British public eager for Green Deal replacement

Up to 84 per cent of the British public would like to see subsidies given to programmes that reduce energy waste, according to a new poll by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU).

The ComRes poll of more than 2,000 British adults found that 79 per cent currently support subsidies insulating homes and 77 per cent support subsidies for measures that cut energy waste in power transmission. Combined, subsidy support for these policies reached 84 per cent.

The UK does not currently have a major insulation programme, after the Conservative government controversially scrapped the Green Deal back in July, with plans to deliver a replacement scheme after the end of its spending review this month.

Owing to the age of many UK properties – nearly 60 per cent are more than 50 years old and 80 per cent of these will still be standing by 2050 – Britain’s household energy efficiency is among the worst anywhere in Europe. The number of households in fuel poverty is forecast to increase to 2.33 million.

On the grid scale, a recent report from Greenpeace and the Association of Decentralised Energy (ADE) found that the UK loses 54 per cent of its electric energy – worth £9.5 billion and enough to cover half of every household’s annual electricity bill – before it even reaches end users.

The 54 per cent figure – caused by an inefficient energy system – is one of the worst in Europe and equates to the annual carbon emissions of every car in the UK. The findings highlight the case for the government to develop a new strategy on energy efficiency, according to ECIU director Richard Black.

“Cutting waste is the cheapest and easiest way to reduce energy bills and carbon emissions, and this survey suggests it’s also the most popular,” he said. “With insulation rates falling to their lowest level since 2013 there’s a clear rationale for ministers re-invigorating policies that cut energy waste, and one obvious approach would be to make energy efficiency a national infrastructure priority.”

A report released yesterday by the New Climate Economy think-tank found that raising and normalising energy efficiency standards across the G20 group of rich countries could deliver 40 per cent of the emissions cuts needed to limit global warming to two degrees.

Today’s ECIU figures also reiterate the UK public’s support for renewable subsidies over fossil fuels and nuclear. 

Up to 75 per cent of respondents back payments for renewables, with minimal support for coal (23 per cent), gas (31 per cent) or nuclear power (33 per cent).

The UK government recently closed a consultation on reducing the Feed-in Tariff subsidy by up to 84 per cent, and completed a deal to subsidise the Hinkley Point nuclear power station with a strike price of £92.5/MWh.

This story originally appeared on edie.net