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According to the Energy Savings Trust, electrically heated homes are one of the most expensive types of heating options in the UK, emitting more carbon dioxide than any other types of heating. Electric storage heaters are more commonly found in flats, rented homes, and more importantly; homes that have no primary form of mains gas connection. You may already have people living in your local vicinity connected to a mains gas supply. Fortunately for those of you who do currently have electric storage heaters installed at your property, you may unknowingly be entitled to full funding for the installation of a central heating system. With only 39 weeks until this year’s festivities, it’s worth thinking about your home’s current heating system, and with summer months slowly approaching there is no better time to start preparing for the colder season. If you are heating your home with electric storage heaters, why not find out if you qualify for a mains gas Central Heating System connection at your home. You can discuss this with your Gas Grid or Gas Distribution Network organisation to confirm if you can be provided a connection from the nearest gas meter of your home. City Energy has already helped thousands of customers connect to their main gas. Central heating has always been the heart of a warm home and every day, more proficient renewable types of heating incentives are being introduced to help lower the cost of energy at home and for those struggling with fuel poverty. There are several reasons why households are experiencing fuel poverty and many factors for this substantial rise include: The price of energy continues to rise, which means we need to spend a greater on taking care of these bills A significant number of homeowners live in draughty homes, from which the warmth escapes more easily Furthermore, due to ever-increasing energy costs, it is even harder to make our homes more energy-efficient, which would ultimately lessen our heating costs The general cost of living is rising, and this is also putting pressure on our finances, so we have less money to go around There are currently two types of funding options available to give homeowners warmer homes and lower their energy costs; these are the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) and Eligibility Flexibility (LA FLEX) schemes. ECO is an energy efficiency scheme in Great Britain to help reduce carbon emissions and tackle fuel poverty. The scheme was introduced to the UK in April 2013. Over time, it has been updated and the latest policy is ECO3, which commenced on 3rd December 2018 and applies to measures completed from 1st October 2018. ECO places legal obligations on the larger energy suppliers to deliver energy efficiency measures to domestic energy users. Under the rules of ECO, energy suppliers are obliged to help improve the energy efficiency of their domestic customers’ buildings. These rules and eligibility requirements have changed frequently since the start of ECO and will continue to change over time. LA FLEX operates under the Government’s ECO scheme. Local
We are pleased to announce City Energy has been shortlisted as a finalist at this year’s GO Excellence in Public Procurement Awards Wales for ‘Best Contract Delivery’ in partnership with Ceredigion County Council. To GO Excellence in Public Procurement Awards have showcased those organisations leading the way in public procurement best practice across all UK nations: Scotland, Wales and most recently Northern Ireland as well as the cumulative UK National GO Awards. Even before COVID-19, procurement in Wales was rapidly evolving as part of its transformation from back-office function to strategic buyer. Now, against the backdrop of a global pandemic, the stakes are even higher. Procurement is front page news and, as the crisis evolves into something resembling normality, public service delivery will be at the forefront of economic recovery. The winners will be announced on Thursday 29th April at an online event. https://www.goawards.co.uk/wales/finalists/
The Government announced on 10th March 2021 that innovative ideas for zero-emission vehicles could benefit from a share of £20 million in funding. This could include zero-emission emergency vehicles, charging technology or electric vehicle (EV) battery recycling. This investment will help ensure the UK remains a world leader in EV design and manufacture, which could create around 6,000 skilled jobs over the next decade, helping to build a greener way of living. Furthermore, the Government published its response to the consultation on ending the sale of petrol and diesel cars and vans. Reaffirming their commitment to phasing out new vehicles of this kind by 2030, and for all new cars and vans to be zero-emission at the tailpipe by 2035. Simon Edmonds, Deputy Executive Chair and Chief Business Officer Innovate UK said: Innovations to increase the uptake of zero-emission vehicles will make our air cleaner while supporting innovative UK businesses. Innovate UK has played a crucial role in helping businesses bring their innovations towards reality and we urge those innovators with bright ideas to apply for this vital funding. With the increased focus on EV, it’s important to understand what type of funding is available to drivers, an added benefit for consideration when making the transition to EV. There are several lower emission vehicle funding options available