Heating Industry Outlines Budget Wishlist
The Heating and Hotwater Industry Council is calling on Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne to make a long term commitment to the domestic Renewable Heat Incentive in the Budget on Wednesday. The Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) is a UK Government scheme set up to encourage the uptake of renewable heat technologies amongst householders, communities and businesses by offering taxpayer funded subsidies
Roger Webb, Director of HHIC said, “The RHI still needs work, but we would like to see the Government make a long term commitment to it. If we are to achieve the 2020 ambition of having 12 per cent of UK heating coming from renewable sources, then RHI will be critical in helping persuade consumers to install renewable heating systems in their properties.
“Consumers need to understand the full picture and be able to not only identify the payments they will be eligible to receive under RHI but know that these payments will continue.”
Elsewhere, ICOM, the trade association representing the industrial and commercial heating equipment manufacturing sector today calls upon the Chancellor to include a boiler scrappage scheme for the non-domestic market in this week’s budget.
Ross Anderson, Director of ICOM said, “The non-domestic sector is always treated as the poor relation compared to the domestic sector but helping companies to be more energy efficient will not only help the UK economy prosper but will have a positive impact of the reduction of carbon emissions.
“The introduction of the non-domestic RHI in November 2011 is slowly making a difference to business but we would like to see a scheme similar to the boiler scrappage scheme operated by the Government for the domestic market in 2010.”
Meantime, the Energy and Utilities Alliance (EUA) has called on Mr. Osbourne to read their manifesto ahead of Wednesday. The EUA manifesto asks for:
- Financial support towards building more long term gas storage;
- Green gas subsidies;
- The payment of the winter fuel allowance in the summer months;
- Replace levies on electric bills that fund energy policies directly with taxpayer funded subsidies.
Mike Foster, Chief Executive of EUA said, “We are very aware that the forthcoming budget will be delivered with the General Election in mind but we believe that committing to our asks will not only be an election winner but will help deliver an energy policy that is secure, sustainable and affordable.”
