The £500,000 fund aimed at expanding the skill set of domestic heating engineers to include renewable heating systems has been extended by an additional £150,000.
This extension was announced by Energy and Climate Change Minister Greg Barker during a visit to Grant Engineering UK in Devizes, Wiltshire.
The scheme, which includes an apprenticeship initiative, has been in high demand from heating engineers and apprentices alike.
Based on the early indications of interest and the number of vouchers already issued, the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has decided to increase the funding for the scheme in order to further bolster the supply chain in the run up to the launch of the domestic renewable heat incentive.
Giving consumers and installers reliable information is an important part of helping them make decisions about their heating system. With the launch of the domestic renewable heat incentive imminent, it is an important time to ensure that consumers have a range of installers to consult, and that these installers are trained to the very latest standards.
Energy and Climate Change Minister Greg Barker said: "(This) announcement is a positive reflection on the industry’s enthusiasm for the government’s push towards renewable heating. I am delighted to announce this additional funding, which should be taken as yet another sign of DECC’s commitment to renewable heating and the imminent arrival of the domestic RHI this spring. By incorporating renewable heating into the businesses of many off-gas grid installers, consumers unsure about their next heating system will be able to more easily access knowledgeable, trusted sources of advice in their home.”
Paul Wakefield, managing director of Grant Engineering UK, said: “We have seen a really good uptake in vouchers at our centre here in Devizes and in the North so welcome the announcement by the Minister today.
“We are excited to be launching our new Vectra domestic biomass condensing pellet boiler at Ecobuild in March and, alongside the boiler, we will be launching nationally recognised pellet appliance training at the same time.”
Griff Thomas of GTEC Training Ltd, which is administering the scheme, said: “We are delighted that the uptake in vouchers has been so positive and we have seen some great feedback from the industry already, we think the additional funding will make sure that the scheme delivers all of its objectives.”
