A question about : Biomass Boilers Government Scheme
Has anyone recently had fitted or been quoted for the Biomsss boilers through the government RHI incentive which started in May?
They came to our house and said it wasn't worth doing as our electricity costs were already low, so I asked them to visit my mum's house where they did a quote. The boiler is 18k, she would make a saving and it worked out she'd get approx Ј150 extra back off government a month (paid quarterly).
I've since done a google search and seen a site that offers free boiler and installation and they get the government money back.
This is a minefield of information, is it a scam or worth doing.
Best answers:
- It's a genuine scheme but there are lots of 'opportunists' looking to make a quick buck. It's a classic scam opportunity - persuade the victim to lay out a large sum up front with the promise of seven years of rewards that more than cover the outlay.
There are many risks. The biggest in the biomass heating industry is ongoing maintenance and support. These things can break down and you need to rely on the installer to be available to support it for a long time after installation.
There's quite a few tales of woe on this forum, so do a search for biomass or pellet boiler.
Having said that, the MCS and RHI schemes are a crock of ***t - UK prices of EU approved biomass boilers are double their German or Polish price because they have to be MCS approved and installed to qualify for the RHI payment. It's a rip off and the industry is making a killing at the expense of anyone who buys. - I'll second what Robwiz has said. Pellet boilers are expensive and often unreliable. That said particularly for thoose who've got a large draughty house the returns from RHI can be large.
Please note the rules of RHI state that the boiler should be owned by the applicant. Therefore, free boiler schemes are scams. - There is a legitimate government scheme which can pay several thousands of pounds a year to householders who install "renewable" energy.
I am getting money from it so the scheme is definitely genuine.
I investigated both biomass and air source heat pumps but ruled out biomass for a variety of reasons (even though the RHI payment is higher): - less mature technology
- much more complicated mechanically - more to go wrong
- much more maintenance / cleaning required
- more expensive initial install
- large space required for pellet storage
- pellets are just another commodity which can become much more expensive over time (whereas there is some political pressure to keep electricity prices in check)
- Ok first this is not a scam, biomass boilers are very good and reliable if you buy the right model and have a good installer. A lot of people on here have heard horror stories where people have been cheapskates and cut corners and then wondered why the heating doesn't work.
So if you are paying for it, don't use the cheapest installer/boiler. I would recommend a Frolling or ETA which are by far the best on the market, and you must use an experienced installer. If you write on here what you have been quoted for I can let you know if it sounds good or bad.
Now about the 'free' biomass boilers, first this:
Quote: - From OFGEM:
You must be the owner of the heating technology and the owner or occupier of the property.
https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/environment...heat-incentive - That's what I said...
- I have elderly farmer friends who have been convinced to install a Biomass boiler under this scheme - this will be to provide heating to a large and badly insulated farmhouse, a farm cottage and about 10 offices of varying sizes that they have on the farm. They have been told that they will receive more than two times back from the government than their fuel will actually cost - which immediately made me a feel a bit uneasy. The 'lovely young man' who came to see them has got them totally convinced.
What I am reading here is concerning me somewhat. Theirs would obviously be a massive installation - I think they have been quoted about Ј35K. But it sounds like there could be maintenance issues - especially as he is the type of person who hates to call someone out when things go wrong and prefers to tinker and fix things himself. I don't think they have had any other quotes, so I will see if I can at least persuade them to do that. - As per the previous post, the biggest scandal with the RHI is that you get paid more for using more (or more according to an EPC in most cases).
That's clearly different to FiTs, where it's better to be *generating* more.
Crazy town. - Your post is wrong in so many ways! and apparently most other posters in this section are don't know what they are talking about.
However as pantomime season has started there is no point into getting into an 'oh yes it is - Oh no it isn't game' and logic isn't your strong suit.
P.S
Quote:
As has been mentioned, the older and larger your house is, the more attractive the scheme is because you will need more heat (renewable or otherwise) to keep it warm. A small modern house has lower heat requirements, so the amount of energy saving by using renewables is lower.
I expect the RHI payments to pay for the ASHP installion within the 7 years.
However, even if the RHI sums add up for your situation, you should never sign up to a Ј10k+ purchase from the first company that knocked on the door. Shop around and get several quotes for each technology, if you think it's worth it for you.
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