Welcoming the Government’s announcement today on the Renewable Heat Incentive, Liz Lainé, energy expert at Consumer Focus, said:
‘It is particularly good news that consumers living off the gas grid, who often have much higher energy bills, will be a key target in the roll-out of this scheme. Energy efficiency and renewable heating systems could help consumers to make big savings on their energy bills.
‘If the Government is going to achieve the mammoth task of cutting household carbon emissions, the challenge is to make its schemes clear and simple for consumers. That means the plethora of initiatives available must be joined-up and convince the millions of consumers who will need to take action.’
The package of measures on the Renewable Heat Incentive announced today has addressed key concerns Consumer Focus has voiced about the funding and roll-out of renewable heating payments:
- A quarter of funding for the first year is ring-fenced to help domestic consumers, with off-gas grid households a key target.
- Funding through taxation rather than through energy bills is fairer and will help protect low income consumers from being hit disproportionately hard by the costs of the scheme.
- The consumer watchdog also welcomes the fact that energy efficiency will be factored into the evaluation of eligible homes – taxpayers should not fund heat that is then allowed to leak.
ENDS
