green deal

The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has confirmed its policy shift away from the able-to-pay domestic energy efficiency sector at a launch event for a new research project seeking to link energy costs with mortgage lending.

Lord Bourne has sparked fresh concerns over the future of domestic energy efficiency policy after revealing an able-to-pay scheme to replace the Green Deal is not likely to be in place until after the introduction of the new ECO scheme in 2017/18.

A replacement scheme for the able-to-pay domestic energy efficiency sector is to be delayed until 2017 with only a set of principles to be outlined by the end of the current calendar year, according to the parliamentary under secretary of state for climate change.

The Energy and Climate Change select committee has heard that future home energy efficiency policy needs to build demand from consumers and use the existing supply chain to meet it.

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.

Ex-energy secretary Ed Davey and former energy minister Lord Barker have admitted to failures in the formation of the Green Deal, but stressed there is still a place for a pay as you save efficiency scheme in the UK.

The Green Deal was “far too ambitious” in its policy aims and was a good idea that was “poorly implemented”, an Energy and Climate Change Select Committee hearing has heard.

Energy secretary Amber Rudd has revealed that a replacement for the Green Deal has been lined up for release early next year.

A study has revealed the vast majority of the UK public support subsidies for energy efficiency programmes.