Buckinghamshire Community Energy Champions Network Toolkit Buckinghamshire Community Energy Champions Network Toolkit

INDEX INTRODUCTION & HOW TO USE THIS TOOLKIT ...... 3 INTRODUCTION...... 3 HOW TO USE THE TOOLKIT ...... 7 A GOOD PLACE TO START ...... 8 CALCULATE YOUR FOOTPRINT ...... 8 HOME ENERGY ADVICE CHECKLIST ...... 11 SECTION 1. space & water Heating systems and their controls ...... 15 CENTRAL HEATING SYSTEMS ...... 15 STORAGE HEATERS ...... 20 ROOM HEATERS ...... 21 SECTION 2. Lighting and appliances ...... 22 LIGHTING ...... 24 APPLIANCES ...... 27 SECTION 3. Reading Meters and understaNding fuel bills ...... 32 TYPES OF METERS AND HOW TO READ THEM ...... 32 INFORMATION INCLUDED IN GAS AND ELECTRICITY BILLS ...... 33 SECTION 4. Tariffs, Fuel payment methods and Switching Suppliers ...... 37 TARIFFS ...... 37 FUEL PAYMENT METHODS ...... 38 SWITCHING SUPPLIERS ...... 38 SECTION 5. Cavity wall, Solid wall and Loft insulation ...... 41 LOFT INSULATION ...... 41 CAVITY WALL INSULATION ...... 41 SOLID WALL INSULATION ...... 43 OTHER TYPES OF INSULATION ...... 43 SECTION 6. Renewable Energy ...... 45 ELECTRICITY GENERATING SYSTEMS ...... 45 HEAT GENERATING SYSTEMS ...... 49 HEAT AND ELECTRICITY GENERATING SYSTEMS...... 52 SECTION 7. Sustainable Transport ...... 53 A MATTER OF CHOICE ...... 53 TIPS ...... 56 SECTION 8. USEFUL information, financial help and CONTACTS ...... 63 FINANCIAL HELP ...... 65 ANNEXES ...... 69 ANNEX 1: USEFUL CONTACTS ...... 69 ANNEX 2: BULK OIL ...... 69 ANNEX 3: COMPARING RENEWABLE ELECTICITY SYSTEMS ...... 71 ANNEX 4: COMPARING RENEWABLE HEAT SYSTEMS ...... 73

Buckinghamshire Community Energy Champions Network Toolkit

INTRODUCTION & HOW TO USE THIS TOOLKIT

INTRODUCTION

The Community Energy Champions project is a Buckinghamshire-wide initiative which brings together individuals and groups with similar interests to share knowledge with the joint goal of reducing carbon and tackling fuel poverty.

Help to reach lower income families who are vulnerable to fuel poverty through Be a source of rising fuel bills information on local Increase awareness within the local community on schemes and resources Leaflets Stands energy efficiency and sustainable transport Talks Facebook Events BCC community Twitter energy champions

Set up of social Training workshop media accounts Email and phone Toolkit Buckclimatechange.com support

United Sustainable Buckinghamshire Energy Agency Local Authorities

Carbon reduction background

Carbon Dioxide (CO2) is produced every time we burn anything for energy or heat (driving our car, heating our home, using our fridge, cooker, etc…) and has been recognised as the primary cause of current climate change.

The UK government is committed to an 80% reduction in CO2 emissions from 1990 levels by 2050. In 1990 UK emissions averaged 10 tonnes per person a year so we will need to fall below 2 tonnes by 2050 to meet this target! As can be seen in the graph below, we are definitely going in the right direction but a lot of work still needs to be done. A good starting point is to take the message home as the UK’s domestic energy consumption accounts for a considerable percentage of the country’s overall carbon emissions.

Cutting our carbon emissions will not only help us reach the targets set but will also bring us closer to living within our share of the planet’s environmental resources. Living a more carbon efficient life can also reduce energy costs and therefore will help tackle fuel poverty.

Buckinghamshire Community Energy Champions Network Toolkit

Figure 1 and 2: Overview of UK and Regional emissions as they compare to targets and England average Source: AEA and DECC

Fuel poverty background

Fuel poverty is the term applied to households that spend more than 10% of their income on energy bills. The United Kingdom is one of the world’s wealthiest countries, yet a large proportion of its population suffers from fuel poverty1.

The proportion of people in fuel poverty varies as incomes rise or fall, as energy prices fluctuate and as the amount of energy consumed changes. As can be seen in the figure below for a period in the early 2000s, because of falling energy prices and a period of rising benefits for low income households, the numbers of people in fuel poverty fell. However from 2004 onwards, the trend has been upwards and rising fuel prices have been largely to blame. There is a pressing need to tackle cold, unhealthy homes and it is generally recognised that the best way to protect people against fuel poverty is through energy efficiency improvements.

