Will Heat Pumps be the Next Move For Norfolk County Council?   by Marcus Hemsley

in Home / Home Accessories    (submitted 2011-10-25)

Norfolk County Council has come up with an innovative way to tap into current government-led green incentives. The Council has recently announced plans to set up a council-owned, but privately run energy company, The Energy Services Company (ESCo), which, acting as a standalone business, would be elligable to profit from government schemes such as the Feed-In Tariffs (FITs). These generous tariffs pay 43p per kilowatt of renewable energy generated, equating to a considerable subsidy of 4-5 times the current market rate. This rate is guaranteed and tax free for the 25-year span of the project. The Feed-In Tariffs have been active since early 2010 and many homeowners and businesses have already taken advantage of the scheme by installing renewable energy sources, such as solar panels or heat pumps, into their homes. It is not suprising that local authorities like Norfolk council are seizing the opportunity to cash in on these generous incentives following recent budget cuts of up to 30% to council funding across the country.

The council's ambitious plans involve fitting public buildings and private council-owned dwellings with solar panels and other types of energy-efficient green sources. Another scheme which the council look set to profit from is the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI), promising to offer similar advantages to the Feed-In Tariffs, but focusing on those who invest in air source or ground source heat pumps to provide their homes or businesses with warmth. Rural Norfolk home owners often have sizable plots of land attached to their properties, and these would be the perfect sites for installing heat pumps and taking advantage of the RHI. During a time of slashed budgets and rising bills, Norfolk council would be wise to invest in heat pumps. By having a mixed range of projects, they are set to make around a 10-14% return on their initial layout to install these renewable sources. Funds will be transferred from the council's Carbon and Energy Reduction Fund to make the initial investment, but will be gradually repaid through funds from the rolling capital programme and external funding streams. The council looks set to make a sizable revenue from these green schemes, to pay back into frontline services, whilst also contributing towards minimising the country's carbon emissions. Norfolk would surely be missing out on a brillliant opportunity if we do not look towards installing heat pumps throughout the county, in time for the RHI's launch early next year.

About the Author

If you're interested in a high quality installer of heat pumps in Norfolk, I would highly recommend R. A. Brown, from personal experience.