Powering Homes News: page 101
- May 2022
Ofgem opens consultation on possible wholesale cost adjustment to the default tariff cap
Ofgem has opened a consultation on whether suppliers face extra efficient wholesale costs beyond the default tariff cap, covering cap periods eight and nine, with responses due by 14 June 2022.
Ofgem publishes statutory consultation on wholesale methodology changes
Ofgem has published a statutory consultation proposing quarterly updates to the energy price cap's wholesale methodology, a change it later confirmed would take effect from October 2022.
LCCC updated its Q2 2022 forecast
Ofgem has confirmed it will remove the £0/MWh floor from the Contracts for Difference allowance in the default tariff cap from 1 October 2022, after recalculating the supplier benefit at £11.44 per customer.
Consultation launched on proposed expansion of Warm Home Discount in Scotland
The UK government has opened a consultation on expanding the Warm Home Discount in Scotland, proposing £49 million a year in support, £150 rebates and 50,000 more households.
Rules and RegulationGrants and SchemesScotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
NEA responds to BEIS consultation on Energy Bills Support scheme
National Energy Action has told BEIS that its Energy Bills Support scheme has significant deficiencies, warning that the poorest households may receive less or no benefit while paying for it.
Rules and RegulationEnergy Bills and the Price CapYour Type of Home
Oxera publishes review of Ofgem's role in retail market collapse
An Ofgem-commissioned review by consultancy Oxera, published on 3 May 2022, examined the regulator's role in the collapse of 29 Great British energy suppliers between July 2021 and May 2022.
Boiler Upgrade Scheme launched with £450m budget
The government launched the £450m Boiler Upgrade Scheme in May 2022, offering grants of up to £6,000 towards heat pumps and, in limited circumstances, biomass boilers in England and Wales.
Chancellor announces enhanced package of customer support
Energy UK said international wholesale gas prices compounded by the Russian invasion of Ukraine led the Chancellor to announce an enhanced package of customer support, but called it a missed opportunity on energy efficiency.
Cost of living support package announced
The government doubled supplier loans to £400 per household as non-refundable payments and added payments of £650, £300 and £150, raising the local authority fund to £1.5 billion.
Ecodesign requirements for stoves due to come into force in the UK
Ecodesign emission and efficiency requirements for wood burning stoves are due to come into force in the UK in 2022, with all stoves placed on the market after January 2022 required to comply.
End Fuel Poverty Coalition writes to Chancellor over ten failures in energy bills plans
The End Fuel Poverty Coalition has written to the Chancellor listing ten unanswered questions about the Government's 26 May energy bills support and asking for a meeting to discuss them.
Energy Bills Support Scheme vouchers announced
The government's Energy Bills Support Scheme, announced in May 2022, gave every household in Great Britain a £400 discount on energy bills, paid in six instalments from October 2022.
Energy Profits Levy introduced on UK oil and gas companies
The government levied an Energy Profits Levy on UK oil and gas companies in May 2022, after record industry profits and rising household energy costs that followed the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Government announced intention to legislate to extend price cap beyond 2023
The government said in May 2022 that it intended to legislate to allow the default tariff price cap to continue beyond 2023, as the National Audit Office counted 29 supplier failures since July 2021.
Government publishes response to market-based mechanism consultation
The Government has published its response to the consultation on the market-based mechanism for low-carbon heat, a scheme obliging fossil fuel heating manufacturers to meet rising low-carbon sales targets.
Green Home Finance Accelerator funding doubled to £20 million
A parliamentary committee report confirms the British Energy Security Strategy doubled funding for the Green Home Finance Accelerator from £10 million to £20 million, alongside wider heat decarbonisation measures.
UK inflation reaches 9.1%, highest in 40 years, driven largely by energy prices
UK inflation reached 9.1% in the year to May 2022, the highest for 40 years, with energy prices contributing 3.2 percentage points for fossil fuel households and 2.3 for all-electric homes.
Nesta decides not to pursue group purchasing for heat pumps
Nesta has decided not to run its own group buying scheme for heat pumps, saying the model has real potential but that the 2022 market is not ready.
Ofgem announces plans for quarterly price cap review
Ofgem has announced plans to move the price cap to a quarterly review, so that changes in wholesale gas and electricity costs, including falls, reach customer bills sooner.
Ofgem consults on wholesale cost adjustment design for cap periods eight and nine
Ofgem has opened a consultation on whether suppliers need an extra wholesale cost adjustment in the default tariff cap for periods eight and nine, with a decision due in August 2022.
Sale of traditional house coal banned in England
The sale of traditional house coal has been banned in England since 1 May 2022, under air quality rules that also cover wood moisture and stove emissions.
Scottish government proposes Passivhaus standard for all new-build housing
The Scottish government has proposed that all new-build housing in Scotland meet the Passivhaus standard or a Scottish equivalent, under a Member's Bill lodged in May 2022.
Rules and RegulationInsulation and GlazingScotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
Scottish Government publishes quality assurance policy statement for heat in buildings
The Scottish Government has published a quality assurance policy statement for heat in buildings, setting TrustMark and MCS supplier requirements for its schemes and a timetable of actions through 2022.
Third support package against rising energy prices announced
A GBP 650 one-off Cost of Living Payment for 8 million low-income households formed part of a third support package against rising energy prices announced in May 2022.
UW Standard SEG tariff takes effect at 2 pence per kWh
The Utility Warehouse's Smart Export Guarantee Standard tariff, a Standard Variable rate paying 2 pence per kWh for exported electricity, took effect on 01 May 2022.
Wales published changes to Part L
Wales published changes to Part L, the building regulation covering the conservation of fuel and power, in May 2022, according to a UK government research report updated in December 2022.
Rules and RegulationInsulation and GlazingScotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
- April 2022
Ready to Burn deadline ends for small wood suppliers
Small wood suppliers in England selling under 600 cubic metres a year must meet Ready to Burn certification from 1 May 2022, ending the extra year given to them to prepare.
Product recall issued for the Smart Energy Saver UK
The Office for Product Safety and Standards has required the recall of a plug-in energy saving device sold as the Smart Energy Saver UK after tests found a serious risk of fire and electric shock.
Panasonic adds three-phase option to Aquarea T-CAP Mono-bloc J Generation R32 heat pumps
Panasonic has added a three-phase power supply option to its Aquarea T-CAP Mono-bloc J Generation R32 heat pumps, covering heating and cooling capacities between 9 and 16kW.
Panasonic launches Aquarea Hybrid Eco+ Heat Pump
Panasonic has launched the Aquarea Hybrid Eco+ heat pump, a unit that works alongside an existing fossil fuelled boiler and which the company says can cut carbon emissions by up to 80%.