DECC low-carbon heating scheme open to application

The Department for Energy and Climate Change has recently opened its low carbon heating scheme for communities to applications.

UK communities will now be able to pledge for a share of the £8 million fund to install low-carbon heating into homes in their local area to include solar thermal panels, biomass boilers and heat pumps. The fund is anticipated to be able to support 50-100 projects in the UK.

Greg Barker, Energy and Climate Change Minister said:

“Clean green generation at a local level is a key part of our energy future and I hope that communities of all shapes and sizes will get on board and take advantage of all this scheme has to offer.” CEO of the Energy SavingsTrust, Phillip Sellwood continued:

“Working together can make the process of upgrading to renewable heating easier and more affordable for everyone. This scheme will provide a great opportunity for community groups to prove once again that they can have a real impact in reducing carbon emissions and energy prices in their homes, whilst empowering communities to be more sustainable.” The first stage of applications is open to community groups until 7 September 2012 and will be judged on the project’s vision, the benefits expected for the local area and any relevant experience of similar projects. The awards from the fund will be announced in December of this year.

The Department for Energy and Climate Change then went on to announce the winner of the 2012 £10 million social landlord competition which will assist in getting low carbon heating systems into the homes of social tenants.

Barker announced:

“It is great to see there’s so much enthusiasm for the second year of our social landlord scheme. These projects will help install three times more low carbon heating systems in tenants’ homes across the nation than last year’s scheme, helping even more people move away from expensive old heating systems to low carbon alternatives.” 72 successful projects have been confirmed with a significant proportion of winners being situated in the South West area. Projects are required to be completed by the end of March next year.