Are IRMA’s a waste of time? Ofgem want to know what YOU think…

Calling all IRMA Authors!

Do you currently or do you hope to support RHI applicants by supplying Independent Reports on Metering Arrangements (IRMAs)? Well watch out! Ofgem currently have a “Call for Evidence” out to consider whether or not IRMAs are worthwhile. Do they add value to the application by helping to clarify the installation and verifying the installation? Does the IRMA author act as an Inspector or Auditor acting on behalf of Ofgem? Or is it just a time wasting and cynical exercise that gives false reassurance to Ofgem and additional and unnecessary cost to the participant?

Who knows who will respond but whoever does will be the voice that gets heard. Make sure that it is yours!

Make your IRMA experience count

The contract for the IRMA is between the consultant and the participant, so Ofgem knows very little about that part of the process, hence all the questions. Ofgem want to know about the costs and impacts of IRMAs and the benefits, if any. For example;

  • What is the average cost of an IRMA? How does this figure vary by sector, renewable technology, scale of installation, region, or any other key factors?
  • What are the impacts of any other barriers imposed by the requirement for an IRMA?
  • What benefits do IRMAs bring to installers, manufacturers, consultants, applicants and participants of the RHI scheme?
  • Are IRMAs used by applicants to help with completing an RHI application? If yes, do IRMAs make the process of completing an application simpler or quicker?
  • How often are on-site issues or errors identified by the IRMA author and resolved as a result of having an IRMA completed?
  • Are there alternative approaches?

I won’t tell you what to say, but in my experience IRMAs are a useful tool that condenses the application information requirements succinctly and are a route to upskilling and training the growing renewables workforce, designers and installers. Qualified and suitably trained consultants responsibly act as Ofgem’s eyes on site and tend to provide a snagging list of corrections to the installation or the documentation to facilitate the application. Ofgem will not know of all this activity as they only get the final product. This is your opportunity to tell them.

To find out exactly what Ofgem are looking for, go to the Changes to the Non-Domestic RHI regulations (February 2015) document on the Ofgem website.

Please email your responses on this to sarah.driver@ofgem.gov.uk by Friday, 13 February 2015 and make your IRMA opinions count.

Want to know more about RHI?

If you would like to know more about TEAM’s Independent Reports on Heat Metering Arrangements for RHI visit our Energy Services section of our website.

Learn more

More about TEAM’s RHI Author

Justine-Grant1Justine Grant is the Energy Services Renewable Heat Incentive expert and course leader. Justine’s expertise lies in IRMA for RHI applications, non-domestic Display Energy Certificates and Advisory Reports, she is a technical author and trainer and is qualified as a CIBSE certified ESOS Lead Assessor.

Heat Metering Ofgem Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI)

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