Powering Homes news, page 83
- March 2023
Tax information and impact note published on VAT relief for energy-saving materials in Northern Ireland
HM Revenue and Customs has published a tax information and impact note extending the temporary VAT zero rate for energy-saving materials to Northern Ireland from 1 May 2023.
Delta launches smartphone app for AC MAX EV charger
Delta has released a smartphone app for its AC MAX electric vehicle charger, available now on the Apple App Store and Google Play, adding monitoring and setup controls for users and installers.
SSEN deploys smart meter data to identify network phases remotely
SSEN has developed an algorithm that reads voltage data from smart meters to work out which of three network phases each property is connected to, removing the need for site visits.
Welsh Government statement on energy cost of living crisis
Jane Hutt MS has set out Welsh Government concerns over the energy market, the end of the £400 Energy Bill Support Scheme payment and the treatment of prepayment meter customers in Wales.
Scotland, Wales and Northern IrelandRules and RegulationEnergy Bills and the Price Cap
Powervault launches P4 fourth-generation battery storage system
Powervault has launched the P4, its fourth-generation home and commercial battery storage system, offering five capacities from 8kWh to 24kWh with modular expansion and backup power options.
Andersen EV launches augmented reality tool for A2 home charger
Andersen EV has launched a free augmented reality tool that lets households see its A2 home charger on their own property and try colour and finish options before buying.
SHDF Wave 2.1 and HUG Phase 2 successful projects announced
The government has announced the successful projects for Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund Wave 2.1 and Home Upgrade Grant Phase 2, the two Help to Heat schemes that fund efficiency works in social and off-gas homes.
HUG Phase 2 successful local authorities announced
The government has announced which local authorities secured Home Upgrade Grant Phase 2 funding, with up to £630 million available to upgrade off gas grid homes in England from April 2023.
Oxfordshire awarded £6.417m under HUG2 to retrofit at least 310 off-gas homes
Oxfordshire County Council has been awarded £6.417 million in the second phase of the Home Upgrade Grant to retrofit at least 310 homes that are not heated by mains gas.
WMCA secures £34m to retrofit around 3,000 West Midlands homes
The West Midlands Combined Authority has secured £34 million of government funding, matched by £35 million from housing providers, to retrofit around 3,000 homes rated D or below.
Coalition writes to Housing Minister seeking no new gas grid connections under Future Homes Standard
More than 40 organisations have written to the UK Housing Minister asking for confirmation that the Future Homes Standard will not permit new gas grid connections in newly built homes.
Which? publishes response to BEIS carbon content transparency consultation
Which? has told BEIS that green and renewable tariffs need standardised definitions, mandated sourcing information and a framework that covers electric vehicle charging and green gas.
Industry responds to Spring Budget 2023
Heating industry bodies gave mixed reactions to the Spring Budget, welcoming a three-month extension of the £2,500 energy price cap but criticising the absence of long-term efficiency measures.
Mitsubishi Electric launches new Pre-Plumbed Cylinder range
Mitsubishi Electric has launched a revised range of unvented pre-plumbed hot water cylinders in eight standard and slimline variants, sized from 150L to 300L, to pair with its residential heat pumps.
Power NI announces underlying unit price decrease offset by reduced EPG support
Power NI has cut its underlying residential electricity unit price by 6.61p per unit, but a larger reduction in Energy Price Guarantee support means bills rise 14 per cent from 1 April 2023.
Viessmann launches Vitovolt 300 solar PV system in the UK
Viessmann has brought its Vitovolt 300 solar PV system to the UK, sold as a package with battery storage, heat pumps and EV charging under one control platform.
Chancellor delivers Spring Budget 2023
Jeremy Hunt's Spring Budget extended the Energy Price Guarantee for three months, ended the winter support payment, removed the prepayment meter penalty and reclassified nuclear as sustainable.
Energy Bill Support Scheme ends, leaving households £67 a month worse off
National Energy Action says the Energy Bill Support Scheme has ended, cutting £67 a month from household support, while the Energy Price Guarantee is extended at its current level.
Energy Price Guarantee extended at £2,500 for three months to June 2023
The Chancellor has extended the Energy Price Guarantee at £2,500 for April to June 2023, delaying its planned rise to £3,000 and saving a typical household £160.
EPG extended to end of June 2023 and April to June rates added
The government extended the Energy Price Guarantee to the end of June 2023 and published the regional unit rates that apply to standard variable tariffs from April to June 2023.
Fuel poverty forecast to rise to 7.5 million UK households
National Energy Action forecasts 7.5 million UK households will be in fuel poverty, up from 6.7 million, after the Energy Bill Support Scheme ended and the Energy Price Guarantee was extended.
Government announces prepayment standing charge compensation in the Budget
The UK Government said in its 15 March 2023 Budget that it will compensate prepayment customers for higher standing charges from July 2023 to March 2024, at a cost of £200 million.
Treasury issues call for evidence on zero VAT for battery storage
The Treasury has issued a call for evidence on extending zero VAT to battery storage, whether retrofitted to solar panels or fitted as a standalone unit.
NEA publishes response to Ofgem call for evidence on prepayment rules and protections
National Energy Action has published its response to Ofgem's call for evidence on prepayment rules, naming four areas it says need significant consideration before protections are settled.
Ofgem extends forced prepayment meter installation ban
Ofgem's chief executive announced on 14 March that the ban on forced prepayment meter installations would run beyond the end of March, lifting only if firms follow a new code of practice.
Rules and RegulationEnergy Bills and the Price CapSmart Meters
SSEN restores power to central southern England network after high winds
SSEN restored power to around 8,500 customers across central southern England after high winds, with engineers working into the evening on the remaining handful of properties.
SSEN weather warning for central southern England
SSEN's weather model showed strong winds with coastal gusts of 60mph across central southern England on Monday 13 March, prompting the network operator to increase standby resources and contact priority customers.
Welsh Government published the Keep Warm Keep Well Pembrokeshire press release
The Welsh Government has published details of the Keep Warm Keep Well programme in Pembrokeshire, part of a £1.6 billion cost-of-living support package, after a ministerial visit to a Tenby warm space.
CCC publishes report on delivering a reliable decarbonised power system by 2035
The Climate Change Committee has published modelling on a reliable decarbonised power system for 2035, with 25 recommendations, and says delivery is not happening at the pace required.
CCC warns 2035 decarbonised power system will not happen at current rates of deployment
The Climate Change Committee says a reliable, decarbonised power system by 2035 is possible but will not arrive at current rates of deployment, and sets out 25 recommendations.