In a world facing a climate emergency, saving energy isn’t just a choice, but a responsibility.
Every act of conserving energy will ripple into an impact that shapes future generations.
As we work towards mitigating the effects of climate change, the mindful move away from fossil fuels towards integrating renewables becomes significant, not just in cutting carbon but also reducing energy costs and utility bills.
There has been a step change in UK’s energy trends:
– In 2023, the amount of electricity generated from fossil fuels in the UK dropped by 22% compared to the previous year, reaching the lowest level since 1957, according to analysis by Carbon Brief. The 104 TWh produced from fossil fuels marked a 66-year low.
– As a result, fossil fuels only produced 33% of UK electricity in 2023, the lowest percentage ever recorded. On the other hand, low-carbon sources, including renewables and nuclear, made up 56% of the total, contributing to the UK achieving its lowest-ever carbon intensity in electricity generation
– In addition, there were some positive y-o-y UK energy trends in the last quarter of 2023.
However, from 1st January 2024, the energy price cap rose by 5%, coinciding with a sharp drop in winter temperatures.
Against this backdrop, in support of Energy Saving Week 2024, we’ve put together a quick guide and compilation of all resources – incentives, grants and schemes – for homeowners, landlords, housing developers, and social housing providers to upgrade heating, save energy costs and move towards a greener future:
a) Homeowners and private landlords: For homeowners, support is offered in many different ways, from upgrading heating systems and thermal storage to insulation, EPC improvements and renewables integration. Visit: Household energy – GOV.UK
Depending on where you are in the UK, homeowners can apply for: Boiler upgrade scheme (Also supports Sunamp heat battery as thermal storage), Energy company obligation (ECO4, help from your energy supplier), Home Upgrade Grant, the Great British Insulation Scheme, Energy saving funding options in Scotland, Green Deal scheme, The Welsh Government Warm Homes Nest scheme, Northern Ireland Sustainable Energy Programme, and Affordable Warmth Scheme.
b) Social housing provider: Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund: Wave 2.2 The UK government has earmarked an additional £80 million for qualified local authorities and housing associations to implement energy-efficient enhancements, such as insulation and heat pumps, to bring housing stock currently below EPC C up to that standard.
c) Social housing tenants: Tenants can get help with installing their first heating system (with the permission of their landlord) if their social housing apartment has an energy efficiency rating of E, F or G. Find an energy certificate – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
D) Grants for new build residents: New Build Grants and Funds
The role of our thermal storage technologies in energy saving:
At Sunamp, we’re on a mission to revolutionise the way energy is generated, stored and used to combat global climate change.
From designing compact, highly energy dense thermal stores with a view to cut gas, increase renewables uptake and enable self-consumption, to making profitable recovery of waste heat in industrial process to reduce energy bills, our constant effort is to balance energy demand and supply to create a future built on sustainability and environmental responsibility.
