Scotland’s latest boiler scrappage scheme is open to applications from owners and occupiers. Following an investment of £1 million by the Scottish Government, the Energy Saving Boiler Scrappage Scheme will provide eligible applicants with £400 towards the cost of replacing inefficient boilers with those that comply with the Energy Saving Trust Recommended (ESTR) standard.

As an extension to the previous scrappage scheme launched in May last year, the Scottish government’s most recent initiative to help improve energy efficiency in homes across Scotland is likely to prove every bit as successful as the last. According to official estimates, some 250,000 properties in Scotland comprise gas central heating boilers with an efficiency rating of less than 70 per cent – the least efficient standard on the scale. Whilst helping to improve the energy efficiency of up to 2,500 homes, Scotland’s latest boiler scrappage scheme should help to lower energy bills.

Robert Burgon, the director of the Scottish and Northern Ireland Plumbing Employers Federation, commented: “The Scottish Government’s decision to extend the boiler scrappage scheme will be a great opportunity for households to upgrade their inefficient heating systems which will be costing them many hundreds of pounds each year in wasted fuel costs.”

Mr Burgon added: “The recent poor weather has highlighted the importance properly maintained central heating plays in our lives and installing a new system will not only help the environment it will also help save money on heating bills. Like many other industries the plumbing and heating sector has been badly hit by the recession and the scheme will prove a boost to many SNIPEF member businesses.”

Meanwhile, the Scottish government is making £1 million of funding available to social landlords in the country. The money is intended to help pay for important energy efficiency upgrades, including loft and cavity wall insulation, draught proofing and pipe lagging.

Alex Neil, the Housing and Communities Minister, explained: “This funding will help households in the private and social sectors to save energy, cut their fuel bills and importantly keep warm, even in the coldest weather. We know household budgets are under pressure so the more we can do to put money back into people’s pockets, the better.”

People in Scotland will once again be able to take up the offer of cash funding to help replace old boilers thanks to the re-launching of the Scottish Boiler Scrappage Scheme.

The Scottish Boiler Scrappage Scheme will once again be open for applications at 12.30pm on Tuesday February 1, 2011. The incentive aims to address the needs of some of the 250,000 homes in Scotland that are estimated to have boilers of the least efficient type.

By replacing boilers of low efficiency (70 per cent or under) the Scottish government is working to reduce the country’s CO₂ emissions.

Funding of £1million will be put towards the scrappage scheme, which is available to home owners/occupiers in Scotland. The money will be used to meet the cost of replacing inefficient boilers with new more efficient alternatives. A sum of £400 will be offered towards the cost of an upgrade.

Having your boiler upgraded will not only result in lower central heating costs but also reduced CO₂ emissions.

To be eligible for the scheme, you must:

• Obtain a quote for your boiler replacement.
• Apply for a voucher online or by telephone on 0800 512 012 from 12.30pm on February 1, 2011.
• Arrange the installation of your new boiler by March 25, 2011.
• Pay for the boiler and installation work up-front.
• Claim back the £400 by sending the completed voucher and invoice back to the Energy Saving Trust by March 25, 2011.

A London shopping centre has officially begun use of the largest geothermal heat pump in Europe.

The system, a renewable heat source, was unveiled by Greg Barker, the Minister for Climate Change, at the One New Change shopping centre.

Sustainability has been integral to the design of this centre, which has reduced its carbon footprint by at least 10 per cent through the use of renewable sources on site. This equates to a saving of around 900 tonnes of C02 emissions annually.

The development has maximised its energy efficiency through the use of large-scale geothermal heating technology, which means the One New Change can be heated and cooled with ease.

The heat pump was installed by Land Securities and is now the largest commercial application of its kind in Europe. The impressive feat was achieved by drilling to a depth of 150 metres and installing pipework which spans 60km in length. That’s long enough to wrap around the London Eye 140 times!

According to the owner of the shopping centre the system will save around £300,000 on heating bills each year.

One New Change has received an ‘excellent’ sustainability rating under the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method and hopes to inspire other commercial builds to follow in its footsteps.

