This study, commissioned by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), investigates outcomes of non-domestic applications to the Government’s Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme.

The study is part of a wider independent evaluation of the influential RHI which comes at an important time when the government is due to consult on potential changes in the coming months. It reveals scheme applicants’ motivations, the basis on which they made their investment decisions and their perceptions of the technologies supported by the RHI. In addition, Eunomia examined how the renewable heating supply chain perceives both the scheme and the renewable heat market more broadly.

The study provides insights into how effectively the RHI scheme is delivering its objectives, including:

  • The RHI scheme is helping to develop a renewable heating market
  • The majority of non-domestic RHI applicants were satisfied with how their renewable heat installation worked
  • High costs and finance are fundamental barriers to the growth of renewable heating
  • The non-domestic RHI scheme has had some unexpected impacts

In addition to Eunomia’s work, the independent evaluation summarises work by NatCen Social Research, Centre for Sustainable Energy and Frontier Economics. It includes surveys and interviews with applicants in the domestic and non-domestic schemes, alongside participants in the renewable heat supply chain.

This report is available free of charge. Please provide a few details about yourself and one of the team will email you the full report shortly.

    The appendices to the report can also be downloaded.