Renewables FAQs

Renewable energy is energy generated from natural resources such as solar energy, wind power, hydro-electric power and tidal power.

Although the costs to install renewable energy technologies are greater than a fossil fuel equivalent, there are some benefits such as:

• Low running costs
• Energy security – not reliant on oil supplies
• Low maintenance costs
• Government grants and tariffs
• Zero Carbon emissions
• Protection from rising fossil fuel prices
• Convenience – e.g. I used to run out of oil on my oil boiler and had to ring around for prices and deliveries and then block my neighbours in when the oil delivery lorry came – not any more!

Renewable Heat

The renewable generation of heat – rather than using fossil fuels. This heat can be captured by devices such as heat pumps, solar thermal technologies and biomass boilers.

The heat can be used to heat houses and businesses as well as for water heating. Generally in the UK we use more energy heating our homes than for electrical power itself.

Renewable electricity

Electricity can be generated by devices such as solar panels, wind turbines, tidal turbines and wave devices. The utilisation of these products is generally around 30-40 percent. But with the development of storage, this rate of utilisation can be improved considerably. The energy mix from the electricity we buy is going ‘greener’ over time as more installed capacity of solar, wind and tidal systems goes in, and fossil fuels such as coal reduce.

The UK has committed to renewable energy targets including 20% of all energy coming from renewable energy sources by 2020, and also a 34% reduction in carbon emissions on 1990 levels during the period 2018-2022, rising to 80% by 2050.

Want to work out your carbon footprint? Use the calculator below

Carbon Calculator

Renewable heat installations such as Ground-Source Heat Pumps and Air-Source Heat Pumps that were installed before March 31st, 2022 will continue to be eligible for tariffs thanks to the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI), provided that the scheme was successfully applied for before the close of March 31st, 2022.

This tariff will no longer be available for new installations after April 1st, 2022, as the scheme has now closed to new applicants. It has been replaced by the BUS (Boiler Upgrade Scheme), which instead provides a grant towards the cost of installation of renewable heat systems such as Ground-Source Heat Pumps and Air-Source Heat Pumps.

RHI tariffs for successful previous applicants will continue to be paid over 7 years from the first payment for domestic applicants, or 20 years from the first payment for commercial applicants. The tariff paid for domestic is based on your ‘deemed’ heat and calculated from your Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). The tariff paid for commercial is based on your metered heat for different buildings. Each property will have a MID-approved heat meter installed.

Unfortunately, the separate government ‘Feed-in Tariffs’ that were previously in operation have stopped, but the typical average cost to install solar panels is now approx. 75% cheaper than back in 2011, and the demand has brought production costs down.

Lately, councils and governments talk about net-zero carbon targets to combat climate change. Under the terms of a new government plan, the target for 2050 may be strengthened to net zero carbon emissions.