The government has unveiled £553 million of funding to help public buildings decarbonise by rolling out electrified heating solutions, insulation and renewable generation. Hundreds of buildings, including hospitals, schools, libraries, museums and leisure centres, have been identified as the recipients of the funding, which will help them lower their bills and their emissions. The upgrades – which include heat pumps, electric heating systems, insulation, double glazing, LED lighting and renewable energy like solar PV – are expected to save local authorities, public bodies and taxpayers £650 million per year on energy bills annually over the next 15 years.
Current 24th May 2022 read more »
More than 50,000 of the poorest households face long waits for home energy improvements because of delays approving the scheme, research suggests. The government had been due to start the plan last month to help the poorest households pay for energy efficiency measures. However, problems drafting the necessary legislation mean it could be delayed until the autumn. An analysis by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit suggests that as a result 56,000 homes could each lose about £600. Since 2013 the energy company obligation scheme has installed more than 3.5 million improvements such as loft insulation in 2.4 million properties and reduced household gas demand by 20 per cent. The scheme is administered by energy companies and paid for by a levy on customer bills. However, the most recent scheme ran out at the end of March and, despite consulting on a new one last year, the government has failed to put the necessary legislation to parliament. Government sources have said that it will not be ready until next month at the earliest, while other sources have suggested the scheme might not be approved by MPs until September.
Times 25th May 2022 read more »
Britons are becoming more interested in fitting insulation and solar panels and less keen on installing new kitchens and bathrooms as the squeeze on the cost of living intensifies. HomeServe said yesterday that there had been a change of emphasis on its Checkatrade online platform, with more people focused on alternative energy and money-saving projects such as insulation. The company, which last week agreed to a £4.1 billion takeover bid from Brookfield, the Canadian fund management group, reported a 15 per cent increase in underlying pre-tax profit to £220.3 million for the year to March.
Times 25th May 2022 read more »