Low Carbon Communities Receive Boost in Funding

The government has recently announced that 12 communities across England, Wales and Northern Ireland will be receiving up to £500,000 each as a way to allow them to improve energy efficiency and install green technology, including solar panels and wind turbines.

The funding has been provided by the Low Carbon Challenge, and is the second round to be given. The Low Carbon Challenge itself is a two year project to help develop methods that can cut down carbon emissions, and can eventually be repeated across the country.

The latest round of projects means that communities will be working with local tradesmen to help deliver green technology with the aim of both saving householders money on their energy bills, and reducing carbon emissions.

Measures that can help homeowners to make their home more energy efficient include installing double glazing in the windows. According to figures from the Energy Saving Trust, this could save an average of £135 on annual energy bills.

Other measures will include ways for households to generate their own energy. The new government reward scheme means that homeowners could receive a payout simply for installing these measures, as well as extra rewards if they then go on to sell excess energy back to the grid.

Energy and climate change minister Joan Ruddock stated that this action is vital due to the fact that over 25% of greenhouse gas emissions in the UK come from electrical appliances in homes, heating and lighting.

The 12 communities to receive this award include Ballymena, Oxfordshire, Northern Ireland, Cheshire, Exmoor National Park and Cwmclydach.

Homes are 40 Percent More Energy Efficient than 2002

It was recently claimed by a spokesman for the Communities and Local Government that homes built today are ’40 per cent more energy efficient compared to 2002.’

The spokesman added that, though the figures are positive, more still needs to be done to improve the energy efficiency of our homes and reduce the carbon footprint of the nation as a whole.

Government action was praised, including the fact that existing buildings are being retrofitted, future design standards are being improved, and red tape is being cut when it comes to planning for the installation of green energy options.

Homeowners are now becoming more likely to install systems such as energy efficient double glazing. This can greatly reduce how much heat is lost through the windows, meaning that buildings are naturally warmer and money can be saved on energy bills.

On a larger scale, the building of new green homes is now involving low carbon materials such as timber and clay. Using products such as these helps to cut down on the emissions that come as a result of construction, due to the fact that they produce less waste and require lower carbon levels in their production.

Other measures that can help involve looking for labour and supplies nearby to the site, to help reduce any emissions that are created from transport.

It has been shown that buildings are responsible for nearly half of carbon emissions in the UK, which is why they are such an important area for reductions.

Ofgem Calls for Reform to Secure Energy Supplies

According to Ofgem, Britain needs to make urgent reforms to its energy market if it is to secure sustainable energy supplies at prices we can afford to pay.

A new Project Discovery report, released by the regulator, has claimed that a combination of financial crisis, a dependency on imported gas, and closing down of power stations means that there is ‘reasonable doubt’ over the ability to meet energy demands from the latter half of the decade.

As a result, Ofgem have proposed a number of reforms, including to put stronger obligations on suppliers to create a centralised renewable energy market.

Chief executive of Ofgem, Alistair Bachanan, said that ‘We do not advocate change lightly, but all the facts point to the need for reforms now to provide resilient supply security’.

A result of this report is that energy costs may see dramatic rises for residential property owners, who are already struggling to pay bills. As costs increase, it may be that some householders can’t afford to pay for the energy they really need.

Measures such as double glazing can help to reduce this risk in the long term. By keeping homes naturally warmer, thermostats can be turned down and energy bills will become cheaper.

Last year it was also reported by energy adviser Professor David McKay that there is a risk that our energy supplies will fall short, simply because renewable energy is not being developed fast enough.

The NHIC Welcomes Government Rewards for Renewable Energy

The latest Government plans, to offer financial rewards to residential property owners who install low carbon energy systems, including wind turbines and solar panels, have been backed by the National Home Improvement Council (NHIC).

The minister for energy and climate change, Ed Miliband, announced that these rewards will be introduced from April 1st this year. Both households and communities will be able to claim payments for generating their own renewable energy, even if they use all of the energy themselves. If they have excess energy that they give back to the grid, they will be eligible for even greater rewards.

