The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has awarded shares of a fund worth around £7 million to 46 landlords under the Renewable Heat Premium Payment (RHPP) contest.

Under the scheme, launched in May this year, landlords were invited to bid for funding to install renewable energy-driven heating systems, with bids reviewed by the Energy Saving Trust (EST) and assessed by a DECC panel. Energy and climate change minister Greg Barker announced the selected projects on 24 July, which must be completed by the end of March 2014.

Bids were judged on criteria which included efficiency and value for money as well as the best mix of different renewable energies where possible. The 46 landlords chosen are expected to be involved in fitting around 2,400 social tenancy households in total with renewable heat systems.

Another round of bidding is expected to take place online at the EST website, for which landlords have until late September this year to apply and until June 2014 to complete projects.