Eligibility and Tariffs

Anyone who installs a qualifying renewable heat system is eligible to claim the RHI. These are the qualification criteria.

The Renewable Heat Incentive applies in England, Scotland and Wales but not Northern Ireland.

There are several eligibility requirements which must be met for installations to receive tariffs:

They must use an eligible type of renewable heat production

Not all renewable heat technologies are eligible. See which ones are and aren’t here.

Biomass and biogas heat generation must also use eligible sources of fuel.

The tariff paid depends on what type of energy is used and the size of the system.

There are some limits to the system size

For example solar and biogas heating are only eligible for installations below 200kW. Check in the eligible energy sources.

This differs to the Feed-In Tariffs where a 5MW ceiling has been applied for all technologies.

They must be new and have been installed after 15th July 2009

Even then they may not be able to receive tariffs straight away. See the date requirements.

Only new equipment is eligible for the RHI; converted installations are not. However new systems replacing existing renewable installations will qualify.

There are some restrictions on the equipment and suppliers you can use

Each eligible installation has to be registered by the energy regulator Ofgem.

There are some specific requirements. For example, systems below 45kW capacity must comply with the Microgeneration Certification Scheme.

The tariff will be paid based on the eligible heat output of the installation

The heat cannot be wasted and must be used for a prescribed purpose; space, water or process heating (not for electricity production, for example).

There are criteria about how this output should be measured.

The installations will have to be maintained and may be inspected periodically.

Who can claim the tariffs?

The owner of the renewable heat installation is the beneficiary of the tariffs.

For further details

Follow the links above, or read Chapter 3 of the government’s document.