An Overview of Non-Domestic RHI

The first phase of the renewable heat incentive is the non-domestic RHI, and is open to all non-domestic installations of renewable heat technology

The first phase of the renewable heat incentive is the non-domestic RHI. This part of the scheme is open to all non-domestic installations of renewable heat technology. Under this scheme, all systems which aim to be accepted onto the scheme must be metered. For those eligible technologies which succesfully apply for non-domestic RHI, the incentive will be paid for 20 years. This applies to all systems fitted since 15 July 2009, and payments are made for every kWh of heat which is generated by the system. All payments for the non-domestic RHI will be index linked.

Eligibility for Non-Domestic RHI

The eligible technologies under the first RHI scheme are:

- solid biomass

- ground and water source heat pumps (air source heat pumps will likely be included in the near future)

-geothermal

- solar thermal (up to 200kWh)

Non-Domestic RHI Rates

Tariffs for any new systems installed between 1 July 2013 and 31 March 2014 are as listed here, with the bracketed figures representing the changes that will come into effect from 1 April 2014. Other tariffs will increase by RPI.

Small biomass systems (less than 200kWth) - Tier 1: 8.6p/kWh; Tier 2: 2.2p/kWh

Medium biomass systems (200kWth < 1,000kWth) - Tier 1: 5p/kWh; Tier 2: 2.1p/kWh

Large biomass systems (1MWth +) - 1p/kWth (2p)

Small heat pumps (GSHP, WSHP, & Deep Geothermal less than 100kWth) - 4.8p/kWh

Large heat pumps (GSHP, WSHP, & Deep Geothermal greater than 100kWth) - 3.5p/kWh

(From the spring of 2014, the banded rates for GSHP are to be replaced with one tiered tariff: Tier 1: 8.7p/kWth; Tier 2: 2.6p. Tier 1 will be paid on the initial eligible heat generated by the system if it is running at its full capacity for 1,314 hours (15% of the whole year), whilst Tier 2 will be paid on the rest of the eligible heat generated.)

All solar collectors less than 200kWth - 9.2p/kWh (10p)

Beginning in April 2014, the non-domestic RHI scheme will be extended to include biomass CHP at 4.1p/kWh of eligible heat generated as well as air to water heat pumps at a rate of 2.5p/kWh.

Image by Images Money