A number of social housing providers have been awarded money under one of the government’s renewable heat incentives to fit green heating and energy systems to the homes of their tenants. 24 housing providers from across the UK were successful in receiving a share of a £4 million fund, with each receiving up to £175,000 to install renewable energy sources to the homes of their tenants, as part of the government’s drive to reduce emissions and help the poorest in society with their energy bills.
There were 125 applicants for the scheme and each potential project was assessed by a panel of experts including representatives of the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) and the Energy Saving Trust. The criteria included the number of heating systems to be installed and clear value for money in their plans, and other providers of social housing will also be awarded funding in the future.
The scheme covers various forms of renewable energy including heat pumps, biomass boilers and solar thermal panels, and the original £3 million was increased to £4 million as there were so many strong applicants.
Energy and Climate Change Minister Greg Barker said: “This scheme directly targets many of the people who could struggle to pay their heating bills in the winter and I am pleased so many social housing organisations across the country will be able to get a share of the cash. It will encourage an increase in the number of new heating technologies in social housing and help people deal with expensive fuel costs.”
This is part of a number of renewable energy grants that the government has introduced to try and get businesses, homeowners and landlords to invest in green energy sources and help people cut their energy bills. Various grants and loans are available from the government so installing green energy sources from ground source heat pumps to solar PV panels can be more affordable than you may expect.
