Powering Homes News: page 97
- July 2022
Which? responds to concerns that support on energy bills is outdated
Which? has called on Ofgem to penalise underperforming energy suppliers and to work with government and suppliers on targeted bill support, saying customers are struggling to understand bills and pricing.
OPSS safety notice issued for Belling, Stoves and New World gas range cookers with gas grills
The Office for Product Safety and Standards has issued a safety notice covering 127 Belling, Stoves and New World gas range cookers, requiring their withdrawal from the market over carbon monoxide risk when grills are used with the door closed.
NEA projects 8.2 million UK households could be in fuel poverty from October
National Energy Action has projected that 8.2 million UK households, one in three, could be in fuel poverty from October if the price cap takes average annual bills to £3,250.
Boiler Upgrade Scheme installer guidance published
Ofgem has published version 1.0 of its installer guidance for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, setting out eligibility rules, grant values and the voucher process for MCS certified installers in England and Wales.
ev.energy launches Charge History feature in its app
ev.energy has redesigned the charging timeline in its app, adding a Charge History screen that breaks sessions down by type and shows cost where the company holds that data.
NEA publishes response to Ofgem retail financial resilience and Direct Debit consultation
The National Energy Action charity has told Ofgem that proposed financial resilience rules for suppliers should only go ahead if they do not push up the price cap, while backing stronger Direct Debit rules.
Rules and RegulationEnergy SuppliersEnergy Bills and the Price Cap
Ember analysis attributes 80% of UK wholesale electricity price rise to fossil gas
Ember analysis finds fossil gas caused 80 per cent of the rise in UK wholesale electricity prices between July 2021 and June 2022, with gas adding £93/MWh to a £120/MWh increase.
Where Our Energy Comes FromEnergy Bills and the Price CapStatistics
Welsh Government extends Fuel Support Scheme to more than 400,000 households with £90m investment
The Welsh Government is investing £90m in its Fuel Support Scheme, extending a £200 payment to more than 400,000 low-income households in Wales from autumn 2022.
Grants and SchemesEnergy Bills and the Price CapScotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
High Court found the Net Zero Strategy unlawful
The English High Court ruled in July 2022 that the government's 2021 Net Zero Strategy was unlawful and inadequate for meeting the UK's legally binding 2050 emissions target.
SolarEdge launches Home smart energy ecosystem for three phase installations
SolarEdge has announced a three phase version of its Home smart energy ecosystem, combining a hub inverter, a 4.6kWh low voltage battery and a backup interface for homes with three phase supply.
JRF publishes energy price analysis of July 2022 price cap
The Joseph Rowntree Foundation has published a briefing on the July 2022 Ofgem price cap and new Cornwall Insight forecasts, setting out what low and middle income families are expected to spend on gas and electricity.
Energy Bills and the Price CapRules and RegulationStatistics
Energy price crisis drives record UK solar deployment in first half of 2022
Solar Energy UK reports 556MW of solar capacity connected across all scales in the first half of 2022, with residential rooftop installations in six months already exceeding the whole of 2021.
Nesta launches beta web tool to help households lower boiler flow temperature
Nesta has published a beta web tool that gives households tailored instructions on changing boiler settings, saying lower flow temperatures could cut household energy use by 6 to 8 per cent.
CREDS publishes report on distributional effects of net-zero pathways
CREDS research finds that all modelled net-zero pathways hit vulnerable UK households hardest on energy and motor fuel costs, with low-income groups spending over twice the share of income that high earners do.
NEA publishes Impact Report for April 2021 to March 2022
National Energy Action has published an impact report for April 2021 to March 2022, saying more than 6.5 million UK households were in fuel poverty after the 1 April price cap rise.
Grand Committee considers the Electricity and Gas (Energy Company Obligation) Order 2022
The House of Lords Grand Committee approved the draft Electricity and Gas (Energy Company Obligation) Order 2022 on 12 July 2022, extending and expanding the ECO4 scheme in Great Britain until March 2026.
Energy-saving materials VAT rate cut to 0% in Great Britain
VAT on energy-saving materials installed in residential buildings in Great Britain is now 0%, HM Revenue and Customs guidance states, with the relief running until 31 March 2027.
Ofgem CEO tells MPs October cap rise will exceed previous prediction
Ofgem's chief executive told MPs the October price cap will rise by more than the £800 previously predicted, as forecasters put winter bills near £3,300.
Citizens Advice publishes research on consumer impact of energy supplier failures
Citizens Advice research published on 10 July 2022 finds 28 energy supplier failures since August 2021 affected over 4 million customers and calls for reform of failure and Special Administration processes.
UK Energy Incubator Hub closes and its customers move to Octopus Energy
UK Energy Incubator Hub closed on 9 July 2022 and Ofgem appointed Octopus Energy to take on its customers under the Supplier of Last Resort process.
Cornwall Insight raises price cap forecast to average £3,304
Cornwall Insight raised its forecast for the October 2022 and January 2023 price caps to £3,245 and £3,634, an average of £3,304, as gas costs drive the increase.
WMCA launches two major retrofit schemes in the West Midlands
The West Midlands Combined Authority has launched two retrofit schemes, one covering 600 social homes and another opening in Elmdon and Foleshill, as a Birmingham couple report £1,000 annual fuel savings.
Nesta report warns of heat pump installer shortage
Nesta's report finds only 3,000 trained heat pump engineers in the UK against a need for at least 27,000 within six years, warning that installer shortages could hold back net zero targets.
Ofgem launches review of arrangements for recovering the costs of supplier failure
Ofgem has closed its review of how the costs of supplier failure are recovered, deciding to keep the existing methodology rather than move recovery onto unit rates.
UK renewables auction secures 11 GW at record low prices
The UK's seventh contracts for difference auction on 7 July 2022 secured 11 GW of renewable capacity at the lowest wind and solar prices recorded, according to the energy think tank Ember.
Warm Home Discount (England and Wales) Regulations 2022 come into force
The Warm Home Discount (England and Wales) Regulations 2022 were made on 6 July 2022 and came into force the following day, continuing the scheme in England and Wales until 31 March 2026.
Energy Bill [HL] 2022-23 introduced in the House of Lords
The Energy Bill was introduced in the House of Lords on 6 July 2022, with measures on heat networks, smart appliances, building energy performance and business energy audits.
Octopus Electric Vehicles launches bundled EV package with Ohme charger and Intelligent Octopus tariff
Octopus Electric Vehicles has launched a bundled package giving drivers a new car, an Ohme Home Pro charger, an EV energy tariff and 5000 miles of free charging.
ECIU analysis finds electric households saving £1,180 a year over fossil fuel households
Analysis by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit finds households with heat pumps and electric cars saved an average £1,180 a year by avoiding gas and petrol, with the gap set to widen.
NEA publishes report calling for a new social tariff in the energy market
National Energy Action has published a report arguing that the government must create a social tariff, a discounted energy deal for low income households, to cut bills during the cost of living crisis.