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News
Preparations for the roll-out of smart meters
30 June 2011: According to a National Audit Office (NAO) report released today “There are major risks the Department of Energy and Climate Change must address to achieve value for money from its £11.3 billion national programme to install ‘smart’ electricity and gas meters in all homes and smaller non-domestic premises in Great Britain from 2014 to 2019.” Amongst the conclusions made in the report, the NAO highlight that DECC “expects smart meters to help the average dual fuel 7 customer to save £23 a year by 2020, if they change their energy use in line with the Department’s estimates. This overall benefit depends on suppliers minimising costs and passing on all their efficiency savings through their prices.” Further information on the recent smart meter trials mentioned in the NAO report are set out in Ofgem’s Energy Demand Research Project published earlier this week.
The Economics of Climate Change
29 June 2011: An interesting speech by Chris Huhne, the Secretary of State at DECC, delivered today to the Corporate Leaders’ Group, setting out the benefits of ‘green growth’. Provides a useful overview of the current activities by governments around the world to invest in the transition to a lower carbon economy. Read the speech here.
Renewable Heat Incentive Guidance
24 June 2011: Back in March, DECC announced details on the launch of the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI). Some of the key points of the announcement included:
- The regulations to introduce the RHI are currently going through Parliament and are anticipated to be approved by summer 2011
- The RHI would then be introduced “shortly thereafter” (anticipated 30 September 2011)
- The scheme will be introduced in two phases with non-domestic sectors targeted first – that is larger heat users in the industrial, business and public sectors. Tariffs for the various technologies within this phase (ie non-domestic scale projects) were announced in DECC’s March RHI press release.
- Household sector support through the RHI would be introduced in October 2012, to tie in with the launch of the Green Deal however…
- …In the meantime, up to 25,000 household installations will be supported by a £15m “RHI Premium Payment” to help people cover the purchase price of green heating systems and help encourage take-up of renewable heat technologies
- The likely levels of support (set out in the DECC press release) for the RHI Premium Payments were: Solar Thermal – £300/unit; Air Source Heat Pumps – £850/unit; Biomass boilers – £950/unit and Ground Source Heat Pumps – £1250/unit
- Details of the Premium Payment were originally said to have been issued in May, for a July 2011 start, but as yet no information has appeared (the Ofgem paper released today – more of which below – simply says “Further information on the Renewable Heat Premium Payment will be available later in the year from DECC.”
- Regulations around the October 2012 domestic/household phase of the RHI will be consulted upon next year.
- Further details on the RHI are on DECC’s website.
Ofgem, who will administer the scheme, have today launched a detailed (two volume…) consultation on the eligibility criteria for installations wishing to apply for the RHI, including requirements such as the regular submission of heat data, meter readings and fuel data for certain bioenergy installations.
Posted in News, Renewable Energy
Tagged DECC, Green Deal, Ofgem, Renewable Energy, Renewable Heat Incentive
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Which guide to photovoltaics
24 June 2011: A Which? undercover report shows how some solar panel companies are using dodgy sales tactics and are giving poor advice to people looking to buy PV panels. Further information on their survey as well as Which’s online guide on how to buy solar panels, which includes information on solar PV costs and payback times here.
A British Standard for Sustainable Communities…
June 2011: A draft British Standard – BS 8904, Guide to the sustainable development of communities – has been issued for comment by the BSI. The draft states that “There has been growing interest in the concept of “sustainable communities”. Communities are the bedrock of sustainable development. This guidance will help interested parties to define what sustainable development is in their communities.” Registration is required to access the draft and comments will be accepted up to 31 August 2011.
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London FIT statistics
23 June 2011: Ofgem have produced a summary set of statistics on the first year of the Feed in Tariffs (FITs). The newsletter highlights regional differences in the take up of the FITs, and shows that London has the second lowest level of installed capacity of renewable energy, and also the second lowest level of registered installations, across the UK.
Microgeneration Strategy
22 June 2011: DECC have today published an updated Microgeneration Strategy focussing on non-financial barriers to the deployment of microgeneration technologies. Chapter 5 specifically considers community scale generation opportunities with the Government stating it will take forward activities on helping provide guidance on planning (see PlanLoCaL for further information), finance, sharing best practice, and identifying barriers and possible solutions to the uptake of microgeneration. Dissemination of information will be through a series of events and through DECC’s Community Energy Online portal.
Mayoral submission to the Energy Bill
June 2011: Memorandum submitted by the Mayor of London and London Councils to the Committee stage of the Energy Bill.
Energy and Climate Questions to the Mayor
June 2011: This month the Mayor answered London Assembly questions in relation to FIT revenue of GLA based renewable schemes; the impact of the FIT review on London renewable schemes; and also City Hall’s response to its 10:10 carbon target.
London housing makes reducing fuel poverty a challenge
22 June 2011: The London Assembly’s Health and Public Services Committee conducted an oral evidence session today into their inquiry on the causes and effect of fuel poverty in London. The Committee heard that insulating homes is particularly challenging in London because properties tend to be older, with solid walls and are often divided into flats. The Mayor’s current energy efficiency RE:NEW programme is helping boroughs address fuel poverty, but its funding ends next year. Further information on the committee’s fuel poverty inquiry, and also a webast of the evidence session available here.
Posted in Energy Efficiency, News
Tagged Energy Efficiency, Fuel Poverty, London Assembly, Mayor, RE:NEW
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HECA saved
21 June 2011: The government had announced that as part of their ‘one in – one out’ policy on regulations, the introduction of the Energy Bill, currently going through Parliament, would result in the abolition in the Home Energy Conservation Act (HECA) 2005. Baroness Maddock – HECA’s original’s proposer – announced today (at the Microgeneration UK conference) that she had received notification from DECC that the Government had changed its mind and would now withdraw their plans to remove HECA off the statute books. Further information on the future of HECA and the Government’s proposals to link it to the Green Deal offering is provided in today’s Energy Bill Committee debate (see column 365 onwards).
London Low Carbon Prize competition
22 June 2011: The Mayor also announced at BASE London (see story below) that he will establish of a low carbon prize aimed at London’s higher education institutions. Set to launch in the coming academic year, the Mayor’s office is seeking high profile sponsors to support a cash prize of at least £20,000 to be made available for a winning student to contribute towards develop the most promising idea for reducing energy use in buildings. The Mayor also pledged to champion the winning idea. Further details of the prize will be announced this summer.