The Government today announced new measures to help householders save energy. The introduction of a Community Energy Saving Programme (CESP) in conjunction with additions to the existing Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT) will see energy companies increase their total investment in efficiency improvements to an estimated £3.5 billion by the end of 2012.
The new CESP, to be launched this autumn, is intended to give householders in low-income areas the opportunity for complete home energy makeovers, which should slash an average of £330 from their annual bills.
The programme will benefit around 90,000 homes via the creation of up to 100 community schemes. Part of its remit is the promotion of partnership working between energy companies and local authorities and community groups. For the first time, it will be compulsory for energy generators to participate.
The changes to CERT include:
* A 20 percent increase in the carbon emissions reduction target, which will now stand at 185 million lifetime tonnes of carbon
* The allocation of around 60 percent of the total available funding to low-income and elderly householders, who will receive free or substantially discounted improvements such as insulation
* The inclusion of Home Energy Advice as a measure that can be offered, where experts will visit homes and audit current energy efficiency, allowing households to make simple steps to reduce energy consumption and cut fuel bills
* An increase in what energy suppliers can devote to innovative energy efficiency methods such as microgeneration and solid wall insulation, from six percent to 10 percent of their total target.
Joan Ruddock, Minister of State in the Department of Energy and Climate Change, said: “Home energy efficiency has never been so important in achieving our long-term goals on climate change and to making a real difference to householder’s energy bills. Today’s announcement delivers a major part of the Prime Minister’s Home Energy Savings Programme that ensures people can save money and save energy, as well as reducing emissions.
“Community-level solutions are the key to fighting climate change and the roll-out of CESP later this year will teach us valuable lessons in how to provide help to every home in every street. By providing the tools for change we are empowering the British people to play their role in tackling climate change.”
Household energy-efficiency programmes are one of the most cost-effective ways of reducing UK carbon emissions, and the new measures will help the country meet its carbon targets under the Climate Change Act. The introduction of the CESP alone is expected to create savings of nearly 2.9 million tonnes of CO2 by the end of 2012.
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