A: As RHI (renewable heat incentive) payments have been delayed again till Spring 2014, do we have to wait till then to get our payment? So there will be no payment in 2013 then?

Q: If you are what the government describes as a 'legacy' applicant, which means someone who has installed a domestic renewable heat system* since 15 July 2009 and meets the (as yet unknown) criteria, then I'm afraid that you are unlikely to get any money until 2014. (The non-domestic scheme is already up and running.)

In its recent consultation DECC identified that it may have a problem coping with the number of legacy applicants if they all applied as soon as the scheme opened its doors. It is considering introducing a phased application window, spread over a six month period. Those who installed first could apply first, and those with more recent installations would have to wait a bit longer. However, this was just a proposal, and until the announcement this summer, we won't know how it plans to proceed.

If you are considering a domestic renewable heat installation, then upfront grants in the form of renewable heat premium payments are available until the end of March 2014. This amount will then be taken off the amount of renewable heat incentive you receive when the scheme launches.

*heat pump, biomass boiler or solar thermal systems

Find out more about renewable heat and the renewable heat incentive

Introduction to biomass boilers

Introduction to heat pumps

Introduction to solar thermal (solar water heating)

Introduction to the renewable heat incentive

If you have a question about anything in the above blog, please ask it in the comments section below.