Director of the NHIC , Andrew Leech, said that the scheme will ‘certainly’ help more people to think about installing green technologies – especially if more rewards could be offered in the near future.

However, Leech added that more still needs to be done about educating the public about renewable energy technologies, and the financial benefits of installing them. He added: ‘Everybody has got to learn that message because it is so important for the planet and for people’s pockets as well’.

As well as receiving cash for renewable energy technologies, households can further reduce their energy costs by installing insulation – such as double glazing to reduce heat lost through windows – that can reduce the amount of energy needed to heat the home.

Cut Down on Your Bills for the Most Expensive Winter Ever

Bills this winter are expected to be the highest ever, with latest supports suggesting they will be 20 per cent higher than last year, especially with bills generally getting more expensive overall. Many of us can’t prevent the large heating bills that we’ll soon be facing, but you can help to reduce future costs by following some of these tips:

Make Your Home More Energy Efficient

This is probably the biggest way to counter the expensive fuel bills, as it will continue to pay off in terms of savings for years to come. Double glazing can reduce the amount of heat that’s lost through your windows, equating to around £135 worth of savings each year. Cavity wall and loft insulation will also keep more heat in the home, allowing you to turn down your thermostat in winter.

Check Your Boiler

You should have your boiler serviced once a year, as cleaning out any clogged filters can mean it works more efficiently and saves you money. You can also purchase a thermal jacket to help prevent any heat loss from your boiler.

Other Tips

Other tips include fixing leaking taps, especially hot taps, that could be wasting you money. Bleed your radiators to help make them work more efficiently, wear warm clothing and turn down your thermostat by just a few degrees – it can make a huge difference to your energy bills!

Energy Companies Fail to Pass on Wholesale Price Drops As Energy Bills Are 20% Higher Than Average

Homeowners are expected to face record heating bills this winter, leaving the energy firms with huge profits after the coldest winter for 30 years.

There has been a drop in the wholesale cost of gas, yet bills are going to be, on average, 20 percent more expensive than they were this time last year. This could leave typical households with a combined electric and gas bill of £616 this quarter – over £100 more than last year.

However, it isn’t just the cold winter that’s to blame: annual bills have risen by 127% according to the Daily Express, from an average of £543 in 2003 to £1,233.

Energy expert of Consumer Focus, Richard Hall, said: ‘suppliers have failed to fully pass on wholesale price cuts’ and did not reduce the costs before householders turned their thermostats up for the cold winter.

He added that this will leave suppliers with ‘rocketing profits’ whilst millions of consumers are worried about how they can afford to stay warm in their homes.

This winter has seen an estimated rise in energy consumption by 30 per cent. According to the Office of National Statistics, the elderly are most at risk from the cold, and there have been an extra 36,700 more deaths reported.

It is unclear whether wholesale price cuts will be passed onto customers any time soon. However, there are measures you can take to lower your bills and reduce energy consumption in the home. This includes installing energy efficient double glazing in windows, and cutting down on energy usage through energy saving light bulbs, turning off electrical items and more.

Birmingham Homeowners to be Given Help to Improve Properties

The Birmingham city council has promised to give homeowners across Birmingham free surveys to help them improve their homes. The focus of these surveys will be to improve energy efficiency, reducing carbon emissions and keeping homes better insulated.

Over the next three months, around 2,000 homes will be chosen at random to be inspected. These surveys will point out specific ways in which each home can become more energy efficient, including by the fitting of double glazing windows and other measures that can also help to reduce energy bills.

The new scheme is also aimed at assessing just how well these homes rate against the Government Decent Homes standard in terms of how energy efficient they are.

Those behind the scheme say that they are hoping to provide help to those who need to make improvements, after having already invested £600 million to improve 65,000 council homes with the addition of uPVC windows, new kitchens and central heating.

