http://www.energyefficiencynews.com/articles/i/5318/?cid=3

The UK government says there are still millions of pounds available for social housing landlords to improve the efficiency of heating in their properties.

Under the Renewable Heat Premium Payment (RHPP), social housing landlords including local authorities and housing associations can apply for funds to install efficient technologies likes biomass boilers, solar hot water panels and heat pumps in tenants' homes.

To date, the scheme has awarded nearly £5 million to 72 projects but the government is now extending the scheme to offer additional funding to successful bidders and reopen the competition to social housing providers that did not make applications.

"The high value-for-money of the bids we have received to date means that there is still money up for grabs and I would urge social landlords across the nation to apply and take advantage of all this scheme has to offer," explains Energy and Climate Change Minister Greg Barker.

The government has allocated an additional £2.5 million to the scheme, to which social housing providers can apply for up to €200,000 or around £156,000.

New bids will be evaluated by the Energy Saving Trust, which has been administering the scheme, on the basis of value-for-money, type of fuel being replaced, energy efficiency measures being installed and the track record of the provider.

The competition for the funds under the latest phase of the scheme will be open until 9 October.

The communities part of the scheme also has some £8 million still up for grabs to support the development of clusters of domestic renewable heating systems and is open for applications until 7 September.