Figure 3: Total Fuel Poverty and Fuel Poverty in vulnerable households in the UK Source: Department of Energy and Climate Change

1 One in five UK households (21%) are fuel poor, but around the constituent nations the picture varies: the figure is as high as 44 per cent in Northern Ireland, one in three homes (33%) in Scotland, a quarter of households in Wales (26%) and 18% in England. 4

Buckinghamshire Community Energy Champions Network Toolkit

Whether a household is in fuel poverty or not is determined by the interaction of a number of factors, but the three main ones are:

Cost of the energy The energy efficiency of the property (and therefore, Household income the amount of energy required to heat and power the home)

As shown in figure 4, in the UK the majority of our domestic energy is used to heat our homes (space heating) with the second largest energy consumption coming from water heating. Space heating and water heating are therefore considered key areas on which to focus when tackling the risk of falling into fuel poverty.

Figure 4: Domestic energy Use Source: USEA graph by Energy Saving Trust information 5% 3% 5% Space heating 6% Hot water

9% Consumer electronics 48% Cold appliances 24% Cooking Wet appliances Miscellaneus

Your role as a Community Energy Champion

As a Community Energy Champion you will be joining a group that:  Wants to learn more about energy efficiency and fuel poverty.  Is interested in promoting a sustainable change within your community  Wants to increase awareness on the need to change current energy consumption trends.

There is no one way to volunteer. You can participate in local events or forums, organise a coffee morning or go door-to-door with some top-tips, helping people read their meters, giving information on how to save energy and money; or you can share the information with the organisations in which you are already involved in (at work, your leisure centre, or a local club). We can help you come up with ideas on what your activities as a Champion could be or promote your ideas to the other Champions! Either way we will help you define your role to the best of your strengths and abilities.

Resources

We have developed this toolkit to help you in your role. We have also set up a Facebook page, Twitter account and website where you will be able to share your experiences with fellow champions.  Webpage: Bucksclimatechange.com  Facebook: Bucks Community Energy Champions www.facebook.com/pages/Bucks- Community-Energy-Champions/348895995132311  Twitter: @BucksChampions

Buckinghamshire Community Energy Champions Network Toolkit

Other resources include an online carbon calculator, activity sheets, top tips, leaflets and brochures available from USEA and your Local Council.

Available support

Your main reference point during the project will be United Sustainable Energy Agency (USEA), a not for profit organisation providing services to the public sector, business, and individuals to help them reduce carbon emissions, adapt to climate change and tackle fuel poverty.

USEA will provide training to help you develop your skills, confidence, knowledge and ability to develop your role as a Community Energy Champion as well as offering on-going support throughout the project via email [email protected] and phone 01993 894833.

As Community Energy Champions you will have the opportunity of meeting key staff from your Local Authority area …ADD DETAILS?

What are the steps of the initiative

Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 Phase 4 You register your interest in You are an Feedback and Steps becoming a Training Energy sharing of best Community Champion! practice Energy Champion

You will receive Now is the time training to put into 6 months into the through a 3 practice what project USEA will You complete you have learnt facilitate another the hour workshop. You will receive making best use workshop to give questionnaire of the available you the that will help all the information and resources and opportunity to USEA developing your feedback on what Actions understand your resources that you need to own ideas. On a activities you have knowledge and monthly basis undertaken and interests begin your role. You will also set you will what other your personal feedback on the resources you goals activities you might require. are undertaking

Outputs

USEA develops You begin your training You keep improving, role as an Energy You gain knowledge workshop learning, helping and Champion and experience and improve your skills making a real change

Buckinghamshire Community Energy Champions Network Toolkit

HOW TO USE THE TOOLKIT

This toolkit is designed to give you a broad overview of domestic energy use, energy efficiency but also sustainable transport and renewable energy. It will help you understand what can sometimes be complex energy saving measures, enabling you to provide practical advice and solutions.

We plan to use this Toolkit as a resource of useful information for you to develop your role as a Community Energy Champion. It tends to focus on the essentials but if you are interested in obtaining more detailed information at the end of every section you will find a box with links to websites, videos and other online resources.

The toolkit is divided into 8 sections and 4 annexes. Each section can be used as a standalone source of information but the maximum gain will be obtained by cross-referencing from one section to another as many of the subjects are closely linked.

Buckinghamshire Community Energy Champions Network Toolkit

A GOOD PLACE TO START

CALCULATE YOUR FOOTPRINT

The morning alarm rings, you take a hot shower, brew up a cup of coffee, read a bit from the morning newspaper and hop in the car to get to work on time. Have you ever stopped to consider the total environmental impact involved in each of these daily habits?

Any activity that we undertake, from heating our homes, to the appliances that we use or the car we drive burns fuels to produce energy. An effect of the burning of these fuels is the production of Carbon Dioxide (CO2). The carbon foot-printing tool provided is by no means comprehensive but covers some of the major sources of CO2. Calculating your carbon footprint can be a good way to discover where your CO2 comes from and so where you need to focus your attention to shrink your footprint.

ACTIVITY 1: Go through each section of the calculator with person you are speaking to and help them calculate their carbon footprint by multiplying each value by the conversion factor provided. You can then show them which areas are contributing the most to their footprint and how it can be reduced using the toolkit to give them advice on what activities they can undertake.

