Autumn statement – taking action towards the energy crisis and meeting climate targets
£6 billion of new energy efficiency funding from 2025 has been unveiled in the Autumn statement. This marks a vital step forward in reducing energy demand in the long-term, and supports the drive towards delivering net zero by 2050.
We welcome the Government’s commitment to invest in energy efficiency as this provides a cheap, simple and effective remedy to the energy crisis. However, it is vital that this new initiative is not the latest in a long list of stop-start Government programmes, and that there is a commitment to long-term sustainable investment to upgrade the UK’s inefficient building stock.
There’s been a dramatic drop in the number of homes insulated over the past 10 years, and current figures are currently far too low. It’s important we get back to insulating in excess of half a million homes a year. The energy efficiency industry has a proven track record of delivering the improvements UK homes need, and has the capability to deliver again.
Increasing the energy efficiency of homes could save households across England and Wales more than £10 billion a year. That works out at nearly £400 per household. With the Government’s pledges to boost existing schemes, create a new ‘Energy Efficiency Taskforce’ and launch a public information campaign, this is a positive move for people all over the UK.
We are excited by the beginning of a “new national ambition” for energy efficiency, and we support the bold target of reducing overall UK energy consumption by 15%. This will not only save consumers money on bills and cut carbon emissions, it will also significantly limit inflation and boost energy security.
Although the new funding will not come into play immediately, this significant announcement will generate ‘buy-in’ across business, Governmental and domestic sectors, ensuring future programmes can be rolled out quickly. Our aim is to hit the ground running, and be ready to make a real difference to the lives of UK people straight away.
We look forward to engaging with all sectors to ensure these new initiatives are a success, and to playing our part in relieving the burden of excessive energy costs as well as reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
Click here to read the full response from the ADE on the Government’s Autumn statement
