly if needed.
• Tariffs will be subject to adjustment by the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) instead of the Retail Prices Index (RPI) (for participants with a tariff start state from 1st April 2016)
• The consistency of rounding of tariffs will be ensured
• The RHI sustainability criteria will be aligned with that set out in the Renewables Obligation Order 2015