NOTE: An electronic version of the carbon foot-printing tool can be downloaded from (ADD LINK WHEN ON WEBSITE). As well as doing the calculations for you the electronic calculator has the added value of creating a very visual and easy to interpret summary of where emissions come from (an example is provided in figure 5) and how they compare to the UK average per capita (4256Kg of CO2) or household (9976Kg of CO2).

Figure 5: Example of Carbon Footprint Calculation Source: USEA’s carbon footprint consumption.

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Further resources and information

Website:  Footprint calculation: http://www.cocoonyourhome.co.uk/section/content/?pageID=128  Ecological footprint: http://radicalsimplicity.org/home.html  Carbon Footprint Calculator: http://carboncalculator.direct.gov.uk/index.html  Steps to make your home more eco-friendly: http://www.greenliving.nicehomelive.com/11- simple-steps-to-make-your-home-more-eco-friendly/  Department of Energy and Climate Change, 2009 Local Authority Carbon Dioxide Figures: http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/statistics/climate_stats/gg_emissions/uk_emissions/ 2009_laco2/2009_laco2.aspx  Carbon Trust Website: http://www.carbontrust.com/news/2012/04/new-research-reveals- young-adults-attitudes-towards-climate-change-and-carbon- footprinting?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter  UK Fuel Poverty strategy, 2009: http://berr.gov.uk/files/file16495.pdf Books:  Radical Simplicity: Small Footprints on a Finite Earth, Jim Merkel  How Bad Are Bananas? The Carbon Footprint of Everything, Mike Berners-Lee, April 2011  The Post Carbon Reader: Managing the 21st Century’s Sustainability Crises, Daniel Lerch, 2010  Fixing Fuel Poverty, challenges and solution; Brenda Boardman, 2009

Videos:  YouTube Carbon Footprint: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aE_4VLWUBu8

Buckinghamshire Community Energy Champions Network Toolkit

HOME ENERGY ADVICE CHECKLIST

If you have calculated your carbon footprint you will have noticed that the energy used to heating your home plays a big part in your energy use. .

When talking to people you can use the Energy Advice checklist below to try to capture key issues linked to home heating and energy use. Having gone through the checklist, advice can be provided using the sections within the toolkit as support.

ACTIVITY 2: Use the Energy advice checklist to capture key issues linked to home heating and energy use and what the possible solutions are.

Energy Advice Checklist

SUBJECT Y N FURTHER DETAILS SECTION 1: HEATING AND HOT WATER

Is the householder using the most appropriate form of heating currently fitted in the home?

Is the householder aware of the comparative cost of fuels for heating/hot water?

If fitted, does the householder know how to use:

- Room thermostat (set to 18°C – 21°C)

- Central Heating/Hot water programmer

- Thermostatic Radiator Valves (TRVs)

- Hot water cylinder thermostat (set to 60°C)

- Boiler Thermostat

- Storage heater controls

If the householder has an electric immersion heater

- Does it have a timer

- is it on economy 7 or other off peak tariff

SECTION 2. LIGHTING AND APPLIANCES

Are running costs of electrical appliances understood?

Are low energy light bulbs used throughout the

Buckinghamshire Community Energy Champions Network Toolkit entire house?

Does the householder understand labels on energy efficient appliances?

SECTION 3. READING METERS AND UNDERSTANDING FUEL BILLS - Paying for fuel to heat home and use appliances -

Does the householder monitor their fuel use

Does the householder understand their fuel bills?

Does the household have a meter and are fuel reading taken and communicated to supplier on a regular basis?

Is the householder aware of the different fuel payment methods?

SECTION 4. TARIFFS, FUEL PAYMENT METHODS AND SWITCHING SUPPLIERS

Is the householder aware of the different tariffs available?

Is the householder aware of the different payment methods available?

Does the household use a green tariff?

If not, does the householder know the benefits of buying energy from a green provider?

Does the householder know how to switch supplier?

SECTION 5. CAVITY WALL, SOLID WALL AND LOFT INSULATION

Does the house have a loft?

Does the house have cavity walls?

Does the house have solid walls?

Does the householder know if the loft and all solid/cavity walls are insulated?

If not does the household know about the recommended insulation levels and options?

SECTION 6. RENEWABLE ENERGY

Is the house using renewable energy sources?

Buckinghamshire Community Energy Champions Network Toolkit

If not does the household know about the different renewable energy options?

Would they consider installing renewable energy sources if they were appropriate?

SECTION 7. SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT

What is the main form of transportation in the household?

Have they ever considered a more sustainable option? (if relevant)

Are they aware of the available local transport resources?

SECTION 8. USEFUL INFORMATION, FINANCIAL HELP AND CONTACTS

Does the household spend more than 10% of their income on energy bills?

If relevant do they require any advice on where to receive financial help?

Now you have an idea of the house characteristics, you can give people advice on what they can do. You will find all the information you need in this toolkit – there are tips in every section that will help you when you are giving advice.

