The Guardian (20/10/2013) has reported on the success of the ECO scheme that is responsible for most British home energy-saving measures. The PM is urged not to axe this scheme in favour for the green deal.
Recent statistics show an overwhelming 98 per cent of energy-saving measures such as home insulation installed since January 2013 has been via the energy companies obligations (ECO) scheme.
David Cameron has threatened the ECO scheme in favour of the green deal which has completed retrofits of just 219 households. A far cry from the original target of 14m UK homes by 2020. Assessment fees, high interest rates, annual fees and disconnections to services for failure to repay have led to a poor uptake of the green deal loans.
It's clear that Britain's homeowners are placing a priority on making their homes more energy efficient through measures such as home insulation.
The furious debate over rising energy costs has led the prime minister to review all the levies on bills, including schemes such as ECO. Some energy companies have lobbied the PM to cut the scheme as they are lagging far behind in delivering their ECO obligations. Such a move could be "unforgivable" said the government's own fuel property adviser and warned that 30,000 jobs would be at risk if ECO was scrapped.
273,000 homes have benefited from mostly loft and cavity wall insulation and boiler replacements since the start of both schemes in January 2013.
Labour's shadow minister for energy and climate change, Jonathan Reynolds, has stated that Labour is committed to replacing the green deal if elected in 2015 as it clearly is not working. Only .07 per cent of the total green deals have been completed.
The CEO of the National Insulation Association, Neil Marshall stated that it is vital to retain ECO as it is the only government policy specifically designed to improve the energy efficiency of housing stock and thereby reducing energy bills. Other benefits include improved health, security of energy supply, job creation and tackling climate change.
