heating with Biomass, have I got the figures right?

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

https://www.gov.uk/renewable-heat-incentive-calculator

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

Using the calculator, mine comes in @ 23.8k over 7yrs. Imagine how cheeky that would have been at the original tariff and over 20yrs (index linked) which is what was touted 2-3 years ago!

[countrryboy]

I have been trying to get my head round this, i have been quoted around about the 12-15k mark for a tank and log burner for a 2 bed room house and thats not even the plumbing work.

Which is a ridiculas ammount for such a small house esp with all the modern insulation/air tightness

 

There guesstimating i could qualify for 2K a year in RHI payments but i won't know until the house is completed (full renovation job) and has a completion certificate to be green deal assesed.

 

I just think these MCS fitters are charging a fortune because they can and because the grants are there.

Just can't decide if worth paying for all the RHI/MCS and better of just putting a log burner in without the payments

 

I was told the commercial rate could be dropping by 20% in Jan bringing it down to around 6p/kw which will be getting fairly marginally for some people esp if on chips and don't have a ot of storage

[ArthurBottlesworth]

I looked at this and eventually said " stuff it "

Especially given number of people whos system just don't work ......

£15k for two bedroom house just bonkers

 

If your borrowing at 6% your interest charge ( first year) will be £900

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

The majority of MCS accredited installers are thieves liars and bstards. Similarly, the EPC and green deal assessors - just biscuit wheels on the government funded gravy train!

 

All I'd say, having learnt from personal experience, is engage an independent consultant to assess your need / usage, then, if the numbers work, choose a supplier / installer that can meet your needs.

 

If the person making the recommendations is also the supplier / installer, they'll be looking at what's best for them, not what's best for you!

[openspaceman]

I just think these MCS fitters are charging a fortune because they can and because the grants are there.

 

The MCS accreditation is a new tier in the marketing, it costs money to get and to keep up, similar to the NPTC stuff, so of course it increases costs and the fitters will want to amortise their costs over a short a period as possible. Also the travelling distances tend to be great as there are few MCS people and installations all over the country. I saw this with solar PV and look how those prices plummeted when the grants were halved.

 

Just can't decide if worth paying for all the RHI/MCS and better of just putting a log burner in without the payments

 

I found it an easy decision, especially as I don't qualify as we have gas already.

[dogman]

Interesting thread, we have just sold our house, & are considering a move to a village that doesn't have gas, so we were going to look in to this, but it sounds like a minefield.

 

Rob

[Marko]

It isn't that confusing if you look at what the scheme actually is rather than comparing it with all the iterations of what was promised over the preceding years.

 

Rather than confuse yourself over what might have been, what applies to domestic and what is commercial, start here https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/increasing-the-use-of-low-carbon-technologies/supporting-pages/renewable-heat-incentive-rhi and see if it stacks up for you.

 

The one thing I would fully agree with is the amount of charlatans involved already. I don't know what they were doing this time last year but I suspect double glazing / hearing aid / hot tub / next big thing salesmen rather than plumbers. Some of the stuff I have seen on quotes is grossly misleading (to the point of being worthy of Trading Standards involvement) - from the over specification of required kit to the price of fuel used in their savings calcs.

 

One seen very recently used the 'estimated' per tonne price standing timber as the cost of biomass. In their world timber cuts, processes, transports, stacks and seasons itself at no additional cost. An oversight? I think not - in the last 10 proposals I have seen only one had used a realistic costing for fuel. Buyer beware - challenge everything they claim and make the effort to talk to a selection of their previous install customers.

[Capetown]

I had a good look at the sums for a biomass boiler and the domestic RHI. I was getting quotes for over £20k for the complete installation, which was about the same amount I would get over the 7 years of the RHI. I opted for a simple wood burning boiler stove fully installed and integrated with the gas boiler for £6k. Most of the batch-burning all singing and dancing biomass MCS approved fires were only guaranteed for 3 years, and there much more to go wrong as well! Fuel prices http://www.confusedaboutenergy.co.uk/index.php/domestic-fuels/fuel-prices#.VAxVoBYXNWy

[countrryboy]

Aye thats the way i'm thinking too Capetown.

To be fair to the companies i have had prices off are fairly well established and they are pretty upfront and have said its not all its cracked up to be and mains gas is far cheaper etc. But i'm sure there is plenty of cowboys out there

It's just (like many on here) i have access to tonnes of free or cheap timber (plus ur time) so it does make sense but the whole RHI/MCS thing is just 1 big rip off the same as the PV panels where, when the FIT came down the panels miraculously dropped by the exact same %.

 

 

I may have a chance of getting onto a commercial tarrif but even with the 20 yr payback still find it hard to justify the massive outlay intially for such a small building

 

Marco are u in the business??