WIREDGOV

£12m for home generators

DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY News Release (Reference P/2007/90) issued by The Government News Network on 9 May 2007

Grants to help climate-conscious householders to install microgeneration technologies will be up for grabs again later this month, Alistair Darling announced today.

The Low Carbon Buildings Programme (LCBP) has already allocated £6.8m in grants to householders and, following the addition an extra £6m in the Budget, applications for the remaining £11.9m will be open from 29 May.

Since it launched in April 2006 the LCBP has directly funded 2175 installations on homes. This includes 242 mini-turbines, 313 Solar PV projects and 1467 solar thermal heating systems.

Mr Darling said:

"Micro-wind turbines and solar panels are fast becoming the credible response of householders to cutting their carbon emissions as well as their utility bills.

"The microgeneration industry has tremendous potential in the low carbon economy. Products are already available on the high street and are starting to become recognisable on our skylines. This grant scheme is designed to maximise carbon savings, demonstrate potential and help the sector become more commercially competitive in the long term.

"It is part of a wider government programme worth £86m that will also award grants for larger scale installations on schools and other public buildings."

The grant scheme was put on hold in March while the application process was streamlined to make sure it benefits the sector in the long term.

Key changes to the application criteria include the removal of the monthly cap and a new requirement to have planning permission before applying.

The Government is currently consulting on removing the need for planning permission for the majority of microgeneration installations but it must be in place for LCBP grant applicants in the meantime.

The changes are designed to overcome delays in the take-up of grants. Only half of the £6.8m already allocated by March had been spent because of supply chain issues, planning consents not in place, delays in building schedules and applicants not ready to proceed. The DTI will continue to monitor these areas.

Notes for editors

1. Changes to the application process are:

* Abolition of monthly cap

* £2,500 maximum limit on grants per household

* Advance planning permission required

* Shorter grant offer periods

* Tighter policy on extensions

* Re-designed application form

2. More detail on the new application process is available at http://www.lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk

3. Table of grants by technology

Technology Total Total Total Total Total Paper Online
Committed £ Committed Paid Paid Apps Apps Apps Apps

Total for
all
techno 6,819,754.19 4289 3,488,089.72 2175 5329 2799 2530
-logies
Biomass
Room
Heater/
Stove
(Automated
Wood
Pellet 6,742.56 13 1,706.00 3 22 8 14
Feed)
Ground
Source
Heat Pump 298,300.20 249 124,764.90 104 327 222 105
Heat Pumps 0.00 0 0.00 0 3 3 0
(Air)
Small 19,300.00 5 0.00 0 5 5 0
Scale
Hydro
Solar 3,900,887.84 529 2,249,728.03 313 627 294 333
Photo
-voltaic
Solar
Thermal
Hot
Water 795,516.00 1990 586,316.90 1467 2469 1546 923
Wind 1,650,460.90 1401 458,821.93 242 1697 598 1099
Turbine
Wood
Fuelled
Boiler 148,546.69 102 66,751.96 46 179 123 56
System

4. Table of grants to date by region

Householders      Committed                 Paid
      Region            £              No's      £             No's
      East Midlands     £343,126.45    319       £176,118.43    141
      East of England   £806,508.28    560       £415,528.39    285
      London            £534,828.71    204       £290,972.91    109
      North East        £132,930.29    86        £70,582.93     34
      North West        £361,491.74    263       £143,074.38    102
      South East        £1,690,992.27  966       £933,017.71    563
      South West        £1,274,776.19  837       £586,552.00    431
      West Midlands     £413,865.77    275       £212,593.50    141
      Yorkshire         £408,545.13    264       £191,733.18    118
      Northern Ireland  £113,650.49    38        £92,247.73     27
      Scotland          £319,302.08    140       £146,188.85    34
      Wales             £475,698.14    373       £226,696.61    187
      Total             £6,875,715.54  4325      £3,485,306.62  2172 

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