Microgeneration for your home

Microgeneration for your home

DECC's Low Carbon Buildings Programme householder stream for electricity and heat generating technologies (solar thermal hot water, ground source heat pumps, air source heat pumps, wood fuelled heating, solar photovoltaics, wind turbines and small scale hydro) is now closed. These technologies no longer qualify for funding. Information regarding each of the technologies is still available for reference you can click on the links below for more detail.

Applications for a grant were welcome from private individuals who own their own home and reside in properties located within England, Wales, Northern Ireland or Scotland (excluding the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands).

To be eligible for a grant you would have received a grant offer letter before starting work on your installation.

How application process worked?

Applications were accepted on a first-come-first-served basis. An outline of the process is as follows:

  1. Complete the energy efficiency measures required by the programme. This is to ensure energy use is minimised prior to installing a microgeneration technology to enable the most efficient use of the technology. For more details on the required energy efficiency measures please click here.
  2. Obtain planning permission for your installation if necessary or contact your Local Planning Authority to ensure that the installation is classed as a permitted development. Please click here for details on planning permission.
  3. Obtain a quote from an certified installer, ensuring that an certified product will be used. Please click here for details on certified installers and products.
  4. By applying online you will get an instant response to your request.
  5. After receiving a grant offer letter via email, contact your installer to confirm that they are able to begin installing the technology. The grant validity period varies by technology, please see the table below.
  6. After you have completed the installation and you have paid your installer, you should submit your grant claim documents to the Energy Saving Trust.
  7. The grant claim will be checked within 25 working days of receipt of all the documentation and, if in order, the grant will be paid to you.

Please download a copy of the terms and conditions and the guidance notes to help you when using the online grant application system.

If you have a question about your application which you cannot find an answer to in the guidance notes why not check our frequently asked questions.

Paying for your microgeneration installation

As with any large purchase, or order, you may be asked to pay a deposit to confirm your order for a microgeneration installation. It is recommended that you do not pay more than a maximum deposit of 25% towards the cost of this prior to installation.

It is also advisable that payments are made using a credit card where possible. This method of payment offers some protection in the event that you are supplied with faulty goods, poor quality work or inadequate services; the credit company may be held equally responsible and therefore it may be possible for your deposit to be refunded (always check terms and conditions with your credit card company).

If you would like more details on purchasing products and your rights please see the Consumer Direct website or call 08454 040506 or contact your local Citizens Advice Bureau for more personalised advice.

Grant amounts and grant offer validity periods

The following table shows funding levels for each microgeneration technology and the grant offer validity periods within which claims must be submitted and received.

Please note the programme has closed to new applications.

Technology

Maximum Amount of Grant

Grant Offer Validity Period

Solar thermal hot water Overall maximum of £400 or 30% of the relevant eligible costs, whichever is the lower
  • 3 months for existing buildings
  • 6 months for buildings under construction
Ground source heat pumps Overall maximum of £1,200 or 30% of the relevant eligible costs, whichever is the lower
  • 6 months for existing buildings
  • 6 months for buildings under construction
Air source heat pumps Overall maximum of £900 or 30% of the relevant eligible costs, whichever is the lower
  • 6 months for existing buildings
  • 6 months for buildings under construction
Automated wood pellet fed room heaters/stoves Overall maximum of £600 or 20% of the relevant eligible costs, whichever is the lower
  • 6 months for existing buildings
  • 6 months for buildings under construction
Wood fuelled boiler systems Overall maximum of £1,500 or 30% of the relevant eligible costs, whichever is the lower
  • 6 months for existing buildings
  • 6 months for buildings under construction
Solar PV Maximum of £2,000 per kW of installed capacity, subject to an overall maximum of £2,500 or 50% of the relevant eligible costs, whichever is the lower
  • 4 months for existing buildings
  • 6 months for buildings under construction
Wind turbines Maximum of £1,000 per kW of installed capacity, subject to an overall maximum of £2,500 or 30% of the relevant eligible costs, whichever is the lower
  • 4 months for existing buildings
  • 6 months for buildings under construction
Small scale hydro Maximum of £1,000 per kW of installed capacity, subject to an overall maximum of £2,500 or 30% of the relevant eligible costs, whichever is the lower
  • 12 months for existing buildings
  • 12 months for buildings under construction

Please note: There was a grant cap of £2,500 per household. Householders could apply for more than one technology but the funding was limited to a maximum of £2,500 per household depending on technologies involved and to one grant per technology type.

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