Buckinghamshire Community Energy Champions Network Toolkit

SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS GIVEN (write in)

SECTION 1: HEATING AND HOT WATER

SECTION 2. LIGHTING AND APPLIANCES

SECTION 3. READING METERS AND UNDERSTANDING FUEL BILLS - Paying for fuel to heat home and use appliances -

SECTION 4. TARIFFS, FUEL PAYMENT METHODS AND SWITCHING SUPPLIERS

SECTION 5. CAVITY WALL, SOLID WALL AND LOFT INSULATION

SECTION 6. RENEWABLE ENERGY

SECTION 7. SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT

SECTION 8. USEFUL INFORMATION, FINANCIAL HELP AND CONTACTS

OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS

Buckinghamshire Community Energy Champions Network Toolkit

SECTION 1. SPACE & WATER HEATING SYSTEMS AND THEIR CONTROLS

The three most common types of heating options are central heating, storage heaters and room heaters2. Here you will find a description of the system and their parts.

CENTRAL HEATING: These systems most commonly use a gas-fired boiler and radiators, distributing heat throughout the dwelling. Also included in this definition are warm air systems, electric ceiling/under floor and communal heating. It is generally considered to be a cost effective and relatively efficient method of heating a dwelling, although the cost effectiveness and level of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions will be closely linked to the type of fuel. (See page 15 for extended information)

STORAGE HEATERS These are predominately used in dwellings that have a significantly lower off-peak electricity tariff. Storage heaters use off-peak electricity to store heat in clay bricks or a ceramic material and the stored heat is then released throughout the day. These are more cost effective than fixed or portable room heaters, however storage heating can prove expensive if too much on peak electricity is used during the day (see page 20 for more information).

ROOM HEATERS: This category includes all other types of heaters such as fixed electric or portable electric heaters. This type of heating is generally considered to be the least cost effective of the main systems and produces more CO2 emissions. (See page 21 for more information)

In the pages that follow we provide an overview of the components of the above systems as well as a brief description of their principal controls.

CENTRAL HEATING SYSTEMS

A central heating system provides warmth to the whole interior of a building (or portion of a building) from one point to multiple rooms.

Central heating differs from local heating in that the heat generation occurs in one place, such as a furnace room in a house or a mechanical room in a large building (though not necessarily at the "central" geometric point).

There are two main groups of central heating systems, wet central heating and dry central heating:

2 English House Condition Survey, 2007 - http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/pdf/1617931.pdf 15

1. Wet Central Heating: Where a central boiler heats water which flows around radiators which can also be used to heat your water. Electricity, Oil, natural Gas, LPG, Coal or Wood can be used as fuels. There are regular boilers which heat water in a cylinder and there are “combi” boilers which provide instantaneous hot water.

2. Dry Central Heating: Less common are dry central heating systems such as ducted warm air, electrical element heating and electrical storage heaters. Both air ducting and electrical under floor are typically installed as a property is built or renovated, storage heaters can be installed at any time. Ducted warm air systems use a large furnace fuelled in a variety of ways to heat the air.

Common components of a wet central heating system using water-circulation include:

Timer / Room Radiators & Hot water Boiler Programmer Thermostat TRVs thermostat Thermostat

Figure 6: a typical central heating system Source: EasySave booklet USEA

Generally speaking, a central heating system is the most energy and cost efficient way of heating a home, particularly in the presence of systems using fuels that are burned in a boiler. The type of fuel used will influence both costs and carbon emissions. (To see the differences between CO2 and cost emissions of the different types of energy sources see the information box at the end of the section where you can find links with more information).

Boilers

Fuel (e.g. natural gas, LPG, oil or solid fuel) is burned in a combustion chamber and the heat passes to a heat exchanger. A flue pipe for the exhaust gases leads from the boiler to the outside air. There are three main types of boiler3: conventional, system and combination (also commonly known as ‘combi’ boiler).

3Boiler guide provided at: http://www.uswitch.com/boilers/boiler-guide/ Buckinghamshire Community Energy Champions Network Toolkit

1. Combination boilers Combination or ‘Combi’ boilers are the most popular type of boiler in the UK and provide heat and hot water with no need for water tanks or cylinders. Combination boilers heat water just before it comes out of the tap, rather than storing it in a cylinder. Therefore, if the boiler starts up every time a hot tap is are turned on, then it is likely to be a ‘Combi’. You can also tell if your boiler is a ‘Combi’ if there is not hot water tank and the boiler has five pipes coming out of it – two for the heating system, two for hot water and one for gas.

 Pros: You get unlimited space and water heating on demand; there's no need for a hot water cylinder or a cold water tank in your loft; they don't take up much space. x Cons: The water pressure might be reduced if you need hot water from more than one tap at the same time.

2. System boilers System boilers - also known as sealed systems - come with a hot water cylinder (which usually sits in an airing cupboard) and no cold water tank.

 Pros: There's no need for a cold water tank in your loft; you can get hot water from multiple taps at the same time without a reduction in pressure. x Cons: You don't get hot water instantly; the hot water can run out and you'll have to wait for it to reheat.

3. Conventional boilers Conventional boilers - also known as open vent or regular boilers - have both a hot water cylinder and a cold water tank.

