Housing officials in Newcastle have been criticised after plans to build a new wood-burning biomass plant in the east of the city were announced. The proposal attracted public concern following a scandal involving biomass processing in the area between 1979 and 1999.

The Byker Wall biomass incinerator burned waste products for two decades before it was shut down. In 2000, Newcastle Council was prosecuted after tests revealed as much as 2,000 tonnes of harmful ash was released into the atmosphere.

The ash tested positive for significant quantities of dioxins that were known to cause cancer. Councillor Veronica Dunn has attempted to allay the public’s fears by insisting that the new biomass boiler would be entirely different from the old incinerator.

Councillor Dunn commented: “The Forestry Commission supports the use of biomass boilers.

“The ash is very high in potash content and is very much sought after by farmers and gardeners. I think there’s a history of concern in Byker regarding the similar plans for an incinerator. This is a different type of application completely”.

Director of St. Peter’s Marina, Brian Hunt, countered: “People just don’t want it [biomass]. I’ve been here for 20 years and I suffered from the incinerator when there were fumes all over this place”.

Mr Hunt added that biomass technology has been shown to produce ash residue, which is why people in Byker are so concerned about a new wood-burning plant.

Newcastle Council’s Chief Executive, Barry Rowland, insisted that the biomass plant is necessary to help tackle fuel poverty in the local community.

Biomass central heating provides housing firms with a relatively cheap and environmentally friendly way to generate energy. Although carbon emissions are produced by burning wood pellets and other biomass fuel sources, the technology is said to be carbon neutral because the amount released is equal to the amount of CO2 absorbed by the natural materials before they were converted into fuel.

In local communities, the energy generated by large biomass boilers is proving to be a cost-effective alternative to mains gas. Biomass plants can produce sufficient energy to provide heating and hot water to local homes. Whether ash residue is a cause for concern in Byker remains to be seen.

Energy firm E.ON has issued an apology after sending an incorrect bill to a customer. Although clerical errors of this kind are far from extraordinary, the size of the mistake managed to attract the attention of the national media; indeed, the customer had been asked to pay £77,815.85 for gas supplied to a property in Peterborough.

The bill was sent to Neil McGregor-Paterson, head of Realitas Community Arts Centre. The charity typically spends around £30 a month on gas central heating, so Mr McGregor-Paterson was understandably surprised to receive an estimated bill of just under £900.

The charity worker explained: “They said because our previous payments had been estimated, we owed £876.43. We simply couldn’t afford that, so we turned off the heating and everyone was sitting around in their coats”.

Mr McGregor-Paterson became hopeful when he noticed an error on the bill. Charges had been applied for gas used before the charitable organisation had moved in to the property. Calling E.ON to explain the mistake, Mr McGregor-Paterson expected a resolution to the problem when the energy firm promised to review the bill.

Mr McGregor-Paterson said: “They sent people to take two new readings and I also had to give them three of my own over the phone”.

E.ON duly amended the bill, but not in a way that might have been expected.

“When the revised bill for £77,815.85 arrived I almost fell off my chair. Luckily I have a strong heart”, Mr McGregor-Paterson added. “It’s about time the electricity suppliers made reading their bills easier and with all their resources, get their readings right”.

E.ON amended the bill for a second time, issuing an apology to Mr McGregor-Paterson alongside a demand for £27.21.

The charity worker commented: “That was more like it. I have since worked out that it would have taken the charity 2,859 months to whack up a bill as high as £78,000 based on our usual gas consumption”.

Mr McGregor-Paterson’s ordeal is hardly the first time energy firms have erred on pricing. All energy users in Britain are advised to check their meter readings on a regular basis. It is also sensible to inform suppliers of new readings whenever necessary. Smart meters can be used to check that bills tally precisely with electricity usage.

Promising to save households as much as £100 a year, energy suppliers in the UK will be required to inform customers of the most suitable tariffs for them under a new government proposal.

The initiative aims to make the cost of electricity and gas central heating more affordable for households struggling to cope with high energy prices. Millions of people in Britain are affected by fuel poverty, but even affluent homes are finding the cost of maintaining a warm, brightly lit home difficult to bear amid wider economic concerns.

According to plans made public last week, energy firms will provide more detailed information about tariffs for customers from April 2013. Suppliers would be required to tell their customers if they are on the most appropriate, affordable tariffs.

Explaining the new measures, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said: “We haven’t switched actually over the last year or two and I kind of think we’re probably very typical. You stick to a tariff, you think it’s all a bit complex, you get lots of stuff through the letterbox… all a bit confusing.

“You don’t really then make the effort or take the time to look at how you’re using your energy and what tariff would be best for you”.

