For the majority of the industry’s manufacturers and professionals, much of the last 12 months’ discussions have centred around the Renewable Heat Incentive – or at least the circus that has surrounded it since it was announced as a potential ‘game changer’ back in 2010.

The situation now, sees the scheme not expected to be introduced until the summer of this year, which is, quite remarkably, a whole two years after the Coalition Government announced its backing. Therefore, it’s easy to see why the industry’s installers are losing interest.

Away from the ongoing bureaucracy issues however, what we need to consider is just how much of a gamble the RHI will be when it eventually comes into play. Whilst the radical nature of the scheme is to be admired in one sense, I can’t help but wonder if the reintroduction of more proven measures might have been a more proactive step in the right direction.

The boiler scrappage scheme is the perfect example of this. Give homeowners a transparent incentive with clear benefits and they will be only too happy to take the necessary measures to benefit from both reduced energy costs and emissions.

When the boiler scrappage scheme was introduced back in 2010, some 125,000 homeowners took advantage, which was good news for the installer and for the Government’s emissions targets. As things stand, enticing a similar number of homeowners to take advantage of the RHI will prove challenging to say the least.

Don’t get me wrong, the idea behind the RHI deserves any praise that comes its way, but in the wake of a series of delays to its introduction, I can’t help but wonder whether a more proven alternative would have been in the best interests of all concerned – at least in the short to medium term.

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