WHA Response to RHI consultation

We have submitted the WHA Response to RHI consultation. The reform will have huge impacts on the biomass heating industry, and we have argued why biomass is cost-effective, sustainable, deliverable, and reduces GHG emissions.

We thank all members for their comments, feedback, and evidence that have helped form our response. The industry really came together to deliver this strong message to DECC, and we now await the outcome of the consultation.

The executive summary of the WHA Response to the RHI consultation:

The heat demand limits make domestic systems for larger properties unaffordable, without making systems for smaller properties more affordable, limiting overall deployment.
The Government needs to ensure level playing field between the technologies in the domestic RHI, as Rate of Returns vary from -0.5% to 12.5% forcing consumer to choose based on payback rather than appropriateness.
The non-domestic biomass tariff reform will make medium and small biomass unviable, although these have supplied the majority of renewable heat in the scheme so far, and discards five years’ worth of Government and private sector efforts in building a successful mature biomass heating industry.
Biomass heat has delivered significant GHG emission savings, and evidence suggest that there are substantial amounts of sustainable biomass available from UK, EU and international sources.
DECC is taking a great risk by expecting all biomass deployment from large biomass and energy intensive industries, when this market has been historically difficult to unlock and require paybacks significantly shorter than what the RHI offers. Biomass heat is not a viable technology without allowing direct air heat, which again will limit the potential of the large biomass.

Should you have any questions to our response, please feel free to . The REA’s response is available here.