 Pros: you can get hot water from multiple taps at the same time without a reduction in pressure. x Cons: the hot water can run out and you'll have to wait for it to reheat.

 Your boiler will usually have a dial type control on it, usually marked ‘Min’ to ‘Max.’ This sets the temperature of the water from the boiler, which will then go through the radiators to heat the home.  The higher this is set, the quicker and more effectively the system will heat the home. In fact, if this is not set high enough when the outside temperature is very cold then the home may never reach your desired temperature.  As long as you have a room thermostat then it is reasonable to set the boiler thermostat on a high level, letting the room controls do their job. (Note: If there are vulnerable people in the household you may wish to avoid situations where they could

CONTROLS TIPS CONTROLS AND come into contact with very hot radiators or pipework).

Timer/Programmer

A timer or programmer allows you to set the space and water heating system to switch on and off automatically at pre-set times. Timers/programmers vary in levels of sophistication, and can be either analogue or digital (see figures 7 & 8).

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Figure 7 and 8: Analogue and digital programmer Source: EasySave booklet USEA

Analogue Programmer Digital Programmer

Some programmers only allow the user to control the space and water heating systems together, only allowing them to be turned on and off twice a day. Others are much more flexible and enable the user to set up to three on/off periods each day for space and water heating individually and different patterns for every day of the week.

 Check that the clock is telling the right time. You will have to remember to reset it every time the clocks change in the winter or summer, or after a power cut (if it doesn’t have a battery back-up, which most modern ones do).  Set the system to come on about half an hour before you want the house to be warm, and off half an hour before you want it off completely; the house will remain warm for about half an hour after the system switches off.  It is unlikely that you need your space/water heating switched on all of the time so you should try to avoid using the ‘24h/On’ or ‘Off’ settings. If you want to switch the space/water heating on or off outside programmed times it is better to use the

CONTROLS TIPS CONTROLS AND ‘override’ button than to switch to ‘24h/On’.

Room thermostat

A room thermostat reacts to the temperature of the air around it. It is usually in the hall or living room. For the thermostat to work efficiently it should be located in a room where the temperature is typical of the whole house. The thermostat works by switching the circulating pump and / or the boiler on and off, but it is best if it switches both.

Buckinghamshire Community Energy Champions Network Toolkit

 It is recommended that the thermostat be set at between 18°C and 21°C.  You should set it as near to 18°C as is comfortable, but stick to 21°C if you are not very active.  Each 1°C reduction in setting within the 18 – 21°C range can save you up to 10%

on annual heating costs. CONTROLS TIPS CONTROLS AND

Radiators & TRVs

TRVs allow you to keep different rooms at different temperatures and are fitted to the radiators. They work by opening or closing the valve controlling the flow of hot water through the radiator. If you have a room thermostat as well as TRVs you should not have TRVs on the radiators in the same room as the room thermostat. In any case there should always be a radiator left without a TRV to avoid damage to the circulating pump. A low setting on a TRV gives a low radiator temperature.

When your heating system is switched off for a long time - such as over the summer- you should set your TRVs at their highest setting to stop them seizing closed. If you do not have thermostatic radiator valves you can still turn a radiator off by closing the ordinary radiator valve.

 If your radiators never get hot enough to heat your home adequately when turned on full and the temperature across each radiator is even, then your boiler thermostat is probably set too low.  If your radiators are cold at the top then there is probably air trapped in them and you should ‘bleed’ them (letting out any air that has become trapped inside) for more information on how to bleed a radiator see (http://www.uswitch.com/heating/how-to-bleed-a-radiator/)

 If they are cold at the bottom it suggests sludge that needs flushing out. CONTROLS TIPS CONTROLS AND

Domestic water heating

Domestic water heating may be provided from a central heating boiler or through a separate heating system (for example an electric immersion heater).

Buckinghamshire Community Energy Champions Network Toolkit

1. Hot water cylinder linked with central heating4 When there is a wet central heating system in a dwelling it is common to obtain hot water from the same boiler. The outlet pipe from the boiler generally splits two ways, one to the radiators and the other to a heat exchanger in a hot water storage cylinder. A valve diverts the water to one circuit or the other sharing the water from the boiler between the two.

2. Separate water heating system Within separate water heating systems the water is heated either by gas or electric, for example through an electric immersion heater which is an electric heating element located inside a hot water storage cylinder.

 Most hot water cylinders have a thermostat. The Energy Saving Trust recommends this should be set at 60 - 65°C. This is hot enough to kill off harmful bacteria in the water.  To retain as much heat as possible the cylinder should have at least 75 mm of insulation.  A timer should be fitted to the immersion heater to control when it switches on and off.  If water is to be heated by electricity it is advisable to use one of the “off peak”

CONTROLS TIPS CONTROLS AND tariffs such as Economy 7 to heat the water overnight in the cheaper periods.

STORAGE HEATERS

Electric Storage heaters Storage heaters are insulated boxes containing bricks with electric elements running through them. When the elements are switched on the bricks heat up (this is called ‘charging’ the heater). Storage heaters charge up on off-peak electricity.

