UK: Heat decarbonisation reform a step in the right direction
The Government announced changes to UK’s policy for decarbonising the heat sector.
The Renewable Energy Association (REA) welcomed the reforms introduced to the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI), the vital scheme for the decarbonisation of the heating system.
These changes were introduced in March and caused major concern that the revised tariffs would result in a big fall in the deployment of many renewable heat technologies.
The analysis conducted by EBA Member REA showed that the Government’s finalised scheme brings the UK closer to meeting its 2020 renewable heat target.
Dr. Nina Skorupska CBE, Chief Executive at the Renewable Energy Association said: ‘The reforms made today to the Renewable Heat Incentive are an improvement to the earlier consultation and will go some way to grow an effective renewable heat sector in some cases to 2021. As recognised in this consultation response, heat is a very complex issue and we need all technologies on board to achieve our long-term goals. Renewable gas, biomass boilers, solar thermal, heat pumps, heat networks, hydrogen and other technologies will all have a role to play. The next step is for Government to lay out a long-term energy strategy so industry can prepare for low-carbon heat deployment in the 2020’s and 2030’s. As of now, this policy only takes us to 2021 and there is little indication of the Government’s vision beyond.’
‘The biomethane tariff reset is most welcome. Government has acknowledged the strategic role biomethane can play across heat and transport and the resetting of the biomethane tariffs should enable continued deployment of the most competitive projects. Unfortunately, the biogas combustion tariff isn’t likely to enable many new biogas CHP projects to come forward. With the closure of the RO, and rapidly falling tariffs for the Feed-In Tariff, this sector still faces many challenges.’ Explained Mr John Baldwin, Chair of the Renewable Energy Association’s biogas group and Managing Director of Compressed Biomethane Services.
Source: REA
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