Climate Change Minister Greg Barker said: “One New Change has set its sights on being the most innovative shopping destination in the city, so it’s no surprise it has installed the latest state-of-the-art energy efficient heating system. This is British innovation at its best, using the earth’s natural resources to solve our energy needs. Extracting warmth from the ground underneath London will help save on the building’s central heating bills and will cut carbon.”

Land Securities’ chief executive Francis Salway added: “We are proud to be pioneering this highly advanced renewable energy system at One New Change. The shopping and leisure destination is transforming the city of London and now with this technology we hope to transform the way the industry designs and builds properties.

“The renewable energy system will deliver carbon reductions, cost savings and a comfortable work environment, making it a truly sustainable building of the future.”

Experts from Honeywell will be attending this year’s Ecobuild exhibition to explain why heating controls make good savings.

Honeywell, the UK’s leading suppliers of domestic heating and combustion controls, will be present at Ecobuild 2011 to talk about the advantages of heating controls.

With heating and hot water accounting for 84 per cent of the nation’s domestic energy, Honeywell is looking to inform as many people as possible about the advantages of installing a new energy efficient thermostat and timer. Honeywell says the installation of such devices is both easy and a great way to save energy and cut fuel bills.

The devices allow you to control when, where and what temperature you can heat your property to. For example by turning down your room thermostat by one degree you can save 10 per cent on central heating bills every year.

Representatives from Honeywell will sharing energy saving advice such as this and giving demonstrations of their range of energy saving thermostats and timers at Ecobuild from March 1-3.

Ecobuild is the world’s biggest event for sustainable design, construction and the built environment and will be held at ExCeL London.

Npower’s new Warm Home Grant could see some customers receiving £350 towards the cost of replacing old boilers.

The announcement will be welcoming news to many in light of the Government’s decision to put Warm Front funding on hold until April 2011.

As a leading energy supplier in the UK, npower is offering eligible customers a £350 grant to go towards the cost of replacing old boilers. Warm Home Grants will be available for residents aged 60 or over, who own or privately rent their home. The grant can be used against the installation of a new A-rated energy efficient boiler.

The grant, which will be available until the end of March, is the first of its kind to be offered by an energy supplier.

Joan Coe, marketing manager for npower hometeam commented: “The Government’s Warm Front scheme plays a vital role in making homes warmer, healthier and more energy efficient. Whilst Warm Front funding is on hold until April 2011, we felt it was vital to play our part in supporting the nation by offering our own £350 grant for resident replacing a boiler that is more than 10-years-old.

“New A-rated boilers are over 90 per cent efficient but older boilers might be less than 60 per cent efficient. These boilers are more susceptible to breaking down. This can pose a health and safety risk to homeowners as well as having financial implications, so we’re pleased to be able to make this commitment to provide the Warm Home grant until March 2011.”

The npower Warm Home Grant will be operating across England. The grant will not only offer savings on boiler installation, but will also help residents save money on gas bills.

A Scottish government-funded initiative to insulate roofs and cavity walls for homeowners has commenced this month.

The Universal Home Insulation Scheme (UHIS) will run until March 31, 2011.

The scheme is offering free loft/cavity wall insulation to homeowners as well as those in rented accommodation. Unlike previous schemes in Scotland it is for home extensions.

The incentive will benefit thousands across Scotland, with around 100,000 homes to be offered the opportunity to participate.

The main ambitions of the scheme are:

• To provide universal ( ie free of charge to all householders) energy efficiency measures to a large number of Scottish households.

• To deliver emission savings and assist in reducing fuel poverty.

• There are also aims to help those households that missed out on previous home insulation schemes.

Councillor Norman MacDonald, chair of the Environmental and Protective Services Committee, said: “Over 1,800 homes benefited from the excellent Home Insulation Scheme initiative within the last year and I am delighted this scheme will provide free insulation for home extensions.”

The Universal Home Insulation Scheme is a £10 million programme which is being managed by the Home Energy Scotland helpline, on 0800 512012.