The insulation keeps most of this heat in the box. At the top of the box is a flap, which can be opened to let the heat out. The more this flap is opened, the faster the heat can escape from the heater into the room.

Although storage heaters are insulated, quite a lot of heat leaks out and so it is not possible to stop a heater giving off heat once it has been charged up.

Most storage heaters have two controls: an Input (sometimes called ‘Charge’ or ‘Auto-set control’) and an Output (sometimes called ‘Boost’ or ‘Room temperature’). Some storage heaters encompass an on-peak convector heater. If this is the case, be careful to identify which controls operate each part; the convector will have an on/off switch and a temperature control, and may also have a time clock.

 Input: This controls how much heat is stored in the heater and therefore how much electricity it uses. A thermostat inside the heater measures the temperature of the bricks and

4 Energy Advice Handbook, Energy Inform Ltd 2004 20

Buckinghamshire Community Energy Champions Network Toolkit

turns off the electricity supply when the selected setting is reached. On its lowest setting a small amount of heat is stored in the heater, this setting might be in the spring or early autumn or in a cool summer. On its highest setting the maximum amount of heat possible is stored. To stop the heater storing any heat, switch it off at the wall.

 Output: This opens and closes the flap at the top of the heater. On its lowest setting heat leaves the heater slowly. On its highest setting heat leaves the heater quickly and so the heat stored is used up faster.

Some heaters have an automatic output control where a thermostat controls the opening and closing of the damper flap. Some may have an electric fan which makes heat leave the heater quicker.

Some electricity companies have a service where they can automatically charge your storage heaters remotely according to the weather forecast in your area.

 Turn down the “output” control before you go to bed to stop heat being given out when you don’t want it.  If your room is cold, turn up the “output” control until the room warms up  When the room is warm, turn down the “output” control to save the heat for later in the day.  As the weather gets warmer and you need less heat, turn down the “input” control to store less energy in the heater and therefore use less electricity.  If your house is warm enough in the summer, turn the heaters off at the wall and back on again when it starts to get cold.  It should cost less to heat your home with storage heaters than by electric fires CONTROLS TIPS CONTROLS AND because storage heaters use cheaper off-peak electricity.

ROOM HEATERS

Portable heating is a very inefficient way of heating a room so their use is recommended only when no other form of heating is available or if temperatures pose a risk to health (if for example the temperature within the room falls below 15oC).

Further resources and information Website:  Carbon emissions of different fuels. Represent figures for the carbon or carbon dioxide emitted by full combustion of each fuel, per unit of energy: http://www.biomassenergycentre.org.uk/portal/page?_pageid=75,163182&_dad=portal&_sch ema=PORTAL  Website were you can find information about energy: http://www.confusedaboutenergy.co.uk/  Electricity guide. User friendly guide that would give you information and some tips about how to use electricity: http://www.electricity-guide.org.uk/  Step by step guide on how to bleed radiators: http://www.uswitch.com/heating/how-to-bleed- a-radiator/  Electric heaters information: http://www.marbleheaters.co.uk/electrician/england/

Buckinghamshire Community Energy Champions Network Toolkit

SECTION 2. LIGHTING AND APPLIANCES

Electricity for lights and appliances in dwellings can account for a significant proportion of the total household’s energy demand. Figure 9 gives you an idea of electricity consumption in a typical UK home.

Figure 9: Electricity in typical UK home (excluding electric heating) Source: USEA graph made with information from the Rough guide to Community

Other Diswashers & 3% Washing machines Lighting 15% 18%

Consumer Fridges&freezers electronics 16% 19%

Computing & Cooking appliances Comunication 13% 16%

This section will provide you with information on saving energy used for lighting and appliances. The activity below is a good place to start.

ACTIVITY 3: Hand out the Energy Saving Quiz and test people’s knowledge on energy saving. This can be a good way of getting people to think about how much energy their lighting and appliances use. How well have they done? Here we give you the questions with the right answers highlighted in yellow

Energy Saving Quiz

1. How much would you have to turn your heating thermostat down by to save 10% off your annual heating bill?

A) 1°C B) 3°C C) 5°C

2. What percentage of an average home’s annual electricity bill is due to appliances being left on stand-by?

A) 2-3% B) 8-10% C) 14-16%

3. Setting your washing machine to 30°C instead of 60°C would save you how much electricity per typical wash?

A) 20% B) 30% C) 40%

Buckinghamshire Community Energy Champions Network Toolkit

4. Replacing a 100W light bulb with its low energy equivalent will save you how much electricity over the life time of the low energy bulb?

A) Around £15 B) Around £50 C) Around £100

5. Which is the most energy efficient way to cook/heat a meal?

A) Microwave oven B) Gas oven C) Electric oven

6. How many low-energy light bulbs would each UK household need to install to save enough energy to power all the street lighting in Britain?

