RHI cost-cutting controls upheld
Date published:
A spokesperson for the Department for the Economy said: “The Department welcomes today’s Judicial Review Judgement upholding the 2017 Regulations for the non-domestic Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme.
“Since the introduction of the 2017 Regulations the overall cost of the Scheme has reduced and the return on investment for participants has been brought more into line with the original intention of the Scheme.
“It is our intention, subject to the necessary legislative approval, to extend the 2017 Regulations up to a further year, until 31st March 2019. This will be a temporary measure to provide us with the opportunity to develop and consult on the long term arrangements needed for the lifetime of the Scheme to balance our obligation to the Scheme beneficiaries with our wider responsibility to safeguard the public purse.”
Notes to editors:
- The 2017 Regulations extended a 'tiered' tariff system to all small and medium-sized biomass operators, moving them to a lower fixed tariff, after a set number of operating hours, as well as introducing an overall cap on the number of operating hours for which participants can receive support in any given year. Available at: legislation.gov website
- For medium size biomass boilers (20kW to 199kW), the 1st tier of 6.7 pence per kWh applies to the first 1,314 hours each year.
- The 2nd tier of 1.5 pence per kWh applies thereafter up to a limit of 400,000kWh in each year.
- The allowance of 1,314 hours to be paid on the first tier applies each year before stepping down to the second tier tariff.
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