The Energy Saving Trust is to approach social landlord winners of the Renewable Heat Premium Payment (RHPP) competition to see if they want to bid for additional funding to make their tenants’ homes cosier, warmer, more energy efficient and less costly to run?
This will include energy saving ‘kit’ such as biomass boilers, solar hot water panels and heat pumps. 
The RHPP competition is also being reopened to social housing providers that did not make initial applications.
Energy and Climate Change Minister, Greg Barker, says: “We have already awarded nearly £5million to 72 projects under this year’s scheme, helping householders stay warm this winter and move away from expensive old heating systems to new clean renewable ones.
“But the high value for money of the bids we have received to date means that there is still money up for grabs and I would urge social landlords across the nation to apply and take advantage of all this scheme has to offer.”
Registered providers for social housing, such as local authorities and social housing associations, can bid for funds up to the Sterling equivalent of €200,000, which currently amounts to around £156,000 each. Up to £2.5million of additional funding will be allocated under this element of the competition.
DECC is making improvements to the scheme in line with feedback from participants, including lengthening the application window to nine weeks and moving the administrative requirement on submission of energy bills to the project delivery stage.
The EST’s chief executive, Phillip Sellwood, says: “Our long established track record in the renewables industry will enable us to provide valuable support to all applicants, offering guidance and clarification where possible both pre and post award.
“All information to support completion of applications for the scheme is available on the Energy Saving Trust website along with information about successful phase one applicants.”
Interested applicants should ring 0300 123 1234 (England and Wales) or 0800 512 012 (Scotland). The closing date is 9 October 2012.
More information: www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/