DECC today published the list of roadshows where they would be attending to explain the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) to householders, who can be paid for heating their homes with biomass or heat pumps, or heating their water with solar water heaters.
The RHI is a welcome stimulus to the renewable heating market, which is in need of support if it is to contribute significantly towards our European-mandated targets for renewable energy.
We’ll need heat, as well as electricity, to hit our targets
With Wales being the poorest constituent country of the UK (according to the Office for National Statistics), it would have seemed reasonable that additional efforts were made to support adoption of the RHI here. After all, it’s a wealth transfer mechanism to those people who take up the measure.
However, the list of roadshows describes a whole suite of events across Scotland and England – and none for Wales.
The relative numbers of roadshows read like a nightmare Six Nations rugby result.
Commenting on the exclusion, David Clubb said:
“DECC sadly declined my invitation last October to talk about the RHI at our forthcoming Wales Green Building Marketplace, which takes place on 11th February. Clearly there’s a clash with their team being in the north of Scotland at the same time – but to have scheduled precisely zero events for Wales is an eye-watering omission.
It’s circumstances like this that help cement the idea for many in Wales that decisions about energy for Wales, are best taken in Wales.”