Powering Homes news, page 109
- February 2022
£90m announced for a further fuel support scheme
The Welsh Government announced £90m on 15 February 2022 for a second fuel support scheme, paying £200 to eligible households after the first winter scheme was doubled from £100.
Sunsynk announces the Contour inverter system
Sunsynk has published a news item introducing the Sunsynk Contour, described as a trolley-like inverter system with built-in lithium batteries, dated 15 February 2022.
Welsh Government announces more than £330m cost-of-living support package
The Welsh Government has announced a cost-of-living support package worth more than £330m, including a £150 payment to households in council tax bands A to D and an extra £200 for low income households next winter.
CO-Gas Safety reports Project SHOUT survey finding rise in dangerous gas appliances
CO-Gas Safety has published a Project SHOUT survey of 335 heating engineers that reports frequent sightings of poorly maintained, badly fitted and dangerous gas appliances in UK homes.
Hero Renewables removed from MCS scheme entirely
MCS has removed Hero Renewables Limited from its certification scheme after an investigation into complaints found significant failings, meaning the company is no longer MCS certified.
Indra highlights smart EV charging range and V1G launch
Indra has set out the features of its Smart PRO home charger and launched Smart Pioneer, a V1G product it says can cut charging costs by up to £200 a year.
Scotland announces £150 council tax rebates for 1.85m households
Scotland's finance secretary Kate Forbes announced on 10 February 2022 that 1.85 million Scottish households, 73% of the total, would receive a £150 council tax rebate in April 2022.
Price cap increase announced to apply from April
Energy UK has noted the announcement of an increase in the energy price cap that will apply from April, published alongside a parliamentary inquiry into decarbonising heat in UK homes.
Mitsubishi Electric launches Ecodan Hydrodan water-to-water heat pump for ambient loops
Mitsubishi Electric has added the Ecodan Hydrodan, a water-to-water heat pump designed for Fifth Generation ambient loops, to its heat pump range in an announcement dated 7 February 2022.
MPs call for road pricing to replace fuel duty
The Commons transport select committee has told MPs that road pricing is the only workable replacement for fuel duty, warning of a £35bn shortfall as drivers switch to electric vehicles.
Ofgem decides to include Green Gas Levy allowance in default tariff cap from cap period eight
Ofgem has decided to add a Green Gas Levy allowance of about £2.69 per gas meter to the default tariff cap from April 2022, recovering scheme costs dating back to October 2021.
Ofgem decides to proceed with licence modification enabling in-period adjustments to the default tariff cap
Ofgem has confirmed it will change supply licences so it can recalculate the default tariff cap inside a cap period, under five tests, in exceptional circumstances.
Ofgem publishes policy consultation on medium term price cap changes
Ofgem has published a policy consultation on medium term changes to the energy price cap, proposing quarterly updates, a reduced notice period and a backwardation mechanism.
BEIS Committee publishes report on decarbonising heat in homes
The Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee has published a report finding the Government is not on track to decarbonise residential heating and calling for a heat road map, sector deal and public awareness campaign.
Chancellor announced support package including EBSS
The Chancellor announced a support package including the Energy Bills Support Scheme on 3 February 2022, giving households a £200 reduction on electricity bills from October 2022, later raised to £400.
Chancellor announces Energy Bills Rebate support package
Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced an Energy Bills Rebate on 3 February 2022, comprising a £200 energy bills discount and a £150 council tax rebate, after Ofgem confirmed a 54% rise in the price cap.
Energy bills support package announced
The government announced a £150 council tax rebate for households in England in bands A to D and a £144 million discretionary fund on 3 February 2022, as part of support for rising energy costs.
Energy price cap increase announced
Turn2us has responded to the announcement of a higher energy price cap, warning that millions of households face uncertainty over their finances and calling for more targeted government support.
Energy price cap increase announced
Nesta has responded to the announcement of an increase to the energy price cap, calling the UK's energy price crisis a global gas crisis and pointing to home heating as the source of the solution.
Government announces £693 energy price cap rise and bill support measures
Citizens Advice has called the government's package of support for a £693 rise in the energy price cap strange, complicated and untargeted, as record numbers seek crisis help.
Energy Bills and the Price CapEnergy SuppliersRules and Regulation
MPs warn UK lacks clear plan to decarbonise heating and insulate homes
The Commons business, energy and industrial strategy committee has said the government's approach to decarbonising home heating lacks clear direction and that current policies are not on the scale required.
NEA calls UK Government energy crisis measures woefully inadequate
National Energy Action has called the UK Government's £200 rebate and Council Tax support woefully inadequate, saying prepayment households still face a gap of more than £500 a year.
OFGEM announces 54% energy price cap rise
Ofgem has confirmed a 54% rise in the energy price cap, taking average direct debit bills to as much as £1,971 from April and prepayment bills to £2,017.
SSEN restores all reported faults after Storms Malik and Corrie
SSEN has restored all reported customer faults after Storms Malik and Corrie, reconnecting more than 120,000 homes in the north of Scotland following gusts of over 90mph.
Warm Home Discount expansion confirmed by Chancellor
The Chancellor has confirmed the Warm Home Discount will rise to £150 and cover three million households from October, as Ofgem's price cap increase pushes average bills up by more than 54 per cent.
Levelling Up White Paper published
The Levelling Up White Paper of 2 February 2022 sets out funding for energy efficiency in the worst performing homes and cites over 240,000 low carbon jobs by 2035.
27 energy retail companies had exited the market since August 2021
Energy UK reports that 27 energy retail companies have left the market since August 2021, affecting almost 2.3 million households, with supplier of last resort costs of around £2.6 billion to date.
Additional tolerable standard requirement delayed
Scottish Ministers have delayed by one year the date on which fire and carbon monoxide detection and warning equipment becomes part of the tolerable standard for housing in Scotland.
Additionality assumption revised from 100% to 70%
The final impact assessment for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme cuts the assumed additionality of its grants from 100 per cent to 70 per cent, meaning fewer installations are counted as extra.
BEIS to lay amended legislation for DRHI closure
BEIS intends to bring the closure of the Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive into effect through amended legislation due to be laid before Parliament in February 2022, Ofgem has said.