A) 3 per household B) 5 per household C) 7 per household

7. How much money could be saved per year across the UK if home appliances weren’t left on stand-by?

A) Around £500k B) Around £1m C) Around £1b

8. An average twohour dryer cycle uses the equivalent energy of a 20W low energy light bulb burning for how many hours?

A) 5 hours B) 50 hours C) 500 hours

9. How many dinners can be cooked with the energy wasted by a PC monitor left on overnight?

A) 2 B) 6 C) 10

10. The energy we use at work in the UK causes how much carbon dioxide emissions per person per year?

A) 5 kg B) 5 tonnes C) 50 tonnes

11. A PC left on 24 hours a day causes how much CO2 to be emitted per year?

A) 1 Kg B) 100 Kg C) 1 Tonne

12. How much can the average family save per year by undertaking energy efficient measures?

A) £20 B) £200 C) £1000

13. Which of the following uses the most energy?

A) Electric tooth brush B) Television C) Electric Heater

14. What temperature should your water cylinder thermostat be set at? A) 60°C B) 70°C C) 80°C

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LIGHTING

On average lighting accounts for 18% of the electricity consumption of a typical UK house. In a bulb, electricity is converted into light, but also into heat. The efficiency of the bulb depends on how well the bulb converts electricity to light. In this section we will give you an overview of all the main types of bulbs and information on how to decide which is the most appropriate.

1. Overview of most common bulbs:

 LEDs- Light emitting diode. They are extremely low wattage, tend to last a lot longer than other types and give out a bright white light. They do however tend to be more expensive.

 CFLs-Compact Fluorescent lamp. Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) use 75-80% less electricity than old-fashioned tungsten bulbs and last up to 12 times longer. A CFL replacement for a 100W bulb will save up to £60 of electricity over its lifetime. If typically used for 2 hours a day a CFL will pay for itself in under a year.

 Tungsten Halogen –These are only suitable for spotlighting or task lighting and should not be used for general lighting. They are at least 50% more efficient that tungsten bulbs and last about 3 times as long.

 Tungsten/Filament bulbs Only about 5% of the electricity used by old-fashioned filament bulbs becomes light - the rest is lost as heat which can cause discolouration of light fittings, walls and ceilings. Dimming an ordinary filament bulb to 50% of its full output will cut its energy use by about 40% and will also extend the life of the bulb.

2. Information on how to decide which bulb is right for you: When choosing a light bulb, there are 3 main things to consider:

 Colour temperature: The colour of the bulb is measured as a temperature on the Kelvin scale (K). A lower K value emits a warm, yellowish light and creates a cosy mood. A higher K value means the light is bluer in appearance and creates a cooler, more energizing mood. It is recommended you choose a warmer colour for living spaces and a cooler colour for kitchens, bathrooms and outdoor spaces.

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Figure 10 typical wattage conversions for compact fluorescent lights Source: n:vivion

 Wattage: The wattage of a bulb indicates the amount of energy used by the bulb, the higher the wattage the higher the energy used! Here you have a comparison between the wattage of the different types of lights. When buying a compact fluorescent light bulb, choose a wattage that's about one-fourth of what you usually buy (incandescent bulbs). The Figure below shows some typical wattage conversions for compact fluorescent lights (CFLs). More information at: http://www.nvisioncfl.com/products.aspx

 Lumens: While watts measure the energy used, lumens measure the bulb's light output - more lumens, more light; less watts, less energy! So when choosing your bulb look at the lumens rather than the watts.

The table below offers a brief summary on the different types of lights.

Energy Average Lumens Colour Temperature Life Span Efficiency per watt (LPW) Warm to full spectrum (high blue LED Best 70 20 years to white colours) Warm to full spectrum (high blue CFL Better 46 4 years to white colours) Halogen Good Warm 26 1 year Incandescent Poor Yellow, Warm 13 6 months

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Possible savings from lighting

Depending on the amount of use, replacing just one old-fashioned tungsten light bulb with a compact fluorescent light bulb could save you on average around £3 a year and as much as £8 for brighter bulbs (or those used for more hours a day). Because it will last around 10 times longer than a standard bulb, on average it will save you around £55 before it needs replacing. Replacing an average halogen spotlight with an equivalent LED bulb will save you around £4 per year. If you fit all the lights in your house with energy efficient bulbs, you could save around £55 a year – £870 over the lifetime of all of the bulbs5.

ACTIVITY 4: Find out what type of bulbs are currently being used in the house and see how efficient they are. Do you think it would be worth changing them? More information can be found in the activity sheet.

 Turn off the lights when leaving a room or when they are not needed. This is one of the easiest ways to save energy.  Use the lowest wattage bulb that gives the light you need;  Make use of daylight, keep windows clean and keep furniture away from windows;  Where lights are left on for long periods, and are not on a dimmer switch, fit energy efficient light bulbs;

 A room decorated with pale colours needs a lower total lamp wattage to light it than a dark coloured room;  When buying a light fitting or shade check what wattage and shape of bulb it will take;  Dimming an old fashioned filament bulb usually saves energy;  A fluorescent strip light is cheaper to run than filament bulbs giving the same light.  Compact-fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) use up to 80% less energy than equivalent incandescent bulbs and they also last much longer. Each one can reduce the household’s electricity bills by up to £100 over its lifetime. Modern CFLs produce plenty of attractive CONTROLS TIPS CONTROLS AND light, and are available in most shapes, including candles and some halogen fittings. Some are dimmable, too.  Halogen floodlights should only be on for short bursts - if left on all night, they can cost a small fortune in electricity;  LED bulbs are even more efficient than CFLs and are already available to replace halogen spotlights. The brightest models are still relatively expensive but they save money in the long run.  Fit energy saving bulbs in outside lights that are on all night.

