Climate advisors tell government to take energy efficiency more seriously

The Committee on Climate Change is asking the government to put energy efficiency at the heart of its plans to tackle spiralling energy prices, and to close the ‘biggest gap’ in its current energy policy.

In a letter written by the chairman to the chancellor Jeremy Hunt, Lord Deben describes the UK’s track record on energy efficiency as “particularly poor”, and makes a range of recommendations on high value-for-money measures that could save on bills and protect the UK from fuel price shocks.

The letter pointed out that a decade ago, 2.3 million energy efficiency measures were installed annually through government-backed schemes. In 2021, fewer than 100,000 were installed. With higher prevailing energy prices, investments in energy efficiency measures would be recouped faster through savings on fuel bills, it said.

Although it is ‘regrettably’ too late to make widespread improvements to the fabric of buildings this winter, the letter points to a number of small changes that can make a meaningful contribution to reducing energy demand.

Efforts should be focused on areas that offer the highest financial value, says the CCC. The next two years should be a period for a concerted push to improve rates of loft and cavity wall insulation, draught-proofing and installing modern tools to manage energy use (such as smart thermostats, thermostatic radiator controls and smart meters). It should also greatly enhance energy advice to households and businesses, with answers on simple energy saving measures, not just the complex home retrofits currently on offer.

Government can lead by example by investing in the energy efficiency of the public estate, demonstrating national and local government efforts to reduce energy demand.

A combination of public funding and government action is required to facilitate access to and reduce the cost of capital. The CCC’s updated analysis suggests that over 60 per cent of households can achieve levels of energy efficiency that are compatible with Net Zero for less than £1,100.

These actions, the letter stresses, will set the groundwork for a ramp up in low-carbon heat in the mid-2020s and continue the UK’s trajectory towards Net Zero.