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Daikin urges DECC to double RHPP grants

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Daikin UK is urging the government to double the Renewable Heat Premium Payment (RHPP) funding currently available to claimants, following the postponement of the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme until spring 2014.

The manufacturer of air-to-water heat pumps said it would like to see available funding increased from £850 to £1700 during the extension of the RHPP announced on March 26 as this would demonstrate the government’s commitment to encourage significant uptake of air source heat pumps as a renewable technology.

The RHPP funding extension will be available for households until the end of March 2014 for air-to-water heat pumps, ground or water source heat pumps and biomass boilers where households currently rely on oil, liquid gas, solid fuel or electricity. Funding for solar thermal technology is also available.

Daikin UK is also seeking clarification that all RHPP installations will qualify for the domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) Scheme which has now been delayed until spring 2014. It would like the government to recommit that the RHI tariff will be available to all qualifying installations since 15 July 2009, even if they have received the RHPP. This, it said, would send a clear message to those who have already committed to renewable technologies from an early stage that they will not miss out on the future financial reward.

Peter Verkempynck, managing director of Daikin UK, said: “A higher financial incentive is immediately needed to encourage the take up of renewable heating technologies to meet energy targets.”