Press release

Government launches Renewable Heat Incentive

10 March 2011

Commenting on today's (Thursday 10 March 2011) Government launch of the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI), Sustainable Energy Advisor to Friends of the Earth Alan Simpson said:

"An ambitious Renewable Heat Incentive will allow people to earn and save money by heating their homes and workplaces using clean energy.

"But there are serious concerns about the surge in the use of unsustainable biomass and incineration these proposals could encourage - the scheme must only promote genuinely green and sustainable sources of heat.

"Energy Minister Greg Barker has done well to resist pressure to delay the scheme for another year - this would have had a devastating effect on the renewable energy industry.

"The Government must now stop dithering over feed-in tariffs and kick-start the UK's green energy revolution - this will slash emissions and create tens of thousands of new jobs."

ENDS

Notes to editors 

1. Friends of the Earth also welcomed the RHI scheme's emphasis on community scale heat generation and said that - alongside measures to create green power and cut energy waste - renewable heat will help tackle climate change and lift the vulnerable out of fuel poverty.
2. The green campaigning charity said the Government had listened to its advice by increasing the tariff for injecting bio-methane into the national gas Grid - bio-methane could deliver half of the UK's domestic heating needs in by 2020 and provide a solution for what we do with biodegradable waste.
3. Friends of the Earth also welcomed the move to promote the use of deep geothermal energy. It says this - not incineration - is a sustainable heat source of the future.
4. The green campaigning charity is however concerned about the sustainability of biomass use promoted by the Renewable Heat incentive. It believes Biomass should be locally and sustainably sourced - not imported from abroad.
5. As is the case with renewable electricity, the UK is woefully behind the rest of Europe when it comes to generating heat from renewable sources of energy. Only one per cent of UK heat comes from renewable sources (the second lowest, after Malta, in Europe).
6. Friends of the Earth's briefing on the Renewable Heat Incentive (August 2010) is available to download at: http://www.foe.co.uk/resource/briefings/renewable_heat_incentive.pdf
7. Friends of the Earth believes the environment is for everyone. We want a healthy planet and a good quality of life for all those who live on it. We inspire people to act together for a thriving environment. More than 90 per cent of our income comes from individuals so we rely on donations to continue our vital work. For further information visit www.foe.co.uk.

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust