This week the new Energy and Climate Change Secretary, Chris Huhne, has announced a £90 billion energy efficiency programme that is at the centre of the Coalition Government’s agenda. The plans also state that the new funding will also create thousands of jobs as 14 million houses will be totally overhauled and retrofitted to massively cut energy demand, energy bills and reduce CO2 emissions.

This new legislation will enable retrofitting of homes on a massive scale and will even give energy companies, local authorities and even high street stores the opportunity to spend up to £6,500 on insulating some of the UK’s most energy inefficient homes. The money will then be paid back by households as savings are made without anything having to be paid back directly.

The secretary told the Economist UK Energy Summit that this new push to make Britain’s homes will help drive country’s economic recovery. He stated:

"The market is big. There are up to 14m homes in the UK which could benefit. We are working on the package for each home, which could unlock tens of billions of spending over many years.

"Energy saving is the cheapest way of closing the gap between demand and supply, yet it is the Cinderella of the energy ball. At the moment, we may as well be burning £50 notes outside our front doors. We use more energy per home than does Sweden. And the waste from this sector cannot be ignored, because households account for a quarter of all carbon emissions."

The Government also home to extend the scheme to small businesses at a later date and the bill was the main bill at the first session of the new parliament. The new “Green Deal” is yet another boost for homeowners and tenants as well as the double glazing industry and other green home improvement industries.

Author:  Thomas Davies

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