Millions still available for social landlords to make homes warmer and cosier
Funding to get low carbon heating into the homes of hundreds of social housing tenants across the nation is still up for grabs for local authorities…
Funding to get low carbon heating into the homes of hundreds of social housing tenants across the nation is still up for grabs for local authorities, housing associations and other registered providers of social housing.
The Renewable Heat Premium Payment (RHPP) social landlords competition is being reopened, with a millions of pounds available for social landlords to get kit such as biomass boilers, solar hot water panels and heat pumps into even more social tenants’ homes. This will makes tenants’ homes warmer, cosier and far more energy efficient.
There is still money available thanks to the high value for money of projects already allocated funding under this scheme, and now social landlords who did not put in an application the first time round are being encouraged to get involved.
72 projects have already been allocated money under the competition, which ran from 28 May 2012 to 4 July 2012, with winners announced on 24 July. The Energy Saving Trust (EST) will now approach these winners to see if they want to bid for additional funding to install more renewable heating systems in their housing stock.
The competition is also being reopened to social housing providers that did not make applications.
Energy and Climate Change Minister Greg Barker said:
“We have already awarded nearly £5million to 72 projects under this year’s scheme, helping householders stay warm this winter and move away from expensive old heating systems to new clean renewable ones.
“But the high value for money of the bids we have received to date means that there is still money up for grabs and I would urge social landlords across the nation to apply and take advantage of all this scheme has to offer.”
Registered providers for social housing, such as local authorities and social housing associations, can bid for funds up to the Sterling equivalent of €200,000, which currently amounts to around £156,000 each. Up to £2.5million of additional funding will be allocated under this element of the competition.
DECC is making improvements to the scheme in line with feedback from participants, including lengthening the application window to nine weeks and moving the administrative requirement on submission of energy bills to the project delivery stage.
Phillip Sellwood, CEO at the Energy Saving Trust said:
“Energy Saving Trust has a long established track record in the renewables industry, which will enable us to provide valuable support to all applicants, offering guidance and clarification where possible both pre and post award.
“All information to support completion of applications for the scheme is available on the Energy Saving Trust website along with information about successful phase one applicants.”
Bids will be evaluated by EST on criteria such as value for money, type of fuel being replaced, energy efficiency measures to be installed and track record on delivering similar projects. Final decisions will be made by a DECC panel of experts.
The scheme is being managed by EST and interested applicants can apply online. The EST website and helpline has lots of help and advice on the application process and requirements of the scheme. Interested applicants can call 0300 123 1234 (England and Wales) or 0800 512 012 (Scotland).
The closing date for applications is 9 October 2012 and successful bidders will be announced shortly afterwards.
Notes for Editors
- Further guidance on the scheme and how to apply can be found on the EST website
- The improvement in value for money of bids received under Phase two of the scheme compared to the first Phase means that there is still budget to be spent.
- Eligible technologies include biomass boilers, solar thermal panels, ground source heat pumps, air to water source heat pumps and water to water source heat pumps.
- This competition is open in England, Scotland, and Wales.
- Competition bidders will be restricted to registered providers of social housing.
- Aid up to the Sterling equivalent of €200,000 is available for projects installing the eligible renewable heat technologies (currently around £156,000).
- The DECC assessment panel will be made up of representatives from DECC, the Energy Saving Trust and the Devolved Administrations.
- Winners of this year’s social landlord competition
- 2011/12 social landlord winners Last year’s scheme helped get 948 renewable heating technologies into 914 social tenants’ homes
- Case studies from some of the social landlords who participated in the first Renewable Heat Premium Payment Social Landlords’ competition, can be found here on the EST website
- More details on the Renewable Heat Premium Payment scheme can be found on the EST website
- The RHPP Communities Scheme is also still open for applications. Up to £8m is available to support communities to deliver clusters of domestic renewable heating systems and the closing date for applications is 7 September 2012. More details are available on the EST website.