E.ON has welcomed the Government's announcement on the Renewable Heat Incentive as a vital way to help British homes and businesses take greater control of their energy while also reducing carbon emissions.

As one of the country's biggest installers of ground-source heat pumps and a partner with a number of city councils and leading house builders on community-sized energy schemes, E.ON is already delivering more renewable ways to heat our homes.

Graham Bartlett, Managing Director of Energy Solutions at E.ON, said: "We've already installed more than 2,000 heat pumps across the country, as well as offering solar heating and hot water systems. This announcement is an important step in developing the market for these new technologies just as the Feed-in Tariff has done for renewable electricity.

"Alongside that, it's absolutely vital that we start weaning ourselves off an over-reliance on gas boilers and on to more renewable systems like solar energy or heat pumps. This is even more important for off-grid homes who will need to move away from oil or coal-based heating systems. The key here is that customers need simple and consistent advice from Government and energy companies alike.

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"Almost half of the UK's carbon emissions come from heating our homes and businesses and one of the main reasons for this is the frankly scandalous levels of waste through poor insulation. We agree with today's RHI announcement that there's really no point fitting new technologies without first making sure our buildings are a great deal more energy efficient."

E.ON is also providing renewable energy to entire communities, working with house builders to develop more than 10,000 homes with access to low carbon energy sources through district heating schemes and partnering with local authorities to help with knowledge and experience. In Cranbrook, near Exeter, for example, E.ON is developing an energy centre which will supply heat and hot water to 3,500 new-build homes as well as community facilities and an industrial park.

Graham said: "As with most things in life, there's no ‘one-size-fits-all' solution to providing a secure and lower carbon energy source. Homeowners may want to investigate solar panels or heat pumps but, if you're a community looking for a solution - like our partnerships with the cities of Stoke-on-Trent and Sheffield - then a larger scheme could be right for you. Either way, people looking to make substantial investments need stability and confidence about what they're buying and what are the benefits."

(CD/GK)