Powering Homes news, page 59
- March 2024
Spring 2024 Budget extends Windfall Tax and Household Support Fund but ends other support
The Spring 2024 Budget extended the Windfall Tax and the Household Support Fund for limited periods, but ended other bill support on 31 March and announced no new energy efficiency funding.
Spring Budget 2024 delivered without private EV fiscal incentives
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders has called the Spring Budget a missed opportunity on private electric vehicle demand, after it delivered no fiscal incentives for private buyers.
SSE has hubs live at five M7 retail parks with 15 more in planning
SSE has opened ultra-rapid charging hubs at five M7 retail parks and says a further 15 are going through planning, as it works towards 500 hubs by 2030.
- February 2024
Citizens Advice responds to DESNZ consultation on heat network zoning
Citizens Advice has told the government it supports heat network zoning but wants consumer protection built into the policy, warning that leaving a heat network is extremely difficult once a building is connected.
Kensa launches Shoebox NX Ground Source Heat Pump
Kensa has launched the Shoebox NX ground source heat pump, a British-made unit it says can decarbonise heating for 60 per cent of UK homes when used in shared ground loop networks.
Scottish House Condition Survey 2022 key findings published
The Scottish Government's 2022 Scottish House Condition Survey puts fuel poverty at 31% of households, around 791,000, up from 24.6% in 2019, with 18.5% in extreme fuel poverty.
StatisticsScotland, Wales and Northern IrelandYour Type of Home
SSEN becomes first DNO to publish full smart meter half-hourly consumption datasets
SSEN Distribution has become the first UK distribution network operator to publish its full smart meter half-hourly consumption datasets, covering over 1.8 million meters across its north and south licence areas.
Utility Warehouse launches Fixed Saver 15 and Fixed 15 fixed energy tariffs
Utility Warehouse has launched two fixed energy tariffs priced below both the January and April 2024 price caps, with the cheaper option requiring customers to move two other services to the supplier.
Warranty document issued for RI-ENERGYFLOW inverters
Rayleigh Instruments has published warranty conditions for its RI-ENERGYFLOW-MINI and 3P series inverters, offering a 10 year repair or replace term to end users from the date of purchase.
SSEN announces £2.2m Dorchester Town Green Recovery upgrade under way
SSEN Distribution has confirmed a £2.2m nine-month upgrade in Dorchester Town, adding 7.2MW of capacity for more than 21,000 homes and businesses, due to finish by November 2024.
Two-week trial of Visit a Heat Pump ran before nationwide launch
Nesta began a two-week trial of its Visit a Heat Pump booking platform on 28 February 2024, ahead of the scheme's nationwide launch, according to the charity's later report on the service.
£28 bad debt cost added to annual bills for 12 months
Ofgem has added £28 to annual energy bills for 12 months within the April price cap to help suppliers recover bad debt costs, as the cap falls to £1,690.
Ofgem announces April-June 2024 price cap
Ofgem has set the April to June 2024 price cap, which the Resolution Foundation says will produce the second biggest percentage fall in consumer energy prices since the cap began in 2019.
Ofgem announces price cap level for 1 April to 30 June 2024
Ofgem has set the energy price cap for 1 April to 30 June 2024 at a typical dual-fuel annual bill of £1,690, a 12 per cent fall, with prepayment meters becoming the cheapest way to pay.
Ofgem decides not to adjust energy price cap for additional wholesale costs
Ofgem has decided not to adjust the energy price cap for differences between wholesale costs and allowances over October 2022 to September 2023, and will make two small technical changes to its wholesale allowance model.
Smart meter In-Home Display voluntary replacement principles first published
The government has published voluntary principles under which energy suppliers agree to provide replacement in-home displays after the 12-month period in which they are obliged to maintain the equipment.
EDF acquires solar panel and battery installer Contact Solar
EDF has acquired Chorley-based solar panel and battery installer Contact Solar, its second installer purchase in a year, as it builds towards combined solar, battery, heat pump and EV offers.
Government responds in written statement to CMA consumer protection review
The Government has accepted that retrofit consumers face difficulties and a confusing standards landscape, in a written statement responding to the competition watchdog's green heating and insulation review.
Westminster Hall debate on cavity wall insulation government support
The government has acknowledged poorly executed cavity wall insulation installations and says it is fully committed to protecting consumers with insulation products in their homes.
Ideal Heating confirms safety upgrade rollout from end of February
Ideal Heating has confirmed it will begin rolling out a safety upgrade to boilers built between August 2022 and 7 January 2024 from the end of February 2024, and advises owners to repressurise to 1.5 bar.
ECIU estimates UK spent around £105bn on wholesale gas in 2.5 years of the gas crisis
The Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit estimates the UK spent around £105bn on wholesale gas in two and a half years of the gas crisis, about £75bn more than before it.
Nesta publishes Clean heat: coordinating the switch street by street
Nesta has published a blueprint for switching homes to low-carbon heating street by street, proposing new national and local bodies to coordinate installations alongside the existing household-led approach.
NEA and partners publish Fuel Poverty Monitor identifying £18 billion energy efficiency funding gap
National Energy Action, with Energy Action Scotland and Gemserv, has published a Fuel Poverty Monitor identifying a funding gap of at least £18 billion to meet England's 2030 fuel poverty energy efficiency target.
Welsh Government publishes response to Ofgem call for input on standing charges
The Welsh Government has told Ofgem that standing charges should be abolished, that North Wales pays the highest in Great Britain, and that a social tariff is overdue.
Rules and RegulationEnergy Bills and the Price CapWhere Our Energy Comes From
Which? warns of spray foam insulation scams targeting vulnerable people
Which? reports that the Wales Against Scams Partnership has warned of scammers targeting vulnerable people with dodgy and non-existent insulation offers sold through doorstep, phone and online marketing.
YouGov poll released showing 79% of MPs back mandatory solar panels for new-build homes
A YouGov poll of 107 MPs, commissioned by the MCS Foundation, found 79 per cent support making solar panels mandatory on all new-build homes from 2025, with 61 per cent backing mandatory battery storage.
Consultation on changes to permitted development rights opened
The government consulted on changes to permitted development rights for electric vehicle charge points and air source heat pumps between 13 February and 9 April 2024, drawing 1,409 responses.
Permitted development rights consultation opens
The government has opened a consultation on changes to permitted development rights in England, covering larger home extensions, building upwards, demolition and rebuild, electric vehicle charge points and air source heat pumps.
MCS opens four-week consultation on changes to MIS 3005-D heat pump design standard
MCS has opened a four-week consultation on changes to its heat pump design standard, proposing a definition of hybrid systems, removal of the 100% heat loss sizing rule and a minimum 55% peak power contribution.
NIBE introduces S1156 and S1256 ground source heat pumps
NIBE has introduced the S1156 and S1256 ground source heat pumps, adding two new models to its UK range of low-carbon heating equipment.