A partnership has been struck between British Gas and Sainsbury’s to help promote electricity and gas packages.

The full details of the deal are not yet known, but Sainsbury’s will be working with British Gas to offer its customers an array of products and services, including insulation, solar panels, boiler repairs and home energy assessments.

British Gas already provides a number of maintenance and repairs services for its customers as part of the British Gas HomeCare product. Something which may have attracted Sainsbury’s to work with them.

The retail giant will be ending its current deal with EDF Energy in February in exchange for the new agreement with British Gas, which will commence next month.

A statement published on the Sainsbury’s Energy website reads: “With effect from February 8, 2011 the partnership between Sainsbury’s Energy and EDF Energy will come to an end, after which all existing Sainsbury’s Energy customers will continue to be customers of EDF Energy.”

Specific details will be made public on February 9, as part of an official announcement by Sainsbury’s chief executive Justin King.

A not-for-profit carbon reduction organisation is offering residents in Middlesbrough the chance to receive free insulation.

Residents in Easterside, Middlesbrough, will have the opportunity to lower their energy bills and reduce the carbon emissions of their homes for free by applying for a scheme, which is being carried out on behalf of TADEA.

The not-for-profit organisation is offering cavity wall and loft insulation, funded by the Government’s Low Carbon Communities Challenge Fund, which aims to save energy in communities.

The Eco-Easterside project is being led by Middlesbrough Council, which hopes to lower the emissions of homes and buildings, promote sustainable transport, install wind turbines and fit two streets with low-energy LED lighting.

Councillor Julia Rostron, Middlesbrough Council’s executive member for community protection, said the scheme was a fantastic opportunity for Easterside residents who would enjoy warmer homes and lower heating bills as a result.

As part of the areas expanding green credentials, local schools are also to be retrofitted to achieve the Green Flag Eco-School standard, while an electric car club will also be set up.

The University of Liverpool has announced that it is to open a new institution that will be dedicated to energy research.

The Stephenson Institute for Renewable Energy is to be the first interdisciplinary centre into energy research in the north west. The institute will be used to undertake research into renewable energy sources such as fuel cell technology and bio fuels.

The centre will focus on developing clean and sustainable energy technologies including hydrogen generation and storage, solar harvesting, wind and marine energy and fusion technology.

Director of Stephenson Institute, professor Werner Hofer, said: “The provision of energy is one of the greatest challenges facing the world today and the Stephenson Institute for Renewable Energy will provide a new approach to developing new, cleaner and safer ways to produce energy.  Many of the new technologies that will power our future are still emerging and the creation of the institute will enhance our ability to help tackle this global challenge.”

Liverpool University becomes that latest institution and organisation to develop the new technologies, with the aim of reducing the UK’s energy dependence and carbon emissions, as well as to project the country as a leader in the industry.

The institute is also recruiting 10 world-class scientists to join existing research groups in chemistry, physics, materials science and engineering.

The investment represents the country’s growing confidence in renewable technologies as well as a desire for green energy.

Rising fuel costs are linked to thefts

West Mercia Police is urging residents who use oil to heat their properties to be extra vigilant.

The caution has be made in light of a theft in the county, which happened earlier this week. The incident on Tuesday, January 11, involved hundreds of litres of heating oil being stolen from a farm property near St Weonards, Hereford. A number of similar thefts have also occurred recently in Shropshire and Worcestershire.

Sgt David Bishop at Hereford Police Station said: “While this is not a large problem, we have noticed a slight increase in such crimes in the county. It is possibly due to the increase in fuel costs over recent months so they may become more prevalent across the country. We are warning local people who use heating oil to take precautions against being targeted by thieves.”

Sgt Bishop has issued a number of hints and tips to help reduce the chances of heating oil being stolen from your property.

These include:

• Use plant shrubs or fences to hide your tank from view.

• Remember to check your tank’s oil levels on a regular basis.

• Remove any empty containers or drums from the immediate area – they could draw attention to the presence of your oil tank.