What a mess this is in. The Summer edition of BFF will include an in-depth look at the mess the gov has made of this grant scheme for small scale renewables. It is clearly frustrating to homeowners and businesses aloke and is actually causing a stagnation of business. Post your comments/experiences about it here or suggest companies that we should consider getting an opinion from for the story.

Rumour has it that it has been set up to fail so the nuclear option is made to seem more necessary. What do you think?

I'm about to make an application but apparently you have to sit by your computer at midnight on the last day of the month to be in with any chance of getting a look in and I'm not sure what they do with the backlog as it closes each month and January apparently close on the 11th because the allocation for the month had been used up by then. Someone told me it was all spent on B&Q roof mounted wind turbine applications.

The February outing for the LCBP household grants was closed by the 5th!!
What can the poor punter do? We would be better off without them teasing us.

I am reliably informed that the LCBP is now actually becoming a problem for installers rather than an asset.

Good installers are telling their potential clients about the grants, they then apply and get deferred.
Many would not be too bothered without the grant but as its there they wait for it and wait for it.

The net effect is that it is now actually deferring investment in renewables not stimulating it.

Thanks Keith

Wow I've just decide to apply for stream 2a but I'm not going to wait that long!! I'll be too old and decrepit to help install it by then

Sorry Biff. I deleted your event posting because it was out of place on this thread.

Nigel, Yes please do send me a copy of the form that was overcomplicated so i can take a look.

We don't encourage the posting of chargeable events on the forum Biff we have a dedicated events section on the newbuilder website. Since you did post it I'm discussing with collegues here about poss adding a category for events and courses.

the underlying problem is is that we are unsure if we should give such what is essentially free publicity to companies or organisations that are profiting from running the events, many of which give Green Building Press little or no mention in return!

If you e-mail it to me Biff. I'll add it to our events page on newbuilder website.

PS, Keith, I notice you don't have your e-mail conveniently located on your profile

hi
I am german and writing my diploma about micro-chp in europe. Does the LCBP also help with grants for the installation for micro-chp or only for renewable energies. there are different informaions on the website.?? thanks
Regarding your experience, do you think that more people invest in micro generation with the grants, or are there more people who invest without the grant?

[Highwayman as Guest]

For solar water heating the grant is smaller than the difference between high and low quotes. So you could manage without, especially if installers were to meet you halfway with a bit of a price drop. If their businesses depend on it, this could happen....

Alistair darling has said today:

"While the scheme is re-structured the decision has been taken to suspend it for the
April allocation. It’s important that this final additional funding for household
renewables, due to end in mid 2008, is used to best effect to bring on a
microgeneration sector that can stand on its own two feet without further subsidy.
DTI Ministers will be meeting with industry to discuss how best to operate the new
scheme and will announce the way forward in May.

What can you say!

Personally I don't see a problem with subsidy / tax breaks / artificially high prices for power sold back to the local grid. The free market is rarely left to itself despite years of Thatcher/Blairist pro-big business government. Subsidies of one form or another are everywhere, from free road access for car drivers to tax free fuel for aviation. In fact I have just finished reading the world development movement report, Dying on a Jet plane- see http://www.naturalchoices.co.uk/Dying-on-a-Jet-Plane-L10-4-billion?id_mot=8 (Shameless self promotion here)
It argues that due to no tax in aviation fuel and no VAT in effect the Brtitish tax payer is subsidizing aviation to the tune of 10.4 billion a year- or £173 for every person in the UK.
Now you could put up a few solar panels for £10.4 billion.
Pete

Peter said but who is Peter? see bottom of letter
I looked at your profile but it does not say anything about you.
Incidentally how does one set up a profile?

I as a working man who is actually between jobs now, would like to comment on your article. and the issue.
In my opinion renewable energy will has up to now been & will remain only for the rich, or extremely fortunate. Mum gave me money to buy solar thermal panel.

Personnely I think all roofs should be covered with PV panels that are paid for by the power companies / government.

And instead of giving grants to new build or renovators of buildings.

We should subsidize the cost of transformers and a couple of panels,
so everyone who wants Too can start to learn about electricity thus saving themselves money then as they realize how nice it is to produce your own power they will want to buy additional panels and if they have space eventually the equipment to sell back to the grid.
Only in that way will Micro-gen ever be taken up by the masses.
Just think of all the jobs that will be created
Arnold or solarbore

* Peter_Shield
I have just finished knock out a piece on the latest twists and turns on the Low Carbon Building Programme - http://www.naturalchoices.co.uk/Renewable-energy-now-only-for-the?id_mot=2 and I am still angry!