Powering Homes news, page 81
- April 2023
Great British Insulation Scheme announced, replacing ECO+
The government's Powering Up Britain energy security plan includes the Great British Insulation Scheme, formerly ECO+, to upgrade 300,000 of the least energy efficient homes, and extends the Boiler Upgrade Scheme to 2028.
Evidence period for Alternative Fuel Payment applications extended by 3 months to June 2022
Grant Shapps extended the Alternative Fuel Payment evidence window back to June 2022, so households that bought heating oil, LPG, biomass or solid fuel in bulk before winter can still claim £200.
Grants and SchemesEnergy Bills and the Price CapYour Type of Home
Government launches Clean heat market mechanism consultation
The government has opened a consultation on its Clean heat market mechanism, seeking views on a market-based scheme intended to grow the number of heat pumps installed in existing premises.
OVO and Kaluza launch Charge Anytime EV smart charging add-on
OVO and Kaluza have launched Charge Anytime, an EV charging add-on priced at 10p per kWh and billed separately from household electricity, with charging optimised by Kaluza's software.
Survey finds 9 in 10 rural off-gas-grid homes say green heating plans treat them unfairly
A survey of 1,500 oil-heated homes finds 90 per cent believe the government's green heating proposals treat off-gas-grid households unfairly, as trade bodies press for a choice of low carbon options.
Government publishes heat pump net zero investment roadmap
The government has published a heat pump investment roadmap setting out an expectation of at least 600,000 installations a year by 2028 and up to £28 billion of supply chain investment.
Ofgem consults on Great British Insulation scheme LA and Supplier Flex administration
Ofgem has opened a three-week consultation on how it would run Local Authority and Supplier Flex under the Great British Insulation Scheme, and on possible changes to ECO4 Flex administration.
Which? warns low-income households face £209 shortfall and calls for social tariff
Which? research published on 4 April 2023 estimates the poorest tenth of UK households will spend an average of £209 more on energy this financial year and calls for a targeted social tariff.
Your Type of HomeGrants and SchemesEnergy Bills and the Price Cap
Heat Pump Investment Roadmap published
The government has published a Heat Pump Investment Roadmap setting out how it intends to grow UK heat pump installations from 55,000 a year in 2021 to 600,000 a year by 2028.
Additional wholesale risk allowance to revert to single 1% value
Ofgem has confirmed that the additional wholesale risk allowance in the energy price cap will revert to a single 1% value from 1 April 2023, ending a temporary split introduced to prevent supplier over-recovery.
Analysis reveals regional gaps in Energy Bills Support Scheme delivery
Analysis of the first five months of the Energy Bills Support Scheme shows missed or unredeemed payments above four per cent in several areas of high fuel poverty, with £241m still owed.
BEAMA publishes Phase 1 Future Homes Standard impact report
BEAMA has published Version 1.1 of its Phase 1 Network-to-Emitter Impact Report, setting out the technologies expected in new homes under the 2025 Future Homes Standard.
Budget 2023 equalises prepayment meter and direct debit prices
The Spring Budget 2023 confirmed that prepayment meter prices would match direct debit prices from April 2023, ending the long-standing premium paid by households who top up.
ChargeUK launched with 19 members and £6 billion investment commitment
ChargeUK launched in April 2023 with 19 member companies, announcing £6 billion of investment and plans to double the number of UK charge points within 12 months.
New Child Benefit evidence requirements take effect
Ofgem's ECO4 delivery guidance v1.1 confirms that new evidence requirements for the Child Benefit eligibility route take effect from 1 April 2023, alongside clarifications on Solar PV, LA Flex evidence, hybrid heat pumps and electric heating.
Constituency fuel poverty estimates published on basis of £3,000 average annual household energy bill
The End Fuel Poverty Coalition has published modelled fuel poverty estimates for every English Parliamentary constituency, based on the average household energy bill reaching £3,000 a year from 1 April 2023.
Deadline for Government to renew net zero policies after court ruling
The UK Green Building Council says the Government has until April 2023 to renew and reissue net zero policies found unlawful by the courts, and that most built environment policy areas are failing.
Electricity-to-gas price ratio fell to 3.2 under the Energy Price Guarantee
Nesta analysis finds the electricity-to-gas price ratio reached a low of about 3.2 in April 2023 under the Energy Price Guarantee, against 3.5 under the default tariff cap.
Energy efficiency funding to open in April
Details have been published of how £630m will be spent through the Home Upgrade Grant and £780m through the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, with funding available from April for insulation, glazing, heat pumps and solar panels.
Energy price cap due to rise in April 2023
The National Insulation Association has told a government consultation that a further 20% rise to the energy price cap was expected in April 2023, as it pressed for faster delivery of insulation under the ECO+ scheme.
Energy price cap falls to £3,280 for a typical dual fuel direct debit household
The energy price cap for a typical dual fuel household paying by direct debit fell to £3,280 on 1 April 2023, down almost £1,000 from the previous level.
Energy Bills and the Price CapStatisticsRules and Regulation
Energy price cap support level changes from 1 April
Research for the Warm This Winter campaign finds 29 per cent of people in debt to their energy supplier as the Chancellor's price cap extension takes effect on 1 April.
New energy supplier obligation to start from April 2023
Energy suppliers will be obliged from April 2023 to help customers cut bills under legislation announced in the Growth Plan, worth £1 billion over three years.
Feed-in Tariffs (Amendment) Order 2023 came into force
The Feed-in Tariffs (Amendment) Order 2023 came into force on 1 April 2023, removing green import exemptions from the FIT scheme and applying them for FIT Scheme Year 14 and each subsequent FIT year.
flexi-2023 cost components change at 1 April 2023
ScottishPower has published revised third party cost components for its flexi-2023 variable tariff from 1 April 2023, with Transmission Network Use of System moving from the unit rate into the daily standing charge.
Funding support for energy saving measures expanded
Funding support for energy saving measures, until now usually limited to low income or benefit-claiming households, is being expanded to more people from April 2023, according to the Centre for Alternative Technology.
GB socialised network reinforcement costs for low carbon technologies
Ofgem's Access Significant Code Review decision means that from April 2023 the costs of reinforcing electricity networks for low carbon technologies installed in existing buildings will normally be shared across all billpayers.
GBIS allowance included in the default tariff cap from April 2023
Ofgem has included an allowance for the Great British Insulation Scheme in the default tariff cap from April 2023, passing the cost of the renamed ECO+ scheme to billpayers.
GivEnergy SME Battery Cabinet datasheet issued
GivEnergy has published an April 2023 datasheet for its SME Battery Cabinet, a 64kWh lithium iron phosphate storage unit that scales to 256kWh and is also offered for large domestic sites.
Great British Insulation Scheme introduced by Energy Secretary Grant Shapps
Energy Secretary Grant Shapps introduced the Great British Insulation Scheme, targeting homes in Council Tax bands A to D with lower energy efficiency ratings, alongside a three-year extension of the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.