to assist those making the first moves towards an EV way of life. This article will explore the available funding schemes to help you with your decision. Vehicle Funding The Government’s Plug-In Grant scheme enables you to get a discount on the price of brand new low-emission vehicles through vehicle dealerships and manufacturers. The maximum grant available for cars is £3,000. You don’t need to do anything if you want to buy one of these vehicles as the dealership will include the value of the grant in the price. The amount of the funding will depend on which category your vehicle is in. The 6 categories are: Cars Motorcycles Mopeds Vans Taxis Large vans and trucks Its worth noting, not all low-emission vehicles will be eligible for this scheme. Only vehicles approved by the Government are eligible. Charging Point Funding Schemes The Electric Vehicle Home-charge Scheme (EVHS) is a funding scheme for the installation of electric vehicle charging points. EVHS provides funding of up to 75% towards the cost of installing electric vehicle charge-points at domestic properties across the UK. From 1st July 2019, the EVHS only supports smart charge-points as announced in December 2018. The Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS) is a voucher-based scheme that provides £350 towards the up-front costs of the purchase and installation of an electric vehicle charge-point. Companies can claim funding for up to a maximum of 40 charge points. This is available to eligible businesses, charities, and public sector organisations. Installers of these charging points must have approved authorisation to be eligible for both EVHS and WCS. In addition to both EVHS and WCS, the Government have introduced The On-street Residential Charge-point Scheme (ORCS). This scheme is designed
With the increase of drivers converting to electric vehicles (EV), there is now a greater focus and demand on the number of EV charging points available to help with the development of this new and exciting shift. This has become increasingly apparent with EV-car manufacturers as they are quickly extending their EV line-ups and numerous administrations are offering generous purchase incentives. Across Europe, a gathering of automakers, naturalists, and consumer groups have recently appealed to the EU environment, transport, industry, and energy officials to utilise the current year’s modification of the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure law. Before the decade’s over, there is a legitimate necessity for 3,000,000 additional charging points. Boris Johnson along with the Government has recently published a new plan announcing the acceleration to the transmission of electrically powered motors by 2030. The contribution to climate change is one of the primary objectives of rolling out more EVs and different types of public transport. The Prime Minister hopes to eradicate the UK’s contribution to climate change by 2050. Mr Johnson’s ten-point plan has been set out with the mission to level-up across the country for a greener and environmentally sustainable future. One of the key drivers is to back several industry-led groups of vehicle manufacturing companies across the West Midlands, North East, and North Wales and by doing so, speeding up the transition from petrol-fuelled motors to electric-powered vehicles and transforming our national infrastructure to better support climate change and the positive effects of switching over to EV. Following a broad conference with vehicle producers and merchants, the Prime Minister has affirmed that the UK will end the offer of new petroleum and diesel vehicles and vans by 2030, ten years sooner than initially planned. To speed up these changes, the Prime Minister announced a 1.3-billion-pound investment to support the rollout of EV charging points across the UK. In support of the Prime Minister’s recent update, the Welsh Government published their plans to boost electric charging points across Wales. The aim is that by 2025 all drivers who regularly use EV’s including cars and vans in Wales will feel confident they can access charging points freely and be able to charge up when they need to. The proposed plan states the investment is likely to be as much as 30 million pounds and will be set aside to help with the delivery of this ambitious project. A conference on the strategy has already been initiated as part of the Welsh Government’s ongoing efforts to support the development of lower-emission vehicles. It has been said that currently only 0.17% of commuters across Wales only use electric cars ever-increasing the number of EV’s on roads is part of their ongoing efforts to achieve a significant reduction in carbon emissions from the transport network. This has already been outlined in a draft transport strategy published on the 17th of November 2020. The EV market is still a relatively new, emerging market, but one which will be an integral part of reducing carbon
