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.