Two energy efficiency companies have been named among the fastest growing private companies in the UK despite the “tumultuous” year for the market following significant changes to government policy.

A new task force is to be established by the Financial Stability Board (FSB) to develop voluntary disclosures advising companies of the financial risks posed by climate change.

Former mayor of New York Michael Bloomberg is to head an international task force established by Bank of England governor Mark Carney to educate businesses about the risk climate change poses to them.

The European Investment Bank (EIB) is to part-fund the UK’s push to install smart meters in every home and business by 2020.

Work has begun to improve the energy efficiency of a number of homes on a housing estate in north Powys following an investment of £2 million from the Welsh government.

Home improvement retailer Kingfisher has announced plans to invest £50 million in renewable energy across its network of locations in an effort to reduce energy consumption from the national grid by 10% in the next two years.

All new buildings constructed after 2020 will be built to European standards for high energy performance and will incorporate renewable energy sources to meet the low energy demand of each building.

The UK subsidiary of Dutch energy company Eneco is to change its strategy and focus more on energy “as a service”, the firm has announced.

District heating networks will be a “big development” of the second half of this decade, according to former energy minister Lord Barker.