Powering Homes news, page 52
- July 2024
Home Energy Model set to replace SAP under Future Homes Standard consultation
The Future Homes Standard consultation proposes replacing the Standard Assessment Procedure with the Home Energy Model, a more detailed calculation method for new homes in the UK.
Labour wins UK General Election and forms new government
Labour won the UK General Election and Sir Keir Starmer became Prime Minister with a majority of 181, completing cabinet energy appointments at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.
New MCS Scheme to come into effect in summer 2024
MCS has said its redeveloped certification scheme will come into effect in summer 2024, resetting the consumer protections attached to certified small-scale renewable installations in UK homes.
NEA figures show 5.6 million UK households in fuel poverty from 1 July
National Energy Action figures show 5.6 million UK households will be in fuel poverty from 1 July, as the energy price cap falls 7 per cent to a typical bill of £1,568 a year.
Octopus introduces third off-peak period for Cosy Octopus
Octopus Energy added a third off-peak window, 10pm to 12am, to its Cosy Octopus heat pump tariff in July 2024, giving eligible households eight hours of cheaper electricity a day.
Ofgem opens compliance engagement with six largest suppliers on smart meter obligations
Ofgem opened compliance engagement with Great Britain's six largest energy suppliers in July 2024 to examine why some smart meters are not operating in smart mode.
Record first half for certified heat pump installations
MCS reports 26,797 certified heat pump installations in the first half of 2024, 45 per cent more than the same period in 2023, putting the year on course for a record.
Solar Together West Yorkshire opens to the county
Solar Together West Yorkshire ran as a collective buying scheme from July 2024 to May 2025, arranging 645 solar and battery installations at prices quoted as up to 42% below the usual market rate.
Stage one consultation launched on Scottish Passivhaus equivalent
The Scottish Government has opened a second consultation on its planned Scottish equivalent to the Passivhaus standard, setting out proposed energy and environmental targets and a revised implementation date of Autumn 2029.
Which? published previous report on reforming EPCs
Which? published a policy report in July 2024 on reforming energy performance certificates, based on interviews with 18 homeowners across the UK.
- June 2024
Citizens Advice and others write to Ofgem urging reconsideration of proposal to remove the Ban on Acquisition-only Tariffs
Citizens Advice and seven other organisations have written to Ofgem asking it to reconsider a proposal to remove the ban on acquisition-only tariffs, which limit deals to new customers.
Coalition writes to Ofgem urging it not to lift ban on acquisition-only tariffs
Which? and a coalition of energy firms and consumer groups have written to Ofgem urging it not to lift the ban on acquisition-only tariffs, which allow suppliers to offer cheaper deals to new customers only.
Citizens Advice published its response to Ofgem's operating cost allowance review consultation
Citizens Advice has told Ofgem not to loosen the operating cost allowance in the energy price cap without clear evidence, arguing for lower-quartile benchmarking of supplier costs.
Cornwall Insight forecasts October 2024 price cap rise to £1,724
Cornwall Insight forecasts issued on 28 June 2024 point to the Ofgem price cap rising by more than £150 to £1,724 from October, ending the summer's small reduction.
Nesta publishes policy blueprint for coordinated street-by-street low-carbon heat switching
Nesta has published a policy blueprint proposing a voluntary, coordinated street-by-street approach to switching homes to low-carbon heating, alongside the existing individual-led model.
Quarterly Energy Prices: June 2024 published
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has published the June 2024 edition of Quarterly Energy Prices, its accredited official statistics on domestic and industrial fuel prices.
BESA warns of safety risks from rising use of flammable refrigerant R290
BESA has published technical bulletin TB57 warning that R290 propane, now spreading through heat pumps and air conditioning, is highly flammable and sits outside UK F-Gas rules.
Hook Norton community share raise seeks £500,000 to complete sustainable homes with UK-first community microgrid
Hook Norton Community Land Trust is raising £500,000 through a community share offer to complete energy efficient homes in Oxfordshire, with a microgrid reported as a UK first at community level on a site of fewer than 30 homes.
Energy Performance of Buildings (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 come into force
Amendment regulations on energy performance data sharing in England and Wales came into force on 24th June 2024, widening who may receive assessment data and what the register keeper may publish.
BEAMA publishes policy recommendations for the next UK Government
BEAMA has published four policy priorities for the next UK Government covering grid investment, electricity markets, heating technologies and smart metering, ahead of the General Election on 4 July.
Citizens Advice publishes response to government consultation package on energy smart appliances standards
Citizens Advice has responded to three government consultations on standards for energy smart appliances and load control organisations, backing wider consumer protections for the load control sector.
ECIU report finds net zero upgrades could cut household energy imports by 80% by 2030
An Energy & Climate Intelligence Unit report says a household with EPC C efficiency, a heat pump and an electric vehicle could cut its annual imported energy from 17MWh in 2024 to 3.4MWh by 2030.
SolarEdge unveiled the NextGen 3PH Solution at Intersolar 2024
SolarEdge has unveiled a next-generation three-phase solar inverter and dedicated home battery for the European residential market, with availability expected in the second half of 2025.
CTSI warns energy-efficiency pledges undermined by lack of consumer confidence
The Chartered Trading Standards Institute has published polling showing that low awareness of funding and installers is holding back home energy-efficiency work, and has called for mandatory licensing of installers.
Which? warns EPCs are unreliable and calls for reform
Which? has published mystery shopping research finding that Energy Performance Certificates are often inaccurate and recommend costly improvements, and is calling on the next government to reform them.
Nesta publishes analysis of factors affecting heat pump cost parity with gas boilers
Nesta analysis published on 13 June 2024 quantifies how subsidies, levy rebalancing, wholesale prices, interest rates and efficiency each affect heat pump against gas boiler annual costs for a 2030 installation.
OVO and Hypervolt launch Charge Anytime integration
Hypervolt has announced that its home EV chargers are now compatible with OVO's Charge Anytime add-on, which charges at 7p per kWh and can be controlled from the Charge Anytime app.
Connect Direct integration raises instant approval rate to over 90%
UK Power Networks says linking its Smart Connect system to the Energy Networks Association's Connect Direct portal has lifted instant approval of domestic connection applications from 86% to over 90%.
Solar PV and battery storage removed from HES Grant and Loan scheme eligibility
From 6 June 2024 the Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan scheme stopped accepting new referrals for solar PV and battery storage, ending support even when these were installed alongside a heat pump.
Cadent Foundation marks five years and publishes 2024 Impact Report
The Cadent Foundation has marked five years with an Impact Report showing over £3.3 million awarded in 2023, support for more than 35,000 people, and plans to double its reach.