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, millions of people across the UK have no other option but to work from the comfort of their own homes. But how will this affect the cost of heating your property and what will be the most cost-effective solution when it comes to heating our home efficiently? First off, we need to consider how much energy is expected to warm our homes and how rapidly our homes lose heat when adjusting to this new working-from-home lifestyle. We understand it can be extremely difficult to manage these increased heating expectations –so how can you save some money off your energy bills? Today we have gathered some helpful top-tips which have been provided by specialists at the Energy Savings Trust. The goal of today’s article is to determine some of the more common and unexplained myths, whilst giving you further peace of mind when it comes to staying warm and saving money! Myth Buster Facts Explained: Does turning up the heating thermostat warm your home any quicker? False –Sadly, turning your thermostat up to its most noteworthy point will not assist in heating your property any faster than having it at a lower temperature. Your indoor regulator just sets the temperature of your boiler, so it’ll warm up at a similar rate –whatever heat-output you have switched it to. Clingfilm is this a new cost-effective solution to stopping cold air from passing through your windows? FALSE –blocking up any holes around your windows will stop drafts in principle, but you will not see much of a difference, if any at all! All things considered, try utilising draft excluders or getting secondary glazing installed around the windows. Is using electric storage heaters for a couple of hours a day less expensive than utilising your full central heating system? FALSE –Electrical storage heaters are quite possibly one of the costliest ways you can heat up your home. How much additional cost you’ll pay will heavily rely upon the amount of time you use them and the amount you currently pay for your power – however, it will not give any further assistance to set aside more savings for you and your energy bills. Tenants can’t switch suppliers without their landlord’s consent? – FALSE That’s not the case at all –you are allowed to pick whichever supplier you wish to. The special case is when your landlord pays your provider directly for the energy you use as part of the tenancy agreement. The Energy Saving Trust has quoted that people who say leaving the heating on low all day to save money “is a complete myth”. They do recommend only using your central heating when it’s needed and as you are more likely to keep your heating running throughout the colder months; it’s going to continue costing more and will ultimately result in increased energy consumption. It’s a noteworthy point to install a timer though – this way you will be able to manage your heating output when it conveniently
With over 300 major events and 10 million visitors taking place each year, 2021 won’t be the same and instead of gathering to support Wales during the Six Nations Rugby, we will be watching from the comfort of our own homes. The Six Nations has been with us since the 1800s and for those of you who don’t know its origin, the Six Nations first began way back in 1883 when England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales competed in the Six Nations Championship. The first two years were overwhelmed by England and Scotland before Wales went to the front of the leader board winning four titles between 1905 and 1909. The Principality Stadium was founded several years later to host the 1999 World Cup Championships here in Cardiff and whilst a new home presence for Welsh rugby was set in motion; many environmental considerations needed to be addressed and this lead to further development being made. Have you ever wondered how much electricity is consumed during a single event? You can tell just by taking a gander at the immense banks of floodlights and glimmering video screens that arenas use to power on a mechanical scale. There are the sound frameworks, the agreeable club seating, extravagance boxes, just as kitchens are needed for food preparation and even cooling and warmth for encased domed arenas. You can’t help but wonder, what amount of power does a stadium need and what changes could additionally be made to implement environmental change? There has been a huge focus on renewable energy over the last 15 years, governmental, sociological, financial, and most significantly; how to lower power output by implementing the use of new energy-efficient technologies that contribute to lowering our carbon footprint. Various questions raise awareness to the public consciousness when it comes to environmental sustainability, but the amount of energy being used heavily relies on individual factors. There is a combination of elements that help determine the energy usage of a single stadium and this can depend on whether there is sufficient LED lighting installed, the type of climate (sunshine or rain), the time of day, the amount of people attending and the demand on food and refreshments from hungry supporters. The Principality Stadium comprises of 34 public bars, 16 food and beverage outlets and not forgetting to mention the 900-kitchen staff, and as you can imagine the organisers are doing all they can to keep energy usage to a minimum whilst ensuring everyone enjoys themselves at a live event. The stadium currently recycles around 98% of its waste. Waste matter is composted and 100% of energy procured is from renewables. Additional design elements include infrared controls fitted within the urinals to prevents unnecessary flushing, meters to monitor energy and water consumption, new LED lighting and lighting controls, and alternative methods of water heating to permit boilers to be packed up in summer. These measures have seen savings of 60.8 tonnes of CO2 made up of reduced raw materials use, water, and energy use.
