A energy efficiency project in Yorkshire to reduce fuel bills and cut carbon emissions has been welcomed by the government as it can be a trial to test the forthcoming Green Deal scheme.
The Green Deal won’t launch until next year but Chris Huhne was in Sheffield to promote the Big Energy Upgrade, which is a collaboration between the local council and housing associations.
It’s hoped that this scheme will provide energy efficiency measures to some of the area’s most deprived spots.
Huhne says the scheme will be watched closely to see the effects, and hopes to learn more ahead of the Green Deal. The Green Deal is a very ambitious scheme to bring every house in the country up-to-date in 20 years.
He said: “Energy efficiency is one of the key pillars of our low-carbon strategy, because to put it bluntly, the cheapest kind of energy is the energy you do not use. But historically it is the area we have taken least seriously and the area we know least about.
“The UK has some of the oldest housing stock in Europe. Every day these old houses leak heat and waste energy, putting excess carbon into the atmosphere and putting excess strain on people’s finances.”
Energy efficiency experts will assess properties and then suggest ways to modernise their energy measures. This could be with double glazing, loft lagging, wall cavity insulation, boiler upgrades and even solar panels.
In 2012 the Green Deal will begin, giving homeowners the chance to upgrade their home without paying the costs themselves.
The government loans will go against the house, so future owners will have to pay the bill for energy efficiency measures.
Of course, homes will benefit with reduced bills and carbon emissions on both gas and electricity.
Huhne believes there are a lot of lessons to be learnt and said: “We can learn a lot about how people use new technologies such as heat exchangers and Smart meters – and about how we persuade people that’s it’s sensible for them to be more efficient.”