Efforts to end fuel poverty and energy waste by making the UK’s draughty homes more efficient have collapsed by almost 85%, according to new government data. The report, published on Thursday, shows that the number of energy efficiency upgrades undertaken each month has fallen to 10,000 on average for the six months to the end of May. This compares with an average of 65,000 a month in 2014. The latest figures show that in May about 10,000 properties benefited from energy efficiency measures, such as loft insulation or boiler upgrades, down sharply from about 30,000 in the same month in 2015 and 2016. At this rate it would take 96 years for the government to reach its own targets to reduce fuel poverty, according to the charity National Energy Action. Peter Smith, a director at the fuel-poverty campaign group, said the progress was “a fraction” of what was required to ensure 1.2m homes are renovated each year until 2035. The report has emerged following a stark warning from MPs last week that the UK has “no chance” of meeting its climate-crisis targets without a major overhaul of energy-efficiency programmes. Ed Matthew, from climate-crisis thinktank E3G, said energy efficiency must be “mission critical” for the next prime minister. “The UK has no hope of reaching net-zero emissions unless the government, including the Treasury, makes energy efficiency an infrastructure investment priority,” he added.
Guardian 18th July 2019 read more »
ANDREW WARREN: This month the UK formally becomes the first G7 nation to adopt as a legally binding commitment that we shall be living in a net zero carbon economy in 30 years’ time. It is a clear and bold commitment, that has rightly been lauded practically everywhere. Doubtless a good reason why many are calling for more immediate targets to be created. Like the “30 by 30 Energy Efficiency Act.” What is this? Put simply, a firm commitment and programme to ensure that around 27 million homes and 3 million non-residential buildings will be made completely energy efficiency. Completed by 2030. Hence the slogan: 30 by 30. Already we have the genesis of this, created by Theresa May, who ceases being Prime Minister this month. Back in 2017, she launched the Clean Growth Strategy for the next thirty years. This identifies the enormous economic potential for business to save fuel. At least one-fifth could very cost-effectively be saved. Interestingly, the vast majority of this potential (over 80%) was to be released not so much by improving industrial processes . But significantly by improving the way buildings are run.
Dave Toke’s Blog 18th July 2019 read more »
Household Energy Efficiency Statistics, headline release July 2019.
BEIS 18th July 2019 read more »