Labour believes that the government is doing too little too late to turn around a situation that has been worsening for years. Shadow Energy Secretary Caroline Flint said: “Six months ago, at the energy summit, Labour called on the government to get tough with the energy giants, but all ministers could do was get the energy companies to write to their customers telling them to shop around.

“Our energy market needs a complete overhaul, but this government is only fiddling at the margins”.

Jim Footner, head of energy at Greenpeace, added that merely “tinkering around the fringes of the overly gas-dependent energy sector” is insufficient – the government has to do more to turn the tide on fuel poverty.

One measure that government officials are currently reviewing is the introduction of ‘quick read’ codes, which are printed on energy bills and resemble barcodes. The codes contain detailed information of the customer’s energy habits, enabling him to share information with other suppliers.

The ScottishPower Energy People Trust is celebrating reaching a major milestone, having donated in excess of £10 million to organisations working at grass roots levels to tackle fuel poverty. 

The Trust, which was established back in 2005, aims to provide funding for not-for-profit organisations set up to help vulnerable families who fall into the category of fuel poor.

More than 200 community based projects have benefited from total funding worth £10,691,776, aiding 1.6 million people. To qualify for support through the project, families either live in poor housing, are on low incomes or have health issues.

Ann Loughrey, the Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at ScottishPower and The ScottishPower Energy People Trust Company Secretary, said they were “delighted” to have reached such a milestone and that the Trust is dedicated towards addressing and tackling fuel poverty issues.

“It’s a very stressful time for families, the elderly or any household, when they are spending more than 10% of their income on their fuel bills and we are endeavouring to reduce that stress for them by working with local organisations which can help them tackle their specific issues,” she added.

Funded by ScottishPower as well as through voluntary donations from various independent supporters, funding decisions are the responsibility of an impartial experienced Board of Trustees. The Trust provides funding directly to not-for-profit organisations who support families and individuals who are classed as fuel poor.

More often than not energy firms are slammed for not doing enough to help energy customers suffering from fuel poverty. But The ScottishPower Energy People Trust is doing its bit to help society’s most vulnerable people, such as young families, the disabled and the elderly, who – because they need to keep their homes warm – usually suffer the most when it comes to high heating bills.

For more information or to apply for a grant call 0141 568 3492 or visit The ScottishPower Energy People Trust website.

When it comes to unpleasant mail dropping through our letter boxes, gas and electricity bills must surely top the list of the most hated. And to rub salt into our wounds, it turns out that one in every four energy bills are actually incorrect. 

Nasty surprises are part and parcel of household energy bills. And the news that so many of them are wrong will only compound the negativity surrounding gas and electricity providers, who already suffer from tarnished reputations in an industry much hated for its escalating greed.

If you haven’t had a shock upon opening your gas and electricity bills then you’re likely to be in the minority. Most of us will, at some point, have had to endure the nasty surprise after being presented with a bill that seems to have one too many digits.

Research from popular comparison website uSwitch.com has revealed that more than one in three households have in fact unexpectedly been in debt to their energy supplier, owing money due to a discrepancy between an estimated bill, where the meter hasn’t been read, and a real bill. In these situations, on average households have owed just over £150.

In most instances, whether the mistake turns out to favour the energy provider or the consumer, it can be a hassle to put mistakes right. Given the fact that there are in access of 120 different energy tariffs available, most people – around two in three customers in fact – simply cannot be bothered to change their tariffs. Even though it could help them to save money, it seems the hassle factor prevents most from making the switch.

And that’s a shame, because the savings are there to be had. For example, according to Moneysupermarket.com the cheapest online tariff would see an average household pay £1,027 a year (with First Utility) compared to the most expensive standard tariff currently on the market which costs £1,349 (with Scottish Power).

uSwitch.com director Ann Robinson said that because customers were having to pay hundreds – and in some cases even thousands of pounds annually – accurate billing was a right not a privilege.

“Billing blunders can cause consumers to end up out of pocket, as well as wasting time and effort trying to get the issue resolved,” she said, adding: “The energy industry is worst for inaccuracy, ahead of banks, council departments, credit card companies and other utility companies – only the Inland Revenue trumps it for getting bills wrong.”

Aside from making sure your bills are accurately and regularly read, as opposed to estimated billing, there are a variety of ways in which you can cut down on your household energy costs. It’s worth considering implementing a few energy saving tips, which could include:

• Fitting draught proofing, cavity wall insulation or loft insulation

• Installing a new energy efficient boiler

• Turn down your central heating thermostat by 1°

• Don’t leave electrical appliances on standby

Baxi UK has welcomed a government decision to extend the Renewable Heat Premium Payment (RHPP), which was announced shortly before the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) said that it would delay the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) until summer 2013.

