Energy Saving Grants Blog

An ambitious new infrastructure programme is needed to help to decarbonise the UK’s buildings – and a sweeping new plan shows what it could look like. The proposals, developed by Frontier Economics for a group of 28 NGOs, thinktanks, businesses and trade bodies, would also boost the economy and help to meet legally-binding carbon and fuel poverty targets, its backers say. In a new report, they present a range of policies which could be taken up or trialled by the government i

What next for the Green Deal?

Green Deal finance loans are to reopen by the end of March after the company set up by the government to manage its former flagship energy efficiency scheme was bought by City investors over the weekend. Greenstone Finance and Aurium Capital Markets have snapped by the Green Deal Finance Company (GDFC) for more than £40 million after the scheme was scrapped by former energy secretary Amber Rudd 18 months ago. The new owners will take over the Green Deal’s existing loan book,

– CHANGES IMMINENT FOR FLAGSHIP EFFICIENCY SCHEME – ELIGIBILITY AND PRIORITY MEASURES ALTERED – FUNDING CUTS LIMIT AMBITION THE ENERGY COMPANY OBLIGATION (ECO), THE GOVERNMENT SCHEME THAT GETS LARGER ENERGY SUPPLIERS TO INSTALL ENERGY EFFICIENCY MEASURES IN HOMES, IS IN THE MIDST OF CHANGES – WITH NEW RECOMMENDATIONS SET TO COME IN TO FORCE VERY SOON. THEY ARE TO COVER AN 18-MONTH TRANSITION PERIOD BEFORE ECO FORMALLY RE-LAUNCHES FOR THE PERIOD 2018-2022. POSITIVE TWEAKS BUT

More than one home every minute will need to be refurbished in the UK between now and 2050, experts say. The authors of a report to Parliament say 25 million existing homes will not meet the insulation standards required by mid-century. The UK needs to cut carbon emissions by 80% by then – and a third of those emissions come from heating draughty buildings. The government said it would devise policies as soon as possible. But critics say ministers have been far too slow to im

ENERGY AND CLIMATE POLICY POST-BREXIT UNDER SPOTLIGHT • MPS HEAR FROM ENERGY SAVING TRUST CEO • FUNDING AND AMBITION KEY OUTSIDE EU Last week, a range of experts gave their views on what should be the energy and climate priorities in forthcoming Brexit negotiations. Among those presenting to the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) select committee was Energy Saving Trust chief executive, Philip Sellwood (pictured), who laid out the risks and opportunities arou

Nearly one in ten properties currently available on the rental market could become un-rentable by 2018 if government plans for new legislation go ahead, according to fresh data released by Quick Move Now. The 2015 Energy Efficiency Regulations, passed in March 2015, set out minimum energy efficiency standards for England and Wales. These regulations make it unlawful for landlords to grant a new lease for properties that have an energy performance certificate (EPC) rating belo

The much heralded Government Green deal loan scheme, which was scrapped in 2015, may make a comeback sometime in 2017, as the loans have been bought by an investment company. The relaunch of the Green Deal loan scheme would be welcome news to private landlords, in order to meet new legislation being introduced in 2018. Sky News has learnt that ministers have signed off a deal to sell the Green Deal Finance Company’s (GDFC) assets and remaining loan book in a takeover worth ab