ACHESON and Glover’s Commercial Director has told the Impartial Reporter this week that switching from kerosene and gas oil to the now infamous renewable heat incentive (RHI) to cure hollow core product “made absolute sense”.
Last week the Department of Economy published the full list of beneficiaries, both individuals and companies, who received money under the botched green energy scheme which effectively collapsed power sharing arrangements in Northern Ireland.
But despite the controversy surrounding the scheme which led to Stormont’s political deadlock, Stephen Acheson insists the company’s seven solid biomass boilers are “still working very well for us”.
Over 100 applications on the newly released ‘cash for ash’ list have Fermanagh addresses.
New local names featuring on the list include Viscount Brookeborough, who was one of the first to put in a 99kwth biomass boiler back in February 2013. 
This initial application earned him over £70,000. A second boiler in 2015 amassed just over £2,250.
Elsewhere on the list is former UUP MLA, Neil Somerville. Through his application he has claimed almost £29,000 on behalf of Clogher Valley Horses Welcome.
The individuals listed have received support payments above a threshold of £5,000 from the opening of the scheme in 2012 until February 2017.
Just under 50 names and addresses have been withheld from the list by the Department.
Acheson and Glover installed their seven boilers in 2015 and has collected £302,207 in payments.
“As a business the whole area of sustainability is very important,” said Mr Acheson, “The industry we operate in is fairly carbon intensive – the curing of concrete is a big user. 
“The boilers are used to cure hollow core product. Up to then they had been using kerosene and gas oil which is not very good for the environment. 
“When it became clear there was this scheme where you could replace that with renewable energy and there is a subsidy in place to help you do that, for us it made absolute sense.
“It has worked well for us. We now don’t use anywhere near as much kerosene or gas oil.
“It was still in a period where you were coming out of recession and subsidies naturally made the pay back much better. But whether [the subsidies] were there or not, some time we were going to have to replace that system.”
Asked whether the company had been aware that it would get a £1.60 subsidy for every £1 of wood pellets burnt, Mr Acheson agreed.
“Every investment you make you assess your payback.”
“There is obviously a government inquiry set up over the potential cost overruns which is absolutely fine. 
“I think what is a bit unfortunate is, [the fact so many companies in Northern Ireland are using cleaner energy] has been lost in the justified outcry over the cost issue but we shouldn’t forget the fact we need to create a better environment for our kids in the future and any way of cutting down the use of fossil fuels is beneficial.
“The tariffs have already been reduced through emergency legislation. As far as we are aware there is a legal challenge to that -- we are not party to that ourselves. It will affect the pay back but to us it’s still a cleaner form of energy and it is still working very well for us.”
A full list of RHI recipients can be found of the Department of Economy’s website or here: