Ensuring RHI compliance: Time to check your heat meters
For businesses in the UK’s Non-Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme, maintaining compliance is crucial to securing RHI payments. A key part of compliance is accurate metering, and RHI meters must be recalibrated or replaced every ten years.
Failure to meet these requirements can result in inaccurate readings, non-compliance, and the potential loss of financial incentives. At Cura Energy, we provide the specialist support needed to keep your business compliant and ensure your RHI payments continue every quarter without disruption.
RHI meters: Why is recalibration or replacement a requirement?
RHI meters differ from standard electrical sub-meters due to their complexity, which is why specialist expertise is required for their maintenance. These meters specifically measure renewable heat output from biomass and other sustainable technologies, ensuring that businesses receive the incentives they are entitled to. Maintaining accurate and functional meters is essential for reliable data collection and regulatory compliance.
Over time, RHI meters can ‘drift’ and lose accuracy, which is why recalibration or replacement is mandated by the RHI scheme. As well as being a requirement, adhering to the 10-year guideline ensures these meter systems work as intended, providing precise data that can also support more effective energy management.
How to remain RHI compliant
Regular maintenance is one of the most essential factors in preventing RHI meter performance issues and compliance with the RHI scheme. Scheduling annual inspections allows for early detection of potential faults and ensures that components such as flow meters and temperature sensors are functioning properly.
In addition to annual checks, there are several other key steps you can take to maintain RHI compliance:
- Ongoing performance monitoring. This helps identify potential issues before they escalate. By continuously tracking meter data, operators can detect anomalies and ensure readings accurately reflect the amount of renewable heat generated. If there are inconsistencies, these should be investigated and resolved promptly to maintain the system’s integrity.
- Comprehensive record-keeping. Businesses should maintain detailed logs of all maintenance activities, calibration efforts, and any corrective actions taken. Regulatory audits by Ofgem and other authorities could potentially take place at any time, keeping accurate documents helps support a smooth audit process.
- Stay up to date with industry regulations. Standards, such as BS 8520-1, BS EN 13206, and ISO 9162, are a fundamental part of effective meter management. Regularly reviewing compliance requirements ensures adherence to evolving regulations. Participation in audits and verification exercises conducted by regulatory bodies, including Ofgem, helps confirm that all metering practices meet the necessary standards.
- Stay up to date with RHI rules. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) periodically reviews NDRHI scheme policy, which means the rules can change for both existing participants. To maintain an accreditation and keep receiving payments, it’s important to keep up to date with the scheme rules.
- Ensure staff receive proper training. Providing ongoing training for staff responsible for meter maintenance reinforces best practices and highlights the importance of precise readings in compliance and efficiency.
- Plan for meter replacements. For meters nearing the ten-year mark, businesses should proactively plan for replacement, ensuring that new installations align with compliance standards and support operational continuity.
How Cura Energy supports compliance
Navigating RHI compliance requirements can be complex, but Cura Energy simplifies the process. Our services include:
- Expert recalibration to maintain meter accuracy and ensure regulatory adherence.
- Seamless meter replacement with fully compliant, high-quality solutions.
- Comprehensive support, allowing you to focus on your core business operations while we handle technical compliance matters.
Cura Energy delivers reliable, expert-driven solutions to safeguard RHI compliance and protect financial incentives. Contact us today to schedule your RHI recalibration or replacement.
For further information on the RHI scheme, please visit: Government RHI Information