One of Britain’s largest suppliers of energy efficient central heating boiler systems and controls, Baxi UK believes that extending the RHPP will go some way towards filling the chasm left by the deferment of the RHI. The second phase of the RHPP came into effect a week last Monday, adding more than £10 million to provide households with money off renewable, energy efficient technologies such as solar PV, biomass boilers and ground source heat pumps.

Discussing the extension of the RHPP, Simon Osborne of Baxi UK said: “RHPP has always been seen as a precursor to domestic RHI, so as the government pushes back the latter, we are glad that a new RHPP will bridge the gap”.

Mr Osborne added: “Ideally, both schemes need to work together in order to encourage individual installers, as well as homeowners, to start thinking about renewables. RHPP will definitely support early adopters, but might have a limited scope if accompanying tariff payments are not announced soon.

“If installers are going to invest in training on renewables, then they need to know what the potential market is going to be – and this will be determined, to a large extent, by domestic RHI”.

In total, the second phase of the RHPP will be worth £25 million. Providing private homeowners and social landlords with an incentive to improve the energy efficiency of homes throughout the UK, the RHPP has been widely lauded since its introduction in August 2011.

Announcing the second phase, Climate Change Minister Greg Barker said: “We’re increasing the budget from £15 million to £25 million, for the first time we’re including community schemes and there’ll be more social housing schemes that can benefit. Those people who are reliant on expensive oil or electric heating should consider applying to the Premium Payment scheme to cut their fuel bills in the long-term”.

Baxi UK’s Simon Osborne concluded that the RHPP was a “massive opportunity to impact fuel switching and alleviate fuel poverty”.

EBTech Solutions Limited is celebrating this week after a large-scale installation of straw-fired biomass boilers was approved under the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI).

The RHI is a government scheme designed to “revolutionise the way heat is generated and used in buildings and homes”. EBTech Solutions announced on Wednesday the biomass boilers would be installed at Glen Avon Growers in Cottingham.

Matthew Blood, director of the firm, claimed the project is the first of its kind in the UK to feature horticultural heating under the RHI. Mr Blood commented: “The Cottingham project has gone quite well. There have been a few challenges, such as having to build the boiler within the building.

“We are pleased to be leading the way in biomass heating, not only in Yorkshire with the Glen Avon project but with a diverse number of projects throughout the country”.

Highlighting the recent success of EBTech Solutions, which was incorporated four years ago, Mr Blood said: “We have done ten installations all over the country since 2008. This year we potentially have a further ten jobs. It is looking like a bright year for the company and we are continuing to double turnover year on year”.

The concept of horticultural heating is one many people in the UK might find difficult to understand, but is essentially about utilising various materials and substances for use as fuel, usually in central heating systems.

EBTech Solutions’ project uses the abundance of waste straw in Yorkshire to fuel specially designed biomass boilers, which are said to be environmentally neutral because their carbon footprint is more or less equal to the amount of carbon dioxide that would be naturally released into the atmosphere when the material – in this case straw – breaks down.

Domestic biomass boilers can use straw, but traditional systems are fired by wood pellets and logs. Large-scale heating systems can burn other sources of fuel, including wheat, oat husks and olive kernels.

Explaining why straw-fired boilers were chosen for the Glen Avon Growers project, David Schellingerhout said: “East Yorkshire is surrounded by straw, so this option seemed the logical choice. It will bring stability to our energy price. It is also great to think we are not using the world’s commodities, we are using something that is renewable”.

The winner of Boiler Guide’s prize draw has been announced, according to the latest Boiler Guide press release. 

When Derek Mault turned to Boiler Guide for quotes to fit a new central heating boiler, not only did he get the job done to his satisfaction, but in doing so has just become the lucky recipient of a £100 Amazon gift certificate.

Back in October 2011, Mr Mault contacted Boiler Guide for quotes to fit and install a new boiler. Once the work was undertaken, he was given the opportunity to leave feedback for the company he had selected to install the boiler. In doing so, Mr Mault’s name was entered into Boiler Guide’s prize draw, which sees one lucky customer win an Amazon gift certificate. The competition takes place every six months.

The feedback customers provide is pivotal to the Boiler Guide service, as David Holmes, founder of Boiler Guide explains: “Here at Boiler Guide we pride ourselves on being able to put customers in touch with recommended boiler installers. Thanks to our feedback system, we are able to maintain the highest standards when it comes to customer satisfaction.

