Green Deal to be the best for consumers

Climate Change Minister Greg Barker has set out plans to ensure the Green Deal won’t rip off consumers.

The Green Deal is the government’s flagship energy saving plan to transform the country’s homes to make them warmer and cheaper to run. From next year, people will be able to access up to £10,000 upfront to pay for energy efficiency work, repaying the costs through savings on energy bills. Similar support will be available through the Green Deal for businesses and there will be extra help for vulnerable people or those living in homes which need more work than Green Deal finance alone will stretch to.

The legal framework is currently progressing through Parliament under the Energy Bill and will be discussed at Committee stage in the House of Commons next week.
Greg Barker said:

“The Green Deal will be the biggest home improvement programme since the Second World War shifting our outdated draughty homes from the past into the future, so it’s vital people can trust it. I have heard too many cases of shoddy workmanship or dodgy technology from Government schemes in the past so from day one there will be strict rules about standards, information will be readily available and there will be a proper route for complaints.

“We’ve already started putting in place the foundations for this and I am pleased the United Kingdom Accreditation Service has been formally appointed to ensure that installers and assessors will meet the necessary standards when the Green Deal starts next year.

For more information relating to the Green Deal follow our Facebook page www.facebook.com/greendeal or visit our website www.green-deal.uk.com

Green Deal and old buildings

It’s true that old buildings present a challenge for energy efficiency improvements and care needs to be taken when installing insulation and other measures – particularly if solid wall insulation is the only option.

Nevertheless, the Green Deal scheme provides a unique and ideal opportunity for these buildings to be properly assessed in order to explore the options. It’s also an opportunity for the proposed Energy Company Obligation to work in parallel with Green Deal to provide funding for those higher cost measures that may not pass the Green Deal Golden Rule.

Despite the characteristics of old and listed buildings, and the care needed when assessing appropriate measures, it is important that the entire building stock throughout the UK is considered within the scope of Green Deal if we are to make serious progress towards our national carbon saving targets.

For more information see our website @ www.green-deal.uk.com or follow us on Facebook @ www.facebook.com/gresendeal 

Green deal Heating Scheme For Social Housing...

DECC Launches £3m 'Green' Heating Scheme For Social Housing Tenants 

A £3 million scheme has been launched to help install green heating technologies in the homes of social housing tenants. Heating equipment including biomass boilers, solar hot water panels and heat pumps will be available under the new scheme, but bio heating oil is ineligible for inclusion within the scheme.

Registered Providers of social housing, such as local authorities and social housing associations, will be able to bid for a share of the £3 million, part of the £15 million Renewable Heat Premium Payment budget, to make home heating improvements to tenants' homes.

Energy and Climate Change Minister Greg Barker said, "Improving and greening Britain's homes must make strong financial sense if we are to provide a real sustainable alternative to expensive old heating systems. If people choose to go green, they want to see real savings.

"This new programme is directly targeted at many of the people who will be struggling to pay their heating bills next winter. It will drive the take up of new heating technologies in social housing and help slash their dependence on big energy companies and expensive tariffs.

"In the face of rising gas and electricity bills, the Premium Payment scheme is a valuable way for people to get involved in energy generation at a local level, insulating them from volatile fossil fuel costs and ensuring homes are heated in a greener, more sustainable way.

"The Renewable Heat Incentive for householders will be up and running next year making it even more attractive to get involved."???

Philip Sellwood, Chief Executive of the Energy Saving Trust said, "The only way to tackle the energy efficiency of our housing stock is to make it possible for everyone in our society to take action, and low carbon heating systems are a major part of this. The Renewable Heat Premium Payment scheme goes a step further in bringing these technologies to more households."

David Orr, Chief Executive of the National Housing Federation said, "The National Housing Federation welcomes this specific allocation of £3 million from the Renewable Heat Premium Payment budget to assist social housing providers, such as housing associations to increase their use of renewable heating technologies and so to reduce emissions."

From today, bids are invited for funds of up to around £175,000 per housing provider to support proposals which should in total finance at least 17 social housing projects. The deadline for bids is 15th of September. The scheme will be managed by the Energy Saving Trust.

The bids will be evaluated by a panel of experts on criteria including value for money, the number of individual eco-heaters installed, the opportunity for learning and the number of homes not supplied by mains gas. Successful applicants will be informed in early October and can therefore start installing renewable heat equipment as soon as they receive confirmation of their winning bid.

Source oilfiredup.com

For more information in the Green Deal please see www.green-deal.uk.com

British Gas launches its own 'green deal'

British Gas launches its own 'green deal'

British Gas has geared up its services business in a bid to take on retailers backed by rival energy suppliers.

The company has done a deal with Barclaes bank, which will offer customers loans at 6.9 per cent for energy efficiency measures such as insulation and boilers. Customers pay off the loan over five, ten or fifteen years, and the rate will not increase if they switch supplier. British Gas said the rate was "subsidieed" but not part of its supplier obligations.

To qualify for the 6.9 per cent rate, the measures must be recommended by British Gas sales staff and meet the "golden rule" - they must save more than they cost over the payback period.

Householders can also borrow money to install microgeneraen tariff (FIT) return of about 10 per cent. FIes do not currently contribute to the golden rule, so customers will have to pay a larger deposit. British Gas is lobbying government to change this.

British Gas said: "We can be sure of service because we have everything in house." It said other companies used contractors. Marks & Spencer partners with Scottish and Southern Energy for its home energy offering.
Consumer groups gave the move a cautious welcome. Consumer Focus said it would be "interesting to see how consumers respond to paying according to how much they save". But it added that British Gas sales­people should not "cherry-pick specific measures such as solar panels because they give a better rate of return".

Which? said "early movers must be certain that customers have the protection they need".

by Brendan Coyneetility Week