Energy efficiency needs “more certainty” from government
The paper, Warmer & Greener: A Guide to the Future of Domestic Energy Efficiency Policy, aims to see fuel poverty drastically cut alongside energy bill savings, better home comfort and quality of living and better health, along with less reliance on the NHS and a drop in carbon emissions.
WSBF, which is part of the Policy Connect network, focuses on four areas, regulation, financial mechanisms, advice & information and developing the energy efficiency industry, in its report, arguing that the confidence of the energy efficiency industry to invest in training, research, product development and marketing has been undermined by a number of recent changes in policy relating to energy efficiency and a lack of certainty and consistency.
The report, sponsored by ADEY and the British Board of Agrément, comes after a recent study from the National Audit Office, which claims that the abandoned Green Deal failed to deliver any “meaningful benefit,” despite costing taxpayers £240m.
The new WSBF paper argues that a number of policy decisions have negatively affected the energy efficiency industry, including revision of energy savings targets for the Energy Company Obligation (ECO), the move away from the original focus on more expensive measures, the ending of the Landlord's Energy Savings Allowance, the Code for Sustainable Homes and zero carbon homes standards and the discontinuation of funding for the Green Deal.
Co-chairs Peter Aldous MP and Dr Alan Whitehead MP said: “This report provides an extremely useful guide to the future of domestic energy efficiency policy. It could not come at a better time.”
The report suggests a number of measures the government could take to improve the energy efficiency industry, including giving financially backing to the “relatively little known” Dutch Energiesprong scheme, which provides deep whole house retrofits and acts as broker between installers and the customer, making retrofitting far more financially viable.
It also suggests implementing gradually increased minimum energy efficiency standards through regulation for the sale and rent of homes and regulating marketing in the private rented sector, meaning that rents include expected energy costs, along with offering greater financial support for those in fuel poverty to improve their homes.
