RHI Extension for Covid-19 Delays: REA Comments

BEIS has announced an extension from 6 to 12 months for projects affected by Covid-19 related delays, applying to the Non-Domestic RHI scheme.

 

Yesterday BEIS published a response document laying out the Government’s decision to enact further changes to the Non-Domestic RHI to aid non-Tariff Guarantee eligible projects that have been impacted by Covid-19 related delays. This means that eligible applicants will be able to submit an ‘extension application’ in March 2021, to gain an additional 12 months – to allow them up to 31st March 2022 to put together a full application for non-domestic RHI accreditation.
This has been a change REA has been working towards for industry and we welcome the Government decision.

 

Frank Gordon, REA Head of Policy, commented:

“The provision of extension applications for the non-domestic renewable heat schemes is a welcome decision from Government. It will allow hundreds of businesses to continue to decarbonise their heat requirements, despite Covid-19 delays which threatened the completion of their projects before the end of the Renewable Heat Incentive in March 2021. We are also pleased to see Government working closely with industry to tweak the design of this extension, responding to feedback on the original proposals, helping to ensure the measures are as successful as possible.

“However, it should not be forgotten that this measure only helps projects that are already in the pipeline. There remains a growing renewable heat policy gap, with no firm indication yet on how new industrial or business heat decarbonisation projects are going to be delivered once the Renewable Heat Incentive is closed for good next year.”

 

The full document, dated 5 November, can be found here.
The 17 August publication can be found here.
The publication page is here.

 

-ENDS-

About the Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology (REA)
The Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology (known as the REA) is the UK’s largest trade association for renewable energy and clean technologies with around 550 members operating across heat, transport, and power. The REA is a not-for-profit organisation representing fourteen sectors, ranging from biogas and renewable fuels to solar and electric vehicle charging. Membership ranges from major multinationals to sole traders.
For more information, visit: www.r-e-a.net or contact Ieva Asnina via 0750 8840 101.