Tag: change

Public want urgent global action to tackle climate change

73% of people want world leaders to agree a global deal and 66% think action must happen now, according to a new Populus survey. The survey reveals an appetite for action on climate change by the UK public, with only 20% agreeing that it can wait a few years. But the survey also showed that just 40% of people recognise the potential impact of climate change on their lifestyle.

Survey results

  • 73% think world leaders must urgently agree a global deal
  • 20% think taking action can wait a few years
  • 72% are aware of the benefits of tackling climate change
  • 40% think that climate change will negatively impact me and my lifestyle
  • 33% think taking action on climate change will negatively impact economic growth

Full DECC Press release

Renewable Heat Incentive ~ online Payment Calculator

Households can now get a clear idea of the payments they could receive if they install a renewable heating system, thanks to a new online service that has been launched by the UK Department for Climate and Energy Change.

By tapping a few details about their property into the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) calculator, people can see instantly how much money they may be paid through the scheme, according to what type of renewable heating system they install.

There are four eligible renewable heating system types. These are:

  • biomass only boilers, and biomass pellet stoves
  • air source heat pumps
  • ground source heat pumps
  • flat plate and evacuated tube solar thermal panels.

The Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) is a government financial incentive to encourage a switch to renewable heating systems.

For further details about the scheme including eligibility criteria and how to apply visit the Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive section of the Ofgem website.

To see a breakdown of the approved renewable heating systems visit the Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive public reports section of the Ofgem website.

Victorian House Energy Efficient Refurbishment

This Victorian semi-detached house – part of the SuperHome network – was given an award-winning eco-renovation based on installing cost effective interventions rather than setting out to meet a notional standard. This approach has delivered a 90% reduction in CO2 emissions.

This Victorian house built in 1875, is in Peckham, south east London is three-story house with a pitched roof, a bay-fronted ground floor window and a two-storey rear extension, which was added to in the early 1990s to take it up to three stories using aerated concrete block walls. It is semi-detached on two stories. The main entrance is on the detached side, located down a narrow alley.

Before its refurbishment, the house had very few energy efficiency measures installed. The pitched roof had minimal insulation while the flat roof over the rear extension had only 50mm thick foam board insulation installed between joists. The suspended timber ground floor was uninsulated while the floor of the rear projection was a 20mm thick screed laid on bare soil. The ground floor bay window was fitted with single glazed sash windows; all the other windows were old double glazed PVC units, which leaked around the frames. The house was heated by a mixture of electric storage heaters and gas fires, while hot water was from an ancient gas boiler.

Full details on the building4change website

Government closes popular Green Deal Home Improvement Fund immediately

The Department for Energy and Climate Change have just announced in press release that the Green Deal Home Improvement Fund is to close with immediate effect. Despite only two days ago they issued a press release saying how successful the scheme had been and seemed to suggest that more money would be available, although they were reducing the subsidy for solid wall insulation from £6000 to £4000 from Friday 25 July and from 5 August 2014 flue gas heat recovery systems will not longer be an eligible measure for the subsidy.

GDHIF

See latest press release

My comment:

Only last week was I expressing concern that this scheme was in danger of becoming a classic example of “roller-coaster” intervention by DECC. This appears to have become true. DECC appear to be incapable of managing energy efficiency or renewable energy (Solar PV – Feed-in-tariff) that will lead to a steady sustainable uptake of measures – that are good for the environment, householders and the industry.

Peter Bates