Cabinet member for housing, Councillor John Lines, said that ‘this survey is crucial for us to be able to gather essential information which will help us further improve conditions in the private sector’.

He added that they have already looked at tackling a number of other issues in the private sector, and now they are moving onto energy efficiency. This will ensure that vulnerable homeowners are given support to live in warm homes that will also benefit from measures to reduce energy bills.

UK Homeowners Facing Biggest Gas Bills Ever

The so-called ‘big freeze’ last month, where temperatures dropped far below zero, is expected to add an average of £123 to the annual heating bill, according to experts from moneysupermarket.com. This means that UK householders are facing a quarterly energy bill of around £616 - 21 percent higher than last year.

Utilities manager of the website, Scott Byrom, stated that extreme cold weather is set to continue in many areas around the country, meaning that householders should look to save energy and cut down on consumption however they can to help cut costs.

He said: ‘Many people will be getting a hefty quarterly statement landing on their doormat at any time that is if they haven’t already received this nasty surprise.’

He added that, for many, it will be the biggest bill they have ever had to pay. Couple this with recession, it is extremely important that people immediately start to think about cutting down on their energy usage.

Measures recommended include turning down your thermostat by just one degree Celsius, which could save as much as ten percent of your annual energy bill.

Insulating your home will also make it naturally warmer, meaning you can turn down that thermostat even further. Double glazing will greatly reduce the heat lost through your windows, and can reduce your energy bills by £135.

Other measures to save money include switching off electrical appliances that aren’t in use, turning off lights when you leave the room, closing the curtains to keep more heat in, and investing in energy saving light bulbs.

You should also heat only the rooms that you use, instead of the entire property.

Park Street Homes Criticised for Being Too Cold

A disabled woman from Alder Closer, Park Street in St. Albans, has criticised homes for being poorly constructed and difficult to keep warm.

Dena Glass, 66, lives in a one-bedroom bungalow, and states that she has asked the St Albans district council on many occasions to fit double glazing in the windows of her home and surrounding bungalows, to improve insulation and keep them warmer. All bungalows are occupied by elderly people.

Glass added that the bungalows are ‘flimsily constructed’ and that they get very cold in the winter, meaning central heating must be left turned up high. She believes double glazing would provide a solution to the problem but that it seems unlikely she will get it for some time.

Other issues with the housing area include security issues, as well as a lack of privacy, due to a lack of fencing around the communal garden. Mrs Glass is so far unable to get all residents to agree to the fencing.

The council’s portfolio holder for housing, Joyce Lusby, has said that ‘we do have a programme of double glazing planned for our housing stick but this has to be prioritised due to funding and the residents of Alder Close will have to wait their turn’.

Double glazing is known to help keep heat inside the home, allowing central heating to be turned down, and reducing heating bills by an average of £135 per year.

Government Encouraging Carbon Neutral Schools

Schools across the country will be implementing some big, energy efficient changes thanks to the latest Government drive to help children understand climate change issues.

Measures such as solar panels, double glazing windows, wind turbines, and insulation will be added to schools to help students understand just how energy is used and saved. Children will be able to see on smart meters just which areas use the greatest amounts of energy.

The ultimate aim is for schools to become carbon neutral, thanks to high levels of energy efficiency that will be provided with these measures. Students will also be encouraged to think carefully about any energy they are using themselves, and asked to turn of appliances.

Schools will also need to generate their own heat and power through a number of measures, including wood chip boilers, solar panels, and wind turbines. High levels of insulation mean that generated power will stay inside the school building, and the need for heating will be greatly reduced.

It is thought that there will be 36 carbon neutral schools across the country by 2016 – four in each region to help provide an example to nearby schools. With schools responsible for around two percent of the total carbon emissions in the UK, this could make a huge difference towards climate change.

Schools Secretary, Ed Balls, said that it is important that children are taught early about cutting down on carbon. They could help to save the planet for future generations.