Is renewable heat incentive the future?

This paper focuses on the renewable heat incentive (RHI) scheme in the United Kingdom (UK); and in particular, on its implications in relation to solar thermal systems (STSs). First, a short review on the UK's energy demand is provided. Then, an overview of the past and present activities related to STS installations is discussed, covering regulation, policies and programmes, research and development expenditures and implementations. A financial analysis is presented afterwards, analysing the RHI scheme, in terms of total profit, payback period and average annual return on investment.