Taking care of your home this Valentine’s day? We will always have an everlasting connection with our home. Our goals have become more focused than ever to lower energy costs and strengthen that relationship between our heating, insulation, windows and general property maintenance. Maintaining a warmer home and saving money is one of the most rewarding ways of building a connection between you and your living-space and the main goal of this article is to help cover some of these topics and ultimately save you money and help reduce the overall consumption of energy around the home. Your heating system could be costing you more, especially over the colder months. With many homes being heated by electric heaters, installing a central heating system could be the right option for you and could save you money on your energy spend. The benefits of a central heating system installed includes: Improved heating control Reduced energy usage, greater energy savings A smaller sized boiler Lower carbon emissions A quieter boiler process A warmer home for you and your family We want what’s best for our boiler’s proficiency and this is largely dictated by the age, unit type and radiators. More established boilers through both plan and non-stop use, are continually going to be less proficient than recently introduced ones. Your heating’s productivity is arranged by a rating. (A) rated boilers are over 90% proficient while (G) rated boilers are normally 65% effective. In October 2010, it was said recently introduced home units must be 88% more economical. Productivity is likewise founded on the current model you have installed in your home, for instance, a non-condensing boiler squanders more energy and thusly costs more, whilst a condensing model (which condenses waste gases for later use) is more energy efficient, setting aside you more cash over its lifetime and making your home much warmer for longer. Insulation has also been seen as a substantial home improvement when it comes to maintaining warmth and encouraging lower energy usage. There are many benefits that come with insulating your home that include reduced energy savings, lowering your carbon footprint and more obviously; a much warmer home for you and your family. The UK has some of the oldest housing stock built and as a consequence it’s costing homeowners much more money in repair costs and upgrades due to a lack of under-utilisation of energy efficient measures being installed, compared to those who live in newly built homes. Much of the heat that is lost through your home’s walls and loft may have been overlooked during your property’s construction. Around 25% of the warmth is lost is through the roof space with almost 35% through the walls and an additional 10% lost through windows is not something to turn a blind eye to. Installing new insulation could result in a much warmer home, significantly lowering your energy costs and saving your existing central heating from working constantly on overdrive. It’s definitely a home improvement that will shape a brighter
City Energy are supporting the #LittleGoodDeed campaign to help raise awareness of the challenges many families are currently dealing with during this pandemic and ways to help support them. Asking for help is never always easy, and as the COVID crisis persists, most families are finding things tough right now – financially, socially and emotionally. Many parents or carers of really little ones have never been more isolated. With limitations on family and social support networks and many public services and spaces closed, too many mums and dads are home alone – digging deep and doing their very best – but finding it hard to be the parents they want to be. Asking for help can be hard at the best of times. We know that feeling inadequate or fearing being judged are real barriers. Right now, help has never felt further away. But help is out there. There is professional support for those who really need it. And the great British public wants to do their bit to help others in their local community more than ever before too. We want to encourage people to do a #LittleGoodDeed for a parent or carer having a tricky time – to reach out, check in and ask what they need. And we will celebrate those good deed doers that are making a difference in small ways, every day. This campaign is supported by many of the nation’s most loved children’s charities. For more information, please visit their website.
