Eaga launches Clean Energy Programme

Climate Change Minister Ed Miliband has today used the launch of Eaga’s new Clean Energy Programme to announce a major policy on renewable technology.

Speaking to social housing tenants in the London Borough of Barking & Dagenham (LBBD), Mr Miliband said the Government’s Feed-In-Tariffs (FITs) incentive would transform micro electricity generation in the UK.

From April the incentive allows surplus electricity generated domestically through clean energy such as solar photovoltaics (PV) to be exported back to the national grid.

Green services company Eaga has used the FITs to develop a Clean Energy Programme to install solar PV systems for social housing tenants - at no cost to them and requiring no investment from the landlord.

Working in partnership with the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG), the Housing Communities Agency (HCA) and local authorities like the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham (LBBD), Eaga is rolling the programme out across the country.

At the launch in Dagenham, Eaga set out how the PV systems can cut annual fuel bills for social housing tenants by up to £150.

This means that as well as lowering household carbon emissions by around 1.2 tonnes a year, it will also reduce the risk of fuel poverty.

The programme uses private sector investment that is funded through feed-in-tariffs.

Secretary of State Ed Miliband said:

“The guarantee of getting an income on top of saving on energy will be a carrot to householders and communities across wanting to make the move to low carbon living.

“The feed in tariff will change the way householders and communities think about their future energy needs, making the payback for investment far shorter than in the past.

“It will also change the outlook for a range of industries, in particular those in the business of producing and installing small scale low carbon technology.

John Swinney, Eaga Director of Strategy, added:

“By utilising the feed in tariff initiative and installing free solar technology this programme can cut energy bills for thousands of social housing tenants in the first year alone. We are also looking to recruit and train renewable energy engineers directly from the local communities where the green technology is being installed.

“Working with the DCLG and HCA, Eaga intends to work with local authorities to take the programme forward.  Launching in the Thames Gateway is particularly appropriate given the ambitions for the region to be a leading exemplar of sustainability.  By delivering clean energy and creating new employment in the process, we believe this programme is a real example of the green agenda in action.”

--ends—

For more information please contact:
Rik Kendall
Eaga Group Media Relations Manager
Tel: 0191 245 8342
e:mail: rik.kendall@eaga.com

Notes to Editors
               
1.    Eaga plc is a green support services and outsourcing company. It is also the UK’s largest residential energy efficiency provider.
2.    Eaga was established in Newcastle in 1990 and operates across the UK and in the Republic of Ireland, India and Canada. It employs over 5,000 people.
3.    Approximately 37% of the shares in Eaga plc are owned by the Eaga Partnership Trust which is an independent trust which holds the shares for the benefit of Partners (staff).

Ofgem will administer the Feed-in Tariff scheme and suppliers will be responsible to paying the reward to their customers.

The renewable heat incentive will start operating in April 2011.  Ofgem will be responsible for making payments direct to large heat generators.

Householders and communities can apply for the Feed-in Tariff from their electricity supplier from April 2010.

Current figures for renewables:

The UK currently gets around 5.5% of electricity from renewable sources and that will need to increase to around 30% to meet the 15% 2020 target for all energy.

Modelling show that small scale renewable installations could meet 2% of electricity demand in 2020.

The UK currently gets less than 1% of heat from renewable sources.  This this will need to rise to around 12% in order to meet the 15% 2020 target for all energy.

The Eaga project:

The Eaga Clean Energy for Social Housing programme attracts funding from private sector investors, who will receive a return from the FIT element.  There is no cost to the tenant and no investment required from the social landlord.

Document links:

The response to the consultation on renewable electricity financial incentives can be found here: www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/consultations/elec_financial/elec_financial.aspx

The consultation on the proposed renewable heat incentive financial support scheme opens on 1 February 2010, will run for 12 weeks and can be found here:
www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/consultations/rhi/rhi.aspx