“The Boiler Guide prize draw is our way of saying thank you to our customers for sharing their experiences of boiler installations and the companies who carry out the work. I would like to thank Mr Mault for using our services, and offer my congratulations on being selected as our latest prize winner.”

As the UK’s leading online resource of boiler and central heating installers, Boiler Guide is the smarter way to find trustworthy installers. Homeowners can turn to Boiler Guide when they are looking for free quotes to install a brand new energy efficient boiler. The benefits of using Boiler Guide to source boiler quotes include:

• We can source up to three quotes for you for free.

• Boiler Guide only uses Gas Safe Registered installers and heating engineers.

• Our transparent feedback system enables customers to rate and review the work they have carried out.

Commenting on the service he received, Mr Mault said: “I found the company (Multi-Heat) very professional in their knowledge of central heating which gave me confidence in their ability to do a professional and thorough job. I can honestly say I was not disappointed and felt fully satisfied. I would not hesitate to recommend this company to anyone wishing to have a new heating system installed.”

If you would like Boiler Guide to source up to three quotes on your behalf, request a free quote today. You never know; six months from now we could be announcing you as the latest winner of our prize draw!*

*Only customers who go on to instruct the services of a Boiler Guide heating engineer and leave feedback will be entered into the prize draw.

Following news that fuel poverty could be claiming around 7,800 lives in Britain each winter, the big six energy firms have reported substantial pre-tax profits.

Analysis carried out by Consumer Focus has shown that Centrica, the parent company of British Gas, made £2.1 billion last year. French-owned EDF, meanwhile, accrued £1.7 billion from its activities in the UK. Scottish Power reported an even £1 billion, while npower made £526 million.

Director of Policy and External Affairs at Consumer Focus, Adam Scorer, said: “These results show the energy industry is virtually recession-proof. Consumers will be baffled about how such healthy profits are being made despite a big dip in energy use over the mild winter”.

Consumers perhaps ought not to be baffled. Although the relatively mild winter did allow many households to turn down their thermostats for a time, the cost of electricity and gas central heating was increased by each of the big six suppliers before the arrival of the colder weather. Only after temperatures rose did energy firms promise to pass on a proportion of the savings made by cheaper wholesale fuel prices, which had fallen at various points last year.

The problem of fuel poverty makes the position of energy firms, which as private companies are duty-bound to generate substantial profits, seem all the more pernicious. According to the University of Ulster’s Professor Christine Liddell, a little under 8,000 people in the UK die as a result of fuel poverty every year – far more than the 2,700 cited by Professor John Hills in a government -commissioned report last year. The problem might even be much worse than Professor Liddell fears, as the Office for National Statistics recorded 25,700 excess winter deaths in England and Wales alone in 2010.

Speaking last month, director of Transform UK, Ed Matthew, said: “These figures are horrifying. You can’t call yourself a developed country and allow this many people to die from living in cold homes”.

As the big six energy firms continue to generate substantial profits from customers who cannot all afford to keep their homes warm in winter, questions will continue to be asked about whether privatised energy is a suitable fit for the British people.

One of the leading energy providers in Britain is launching a new care product for domestic central heating systems.

Npower is hoping its new policy will attract more customers at a time when many households are feeling the pinch of the struggling economy. The care product provides comprehensive gas boiler cover in addition to full support for controls and radiators. The policy also features inclusive parts and labour, an annual boiler service and 24/7 telephone support. Npower will even replace boilers aged under seven years that are beyond economic repair.

What makes the package special is that it is priced at just £15 per month, making it one of the more competitive products available. It will also be available to any new boiler care customer, so there is no need to switch energy suppliers.

Announcing the new product, Npower’s Emily Stagg said: “Research shows that 51 per cent of homeowners would feel annoyed at the expense of a boiler breakdown, so investing in boiler care can offer worthwhile peace of mind should anything go wrong”.

Ms Stagg added: “At Npower, we’re always looking to improve our customer offering and this competitive product offers good value for homeowners looking to protect their boiler and central heating all year round.

“As part of the service, we’re able to offer a comprehensive 30-point boiler service and safety check with one of our Gas Safe registered engineers, which means we will ensure [that] your system is working properly and then be there for you all year round”.

Protecting central heating systems throughout the year is sensible because boilers, controls and radiators do not only suffer problems during the winter. Ensuring that a boiler is checked before the cold months set in can save a household considerable time and money.

The main benefits of central heating care products are cost and convenience. A broken down boiler can cost hundreds of pounds to repair or replace, while few people would want to go too long without heating in winter. Boiler insurance and central heating care policies provide peace of mind for homeowners, many of whom seek to make additional savings on energy by installing loft and cavity wall insulation.