Energy consumption is now at an all-time high due to home-schooling and working from home during the COVID pandemic, research has shown. There are a number of ways to reduce our energy bills, and in this article, we are focusing on kitchen appliances and the benefits of making a few simple changes that could ultimately save you and your family money. The kitchen is a great place to start harnessing the power of energy reduction and by following our simple energy savings tips – could lead to lower energy costs throughout the year. Cooking typically accounts for 13.8% of electricity demand in UK homes, with freezing or cooling food requiring a further 16.8% of electricity used on average. Did you know, on average, electricity and gas use creates about a quarter of all carbon emissions from our homes, with more than half of our fuel bills related to providing heating and hot water in a typical UK household. Let’s start with the kettle; the majority of us need our daily dose of caffeine but do we really understand the cost involved each time we boil the kettle to make a brew? Surprisingly, there is a small trick to lowering those costs and boy following a few simple tips. Never overfill your kettle Keep the water level to a minimum Only boil the amount of water you need to use By adopting these simple tips and using this cost-effective approach, you could save up to £6 a year! The next appliance is the microwave; another device which is frequently used amongst the family. Try keeping a set time of usage, for example if you were to use your microwave for only 10 minutes each day, it could be costing you as little as £3 a year. Slow cookers can also be used more efficiently and just by reducing the amount of time used per day – you could be saving more money off your electricity bills each year. If you were able to lower the time used up to 8 hours per day, you could be saving an additional £14 a year! There are also other energy saving-techniques which have significantly higher cost saving advantages. A great proportion of the UK population own an electric hob and we all try our best to not surge usage due to over inflated energy costs. By reducing the overall use to 30 minutes per day, you could be saving a whopping £90 a year!
There is an established connection between poor health and low indoor temperatures. Research has shown that fuel poverty is today a contributing factor in a number of cold, poor housing related health conditions. In a 2008 report, Professor Christine Liddell reported that for every £1 spent on reducing fuel poverty, saved the NHS 42 pence. In some circumstances, existing health conditions can be affected by the cold and others can be a new diagnosis as a result of prolonged exposure the cold temperatures. Respiratory conditions can often become worse by this prolonged exposure and people living in these conditions have a higher risk of suffering from colds, flu, bronchitis and pneumonia. Other health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, arthritis and mental health can also be impacted by prolonged exposure to low indoor temperatures and living in cold homes. At temperatures below 12C, blood tends to thicken, leading to an increase in blood pressure and increased risk of heart attack and stroke as the heart has to work harder to pump blood round the body to keep you warm. Living in a cold home not only has an impact on your health, but it can also contribute to condensation, dampness and mould growth in a home. This can have a detrimental impact on some allergies as mould spores and dust mites in the air can cause allergic reactions. To keep your home warm, the NHS recommend the following: If you’re not very mobile, are 65 or over, or have a health condition, such as heart or lung disease, heat your home to at least 18C Keep your bedroom at 18C all night if you can – and keep bedroom windows closed If you’re under 65, healthy and active, you can safely have your home cooler than 18C, as long as you’re comfortable Use a hot water bottle or electric blanket to keep warm in bed – but do not use both at the same time Have at least 1 hot meal a day – eating regularly helps keep you warm Have hot drinks regularly Babies should sleep in rooms heated to between 16C and 20C (this reduces the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) Draw curtains at dusk and keep doors closed to block out draughts Get your heating system checked regularly by a qualified professional Help with heating costs Once your home is heated its important to maintain this as it’s not just about using more fuel, it’s about keeping the heat in. You may be eligible for funding to help with heating your home. There are many grants available including ECO Scheme, LA Flex, Green Homes Grant, Winter Fuel Payment and the Cold Weather Payment. For more information on improving your heating, how to reduce your bills and make your home more energy efficient, get in touch today. Complete our contact us form or call us on 02920 499 183 or email us.