these are just that – supporting measures. The big question is what happens next for the RHI? Unlike the electricity policies, the RHI is
paid for directly out of taxation. Overall this is a big plus, imagine the headlines if RHI participants were responsible for putting everyone else’s heating bills up. The downside is that our fate now rests on the outcome of the secret negotiations over UK spending as a whole that will go on after the election. Although supportive in principle, all the main parties have been nervous about tying themselves down. They all presumably have teams of people at party headquarters ready to pounce on any ‘unfunded spending
www.r-e-a.net
commitments’ from the other side. We have to hope that the more measured conversations can resume afterwards and that, whatever it is, it produces a government confident enough to plan spending four years ahead rather than horse-trading its way through, one deal at a time.
Value for money There’s a very strong story to tell. The RHI isn’t perfect, but would that every new government policy were as successful. There’s plenty more growth to be had in the sector, and many ways in which the policy could be further improved. The industry is going to have to be mature in what it asks
for, as well as getting its own house in order in terms of safety, quality and customer service.
Most importantly, the RHI is already very good value for money and should get better. It compares favourably in subsidy terms with much of large-scale power, and at the cheaper end we want as much as we can get of renewable energy that only needs 2p/kWh to make it happen. Given that money will be tight whoever’s in government, we need to make sure that every penny of subsidy achieves as much as possible, and that the industry takes the lead in weaning itself off those subsidies as far and as fast as possible. Then we really will be here for good.
REview Renewable Energy View 2015 29
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