Going back to basics by heating your home or business with wood could be cheaper than using fossil fuels.
Improvements in the efficiency of wood-burning technology means that biomass units are now a viable alternative to using gas and oil.
Forestry Commission Scotland has recently appointed biomass development officers throughout the country to encourage individuals and businesses to take advantage of the improvements.
Ian Cowe, who is responsible for providing support to people in the north-east, said: “The UK is playing catch-up with mainland Europe, where high-efficiency wood-fuelled boilers meet a large proportion of the domestic and commercial heating demand and biomass energy presents a range of fantastic opportunities.”
“With the increases in oil and gas prices, biomass is now competitive with most other forms of domestic heating.
By Leanna MacLarty
full article
Friday, 18 July 2008
Gas bills 'to top £1,000 a year'
Energy bills could rise by more than 60% within the next few years, a report for the UK's biggest domestic energy supplier Centrica has said.
It said annual average gas bills could rise from £600 to more than £1,000 early in the next decade.
Continuing high oil prices could lead to rises in the cost of both gas and electricity, it added.
Centrica managing director Jake Ulrich warned that gas prices were likely to continue rising "for some time".
"I think it is going to hit people hard," he said.
"I do think we will see people change their behaviour, I think people will use less energy and I hate to go back to the Jimmy Carter days in the US but maybe it's two jumpers instead of one.
"I think people will change the temperature they keep the house, they'll be more cognisant of energy waste, they'll buy better appliances."
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It said annual average gas bills could rise from £600 to more than £1,000 early in the next decade.
Continuing high oil prices could lead to rises in the cost of both gas and electricity, it added.
Centrica managing director Jake Ulrich warned that gas prices were likely to continue rising "for some time".
"I think it is going to hit people hard," he said.
"I do think we will see people change their behaviour, I think people will use less energy and I hate to go back to the Jimmy Carter days in the US but maybe it's two jumpers instead of one.
"I think people will change the temperature they keep the house, they'll be more cognisant of energy waste, they'll buy better appliances."
full article
Thursday, 17 July 2008
The Landlord’s Energy Saving Allowance scheme (LESA)
The LESA is a tax allowance that lets landlords claim up to £1,500 on their tax return against the cost of buying and installing energy saving items, such as cavity insulatio
The Landlord’s Energy Saving Allowance scheme (LESA) allows landlords to claim the cost of buying and installing the following items:
• draught proofing
• loft insulation
• floor insulation
• cavity wall insulation
• solid wall insulation
• insulation for hot water systems
It’s simple to do. When filling in the Land and Property supplementary pages of your tax return, you should include the costs of these items in box 5.36C. Guidance on LESA can be found in the supplementary notes for the Land and Property pages of your main self-assessment return. Visit www.hmrc.gov.uk/worksheets/sa105notes.pdf for further details.
If you haven’t done the work yet, you will need to do so by the end of March 2008 in order to claim LESA next time round.
“Insulating your property can increase its long-term value, make it more attractive to potential tenants and put your property on a good footing for the launch of Energy Performance Certificates later this year. Not only will it reduce tenant’s energy bills, it can also help alleviate damp conditions making your property a healthier and warmer place for your tenants to live in. It can also reduce unnecessary maintenance costs associated with damp and condensation.” Said Mark Brown, Director of the Energy Efficiency Partnership for Homes.
For more information and free, impartial advice on energy efficiency improvements call 0800 512 012 or visit http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/
full article
The Landlord’s Energy Saving Allowance scheme (LESA) allows landlords to claim the cost of buying and installing the following items:
• draught proofing
• loft insulation
• floor insulation
• cavity wall insulation
• solid wall insulation
• insulation for hot water systems
It’s simple to do. When filling in the Land and Property supplementary pages of your tax return, you should include the costs of these items in box 5.36C. Guidance on LESA can be found in the supplementary notes for the Land and Property pages of your main self-assessment return. Visit www.hmrc.gov.uk/worksheets/sa105notes.pdf for further details.
If you haven’t done the work yet, you will need to do so by the end of March 2008 in order to claim LESA next time round.
“Insulating your property can increase its long-term value, make it more attractive to potential tenants and put your property on a good footing for the launch of Energy Performance Certificates later this year. Not only will it reduce tenant’s energy bills, it can also help alleviate damp conditions making your property a healthier and warmer place for your tenants to live in. It can also reduce unnecessary maintenance costs associated with damp and condensation.” Said Mark Brown, Director of the Energy Efficiency Partnership for Homes.
For more information and free, impartial advice on energy efficiency improvements call 0800 512 012 or visit http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/
full article
Green shift in the balance of power
Already popular in Canada and many northern European countries, renewable energy systems such as solar panels and ground source heat pumps (GSHP) have found their way into nearly 3000 Scottish homes - and they look set to take off in an even bigger way, as the Scottish Government presses ahead with a grant scheme to help roll the technology out across the country.
Steve Macken, a 43-year-old father of two, was amazed to discover that by employing GSHP technology in his home he was able to reduce his annual power bill by around £1700 - despite having moved to a larger property.
Until last year, Mr Macken and his family lived in a Victorian villa near Loch Lomond, and spent around £2000 a year on heat and energy. Now, after relocating to a restored farmhouse nearby, the family pays just £300 annually.
The cost of installing their system wasn't cheap - around £11,000, two or three times the cost a standard oil boiler would have been with Mr Macken's home off the gas mains grid. But 30% of that total was covered by a grant from the Scottish Community and Householder Renewable Initiative (SCHRI), a Scottish Government-funded body.
The GSHP system provides the Mackens with all of their heating requirements, powering a boiler using energy harnessed from the ground by a network of underground coils, and the happy homeowners so far have no problems to report.
By Chris Watt
full article
Steve Macken, a 43-year-old father of two, was amazed to discover that by employing GSHP technology in his home he was able to reduce his annual power bill by around £1700 - despite having moved to a larger property.
Until last year, Mr Macken and his family lived in a Victorian villa near Loch Lomond, and spent around £2000 a year on heat and energy. Now, after relocating to a restored farmhouse nearby, the family pays just £300 annually.
The cost of installing their system wasn't cheap - around £11,000, two or three times the cost a standard oil boiler would have been with Mr Macken's home off the gas mains grid. But 30% of that total was covered by a grant from the Scottish Community and Householder Renewable Initiative (SCHRI), a Scottish Government-funded body.
The GSHP system provides the Mackens with all of their heating requirements, powering a boiler using energy harnessed from the ground by a network of underground coils, and the happy homeowners so far have no problems to report.
By Chris Watt
full article
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