Stay Informed With HeatingSave | Page 15

As experts doubt that pledges made at a United Nations summit in Copenhagen in December will actually deliver, it is no wonder people are concerned about the rise in greenhouse gases. On a domestic level, using new technology like a HeatingSave energy management system can cut down on central heating’s contribution to harmful emissions whilst saving money at the same time.

A total of £2 billion a year could be saved by UK households if they make an effort to becoming energy efficient, the Energy Saving Trust has claimed. “Investing in energy efficient technologies like loft or cavity wall insulation is an invaluable way to ensure that we can add value to our home, keep bills down and unlike decor will never go out of fashion,” said Philip Sellwood, chief executive of the Energy Saving Trust (EST).

Utilities firm Npower has admitted it had not communicated well the changes it made to charges, and now 1.8m people are to receive an average refund of £35 in one of the biggest pay-outs of its kind. Npower says it will write to all those affected over the next two months, even if they are no longer customers.

British Gas has announced a 7% rise in gas and electricity bills this winter, the increase coming into effect on December 10. The company said this was the result of rising wholesale prices. The energy giant said prices for those on a typical dual-fuel deal would go up by £1.50 a week, but its 300,000 most vulnerable customers would initially not be charged more. The rise affects eight million customers, and British Gas is the second major UK energy supplier to hike prices for winter.

The volcanic ash cloud from Iceland has led to the grounding of 63,000 European flights over the past four days. The eruptions from Eyjafjallajokull has saved 1.3 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, more than the annual emissions of many developing countries.

There is never a better time to be conscious about energy efficiency now that oil prices are returning to record levels after a temporary blip during the past week. So here are a few energy-saving tips that consumers cannot ignore, oil and other fuel bills are at unprecedented highs. Making your oil-fired boiler more efficient through better controls is a starting point.

A committee of MPs has just warned that the government is on course to fail to meet its own targets on reducing fuel poverty. The official definition of fuel poverty is “spending more than 10 per cent of household income on energy bills”. As the period between last December and March brought the coldest winter for a generation and fuel bills continue to rise, the committee’s findings do not really come as a surprise.

A new government report says more than one in 10 new homes in Britain do not meet legal requirements for energy efficiency, so it’s no wonder tens of thousands of householders have higher energy bills. Record fuel prices are only adding to this tale of financial woe. The government has identified improving households” energy efficiency as the best way to reduce carbon emissions at the same time as keeping a lid on rising utility bills.

An academic said a worldwide deal on climate change will be several years away. Since last December 130 countries have associated with the Copenhagen accord and over 80 have put in their emissions reductions commitments.

The Scottish government is using cutting-edge technology which will enable housing providers to pinpoint precisely where heat is being lost. Clyde Valley Housing Association is one of four Scottish associations taking part in the scheme which could be introduced countywide if successful. During the 15-month process, thermal imaging will be carried out by IRT Surveys of Dundee.

Voters are interested in how each party”s policies could affect the money in their pockets. Plenty has been pledged in the parties’ manifestos on pensions, property and children before the general election day on Thursday, May 6. Apart from a brief mention of winter fuel, little attention seems to have been paid to reducing fuel prices. HeatingSave tops the polls with a quick and money-saving solution.

Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) have been angered by the news that the Boiler Scrappage Scheme brought forward by the Scottish National Party (SNP) Government has run dry two days after its launch.