Covid-style advice campaign urged to slash gas use

The government has been urged to launch a Covid-style campaign to cut household gas use by 20% in time for next winter.

As consumers gear up for Friday’s widely anticipated energy price cap increase announcement by Ofgem, social innovation charity Nesta has set out a series of steps to cut gas use by 10% over the next few months and one-fifth by next winter.

Ravi Gurumurthy, chief executive of Nesta and former director of strategy at the DECC (Department of Energy and Climate Change), said that while further government support is immediately required to reduce the impact of the rising bills, households should be advised on steps to cut their gas use.

He said: “In months, the government created the infrastructure to roll out vaccines nationwide. We need a similar national campaign to help every household cut their gas use by 20%. 

“Subsidies are vital but with a series of difficult winters ahead, hand to mouth policies are not enough.”

Gurumurthy said the one-fifth reduction in gas use could be achieved by changing flow temperature settings on boilers, installing smart thermostats, and insulation.

Turning down the flow temperature of boilers from 70C to 50C can reduce gas use by up to 8%, saving the typical household £130 per annum when October’s increased gas default tariff kicks in, Nesta has estimated.

Using smart thermostats like Nest can cut gas use by 4.5-5% and another 3% by turning off preheat settings on combination boilers.

Gurumurthy said Nest has created an online tool to help consumers reduce their gas use and bills.

However he said government should help more people by launching a national advice programme or recruiting energy advisers to go door to door.

Interest free loans should also be provided to encourage people to install smart thermostats, insulate their homes, and get other energy saving measures quickly.

And insulation and smart heating controls should be provided for free to low-income households, funded by a levy on bills once prices have eventually fallen, Nesta urged.

Gurumurthy said: “These low or no cost measures suggest it is possible to reduce gas use in homes by 10% over the next few months, and by 20% by next winter. Taking action now could prevent gas shortages, as well as saving people hundreds of pounds on their energy bills.”

The frictions inherent in balancing net zero, security of supply and affordability are at the core of the agenda for the Utility Week Forum, on 8-9 November in London. Find out more here.