5 live Energy Day 5th September

On Thursday 5th September we’ll find out, as we fill the public piazza at BBC North with solar panels, wind turbines, processed chip fat for biofuel and enough exercise bikes to keep Richard Bacon’s show on-air by pedal-power…if our guests and listeners can cycle fast enough!

It all starts at 7am when we switch on a specially constructed mini-grid. For the next 12 hours a temporary outside studio in the piazza will be powered only by renewable energy.

BBC 5 live Energy Day

Save money and make your home more energy efficient. See what you can claim

The tool works via a questionnaire, which asks you basic questions about your financial situation and your home to fit you in to one of three categories - low income, living in a hard-to-treat home or potential Green Deal customer.

British Gas ECO tool

Energy Company Obligations

The ECO is split into three different schemes which are all funded by money from the 'big six' energy providers.

The Affordable Warmth Obligation funds improvements such as boiler replacement and repair, and insulation for those that qualify through means testing.

The Carbon Saving Obligation helps fund insulation on internal, external and hard-to-treat cavity walls where the costs would be cripplingly expensive.

Under the ECO there is also a Carbon Saving Communities Obligation, which aims to provide 100 per cent funding for insulation for the bottom 15 per cent most deprived and rural areas in the UK.

30 SECOND GUIDE: ECO

Ah, the green agenda.

Quite. ECO in this case stands for the Energy Company Obligation, a flagship government policy introduced in January to make big power firms help householders boost the energy efficiency of their homes.

How does it work?

In theory it cuts carbon emissions and supports people living in fuel poverty by funding energy efficiency improvements worth around £1.3bn every year.

Such as?

Insulation of houses and flats, affordable heating and solid wall or hard-to-treat cavity wall insulation are all included.

What’s the downside? As they are obliged to subsidise households the big energy firms complain it costs too much and is less effective than hoped.

Any examples?

Sam Laidlaw, boss of British Gas owner Centrica, yesterday added to RWE npower’s criticisms. He called for a sit-down with the Government to see if this is the most cost-effective way of reducing carbon emissions. Centrica reckons £1 in every £4 spent on heating bills is wasted due to poor insulation.

So bills could come down

Don’t hold your breath. Where energy is concerned, consumers are usually hardest hit. The ‘Big Six’ providers’ profits keep rising while average dual fuel bills are now more than £1,400 a year.


full article

Energy Company Obligation

The ECO (Energy Company Obligation)

The ECO for the big six energy suppliers is also being launched in early 2013. It is in three parts:

Affordable Warmth Obligation

To provide heating and insulation improvements for low-income and vulnerable households (but social housing tenants are not eligible for affordable warmth).

There are complex eligibility criteria for this means-tested scheme. Call the Energy Saving Advice Service on 0300 123 1234 to check whether you might be eligible, and to apply if you are.

Carbon Saving Obligation

To provide funding to insulate solid-walled properties (internal and external wall insulation) and those with ‘hard-to-treat’ cavity walls.

This is not means-tested but can be used in conjunction with the Green Deal. The aim is to provide enough support to make these relatively expensive measures cost-effective.

Carbon Saving Communities Obligation

To provide insulation measures to people living in the bottom 15% of the UK's most deprived areas. It is expected that this element of ECO will particularly benefit the social housing sector.

Through ECO, the government aims to help 230,000 low-income households or those in low-income areas. Of the expected investment by suppliers of £1.3bn per year, there will be a 75:25 split between the carbon and affordable warmth obligations.