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New definition will push up the incidence of fuel poverty in London

March 2012: The final report from Prof. John Hills has just been published, which provides a series of recommendations to Government in relation to amending the current definition of fuel poverty. The detail behind this study has been covered in some previous posts (see here) but a key output is to recommend that “Government should measure incomes for fuel poverty purposes after housing costs and adjusted for household size and composition.” As a result, the report’s revised indicator (to replace the Government’s current fuel poverty definition) – the LIHC (Low Income High Costs) – “finds that London households account for a greater proportion of fuel poor households than the official indicator.”

The report is vitally important to the debate on how we define future policies to tackle fuel poverty, and will have impacts on framing of the forthcoming Energy Company Obligation (ECO) and the Green Deal.

Links to the report and supplementary material follow below:

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London’s Renewable Energy – Annual Monitoring

March 2012: The Mayor has just published the latest London Plan Annual Monitoring Report (AMR), which monitors a number of key performance indicators (KPIs) set in London’s spatial strategy, the London Plan. This is the first AMR to be published since the new London Plan was published in July 2011.

Two KPIs are of particular interest are:
KPI 20 Reduce carbon dioxide emissions through new development
KPI 21 Increase in energy generated from renewable sources

In terms of KPI 21, London has recently set a revised target for renewable energy which is for 8,550 GWh of energy from renewable sources by 2026 (London’s current total non-transport energy use is approximately 115,000 GWh – see London’s 2011 energy strategy for further information). The target was an output of a significant  piece of analysis undertaken in 2011, and published earlier this year – the London Decentralised Energy Capacity Study. The AMR reproduces a table from that study setting out an estimate of renewable energy capacity and output in London in 2010:

The total output for 2010 of 858 GWh highlights that London has considerable way to go – a ten-fold increase – to achieve the 2026 target. DECC also produce regional renewable energy statistics – but only report on renewable electricity output (which is hard to compare to that reported above, as the largest GWh component in the table – for biomass  – has added the heat and power output components together).
Additional monitoring of the London Plan’s carbon and energy policies are reported here.

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IEA: Now is the time for global deployment of smart communities

March 2012: Even the International Energy Agency (IEA) is now highlighting the potential of localised, decentralised energy systems, with the Deputy Executive Director recently stating that “Smart communities – cities, towns, neighbourhoods and villages that reduce their energy demand and generate their own power from renewable sources – should play an increasingly important role across the world…A smart community is a very low energy demand community that integrates several energy supply systems – such as wind, solar and other renewable energy sources. Smart communities effectively reduce energy demand by implementing energy efficiency and energy sufficiency measures. Primary energy demand for a building in a smart community is around a third of the energy demand in the average US household and almost a half of the energy demand in the average household in the European Union.”

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Hounslow Warm Homes Healthy People Conference

March 2012: The Hounslow Warm Homes, Healthy People conference will look to:

  • Find out about the causes and effects of cold homes and poor quality housing. Health issues related to cold homes cost the NHS in London £118m each year, and nearly £900m nationwide.
  • Learn more about services available across the Borough to help and support residents to stay warm and well at home
  • Share views and ideas on how services in Hounslow should best be coordinated to ensure the best outcomes for residents

Hounslow Council is particularly keen to consult with stakeholders at this early stage as it develops its thinking about how the Council, the health sector, voluntary organisations and community groups can best work together to help people keep warm and healthy at home.

The event will take place on Friday 23rd March, from 9.30am – 3.30pm, at Hounslow Civic Centre. Register now for your free place here.

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‘Climate Kids Grill Minister’

March 2012:  No particular London issue related to this DECC press release – apart from this nice picture!

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LEAF Projects Funding Details

March 2012: Table provided by DECC showing a) Phase One and b) Phase Two projects receiving funding from the Local Energy Assessment Fund (LEAF) including region and funding granted. Details of 11 London projects provided – which are:

  • Arcola Theatre Production Company – Dalston Energy Angels
  • Camden and Westminster Refugee Training Partnership (C&WRTP)
  • Glyndon Community Group
  • Hackney Co-operative Developments CIC
  • Hyde Farm Climate Action Network
  • Hyde Martlet Housing Association
  • Local Space Housing (LSH)
  • Poplar
  • Shrinking the Footprint Campaign (Church of England)
  • St. John on Bethnal Green, LB Tower Hamlets
  • The London Borough of Tower Hamlets

See an earlier post for fuller details of London LEAF winners.

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Highbury businessman forced to axe staff over solar panel subsidy cut

12 March 2012“An electrician who invested his life savings to set up his dream solar panel business could be left with nothing because of new government policy. Russell Lyne, 31, who lives in Highbury Quadrant, Highbury, spent two years saving and took out a bank loan to raise the £25,000 he needed to set up UK Solar Generation.” Read the full Islington Gazette story here.

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Ecobuild hits London

March 2012: Over 130  hugely interesting  seminars plus a major conference are all taking place at Ecobuild, to be held over 20-22 March at the Excel Centre at Royal Victoria Docks.
Far too many seminars to detail here, but they cover all aspects of renewable and community/decentralised energy systems, building energy efficiency, the Green Deal, FITs, behaviour change, low carbon cities, climate adaptation etc.

Apply for a free ticket at www.ecobuild.co.uk.

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Event: Low Carbon Planning to Local Advantage

March 2012: Free Carbon Trust half-day seminar which will focus on how local authorities and developers can use low carbon planning policies to their advantage, to leverage investment funds and shape their local infrastructure and environment in ways that support local plans and community needs. The event will take place at:
Kensington Town Hall on Wednesday, 18 April 2012 from 09:00 to 12:30. Further details here.

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Event: Community Approaches to the Green Deal

March 2012: An event organised by the Greener Jobs Alliance in conjunction with South Thames College and the Furzedown Low Carbon Zone. “Find out whether the Green Deal will benefit local employers and communities and find out how you can sign up to training courses.”
Thursday March 15th, 2012
1:30pm – 3:30pm
Performance Studio, South Thames College, Wandsworth High St, London, SW18 2PP. Please RSVP to Graham.Petersen@south-thames.ac.uk

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‘Juice your Roof’ meets Energy Minister

7 March 2012: Interesting account posted on the Low Carbon Communities Network website of Merton based solar initiative ‘Juice your Roof’ meeting new DECC Secretary of State – and London MP for Kingston and Surbiton – Ed Davey.

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Joju Solar

5 March 2012: Profile in the Evening Standard of Islington-based solar company Joju Solar. “one London company — the first in the capital to receive a licence for solar-panel installations, in 2006 — says it is confident of doubling in size this year. Islington-based Joju Solar, run by brothers Joe and Phil Michaels, claims demand for panels is stronger than ever.” Further information on the company at www.jojusolar.co.uk

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