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Written Ministerial Statement on the Renewable Heat Incentive

Greg Barker MP, minister of state for climate change

“The Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI)  is the first of its kind in the world and provides long term support for renewable heat technologies such as heat pumps, biomass boilers and solar thermal panels.

“On 26 March 2012 I reaffirmed government’s commitment to growing the UK market for renewable heat technologies by announcing further support for the domestic sector under a second phase of the Renewable Heat Premium Payment Scheme (RHPP).  At the same time I set out our delivery timetable for providing longer term support for  households, expanding the non-domestic scheme and transparent plans for staying within our budget for this year.

“I am pleased to report that we are on track to meet the RHI delivery timetable and have met our first milestone.

In March we consulted on a mechanism for more effectively managing the RHI budget in the short term.  Today, I am pleased to publish our response which will ensure we have a stand-by budget management mechanism in place this summer, enabling the sustainability of the scheme by allowing us to keep within the budgetary limits set by the Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR).  Further, I can confirm that we are on track to consult on longer term proposals in July 2012 as planned.”