North’s RHI closure on 29th February confirmed

Last week we reported Enterprise, Trade and Investment (DETI) Minister Jonathan Bell had announced the domestic and non domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) schemes in Northern Ireland will close on the 29th February. The NI Assembly duly approved the closure earlier this week, see Notice of Suspension. Responding to the move, John Martin, Chairman of Biomass Energy Northern Ireland (BENI) issued a press release and called for “urgent talks between the NI Government and the heat sector to plan an appropriate way forward”. The Belfast Telegraph reported this. In a further step this week, John Martin wrote to Minister Bell (cc’d to UK Minister for Energy and Climate Change Amber Rudd and to Patsy McGlone, MLA Chairperson, Committee of Enterprise, Trade and Investment) requesting an urgent meeting  to discuss the implications of the suspension and to consider an appropriate policy framework going forward to 2020 and beyond. See letter.