5 These savings are based on replacing old fashioned GLS light bulbs with efficient compact fluorescent bulbs and replacing halogen spotlights with even more efficient LEDs. The cost of replacement bulbs has been allowed for, and a factor has been applied to account for the heat replacement effect. 26

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APPLIANCES

Using appliances more efficiently as well as choosing the most efficient models when it comes to buying new appliances can make a big difference (saving money in the long term and reduce carbon emissions). Fridges and freezers, for example, work harder than any other kitchen appliance and are on 24 hours a day. An energy efficient fridge freezer uses around 60% less energy to do the same job as a 10 year old model6.

Energy Labelling

When buying a new appliance, there are two key energy labels to look out for:

 The Energy Saving Trust Recommended logo that can only be used on the most energy efficient products, usually the top 20% of those available.

 The EU energy label. This was introduced in 1995 and applies to light bulbs, cars and most electrical appliances (e.g. refrigerators, stoves, washing machines). The European Energy Label is compulsory on the following products:

 Household fridges and freezers  Washing machines, tumble dryers and washer-dryers  Dishwashers  Air conditioners  Electric ovens  Light bulbs  Televisions

The energy efficiency of the product is rated in energy levels ranging from A to G. 'A' stands for the most energy efficient and 'G' for the least energy efficient. Apart from the color-coded classification there is also other information on the energy label. E.g. for washing machines the energy efficiency scale is calculated using a cotton cycle at 60 °C (140 °F) with a maximum declared load. This load is typically 6 kg. The energy efficiency index is in kWh per kilogramme of washing.

A washing machine energy label will also contain information on:  Total consumption per cycle  Washing performance – with a class from A to G  Spin drying performance – with a class from A to G  Maximum spin speed  The total cotton capacity in kg  Water consumption per cycle in litres  Noise in the washing and spinning cycles dB(A)

6 http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Environmentandgreenerliving/Energyandwatersaving/Energyandwaterefficiencyiny ourhome/DG_064375 27

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For tumble dryers the energy efficiency scale is calculated using the cotton drying cycle with a maximum declared load. The energy efficiency index is in kWh per kilogramme of load. Different scales apply for condenser and vented dryers.

Recently, the qualification A+ and A++ were introduced for refrigerated appliances.

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The Energy Rating label enables consumers to compare the energy efficiency of appliances and is also seen as an incentive for manufacturers to improve the energy performance of their products.

Possible Appliance savings 7

The savings below are based on replacing an average appliance purchased new in 1999 with an Energy Saving Trust Recommended model of similar size.

Appliance EU energy rating Annual saving Annual carbon dioxide (up to) saving (up to) Fridge freezer A+ or A++ £40 135kg Upright or chest A+ or A++ £26 90kg freezer Refrigerator A+ or A++ £17 55kg Dishwasher A £7 25kg

Leaving appliances on standby

Although some devices in standby mode use as little as one watt (that is 3000 times less than a modern kettle) others use almost as much in standby as they do in use. Given how many devices are left on standby in the average home, this energy “leakage” is usually estimated to add up to around 5% of the electricity consumed in the typical home. Getting into the habit of turning appliances off at the wall, perhaps with the help of standby saving such as TV and computer Power Downs can take a small but not insignificant chunk out of a home’s electricity bills.

CONTROLS AND TIPS

 As a general rule switching off and unplugging appliances at the wall when not in use will save the energy used by lights and displays.

Cooking

 Use a small ring or low flame for small pans and use lids on pans;  Use a pressure cooker, steamer or slow cooker instead of an ordinary pan - they are more efficient;  Set the oven to the temperature you need and no higher;  Don’t overfill pans or kettles – you waste energy heating extra water;  Once a pan is boiling turn the hob down low to simmer;  For toast, use a toaster instead of the grill;  If you have a small top oven use it instead of the main oven for smaller items;  Avoid opening the door of the oven while it is in use and replace any damaged door seals;  If you have an electric hob make sure the bases of your pans are flat and in contact with the rings;  Boil water in an electric kettle rather than in a pan or kettle on an electric hob.

7 http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/Info/Our-calculations 29

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What kind of cooker? Electric vs. Gas Microwaves Fan Ovens Cooking food costs around Microwaves use 70 - 90% Fan ovens use about 20% 33p an hour in an electric less electricity than less electricity than oven or 18p in a gas oven. conventional ovens. conventional ovens.

Fridges and Freezers

 Make sure there is plenty of ventilation space at the back and top of your fridge or freezer;  Keep the cooling fins at the back of the appliance clean;  Site your fridge/freezer in a cool place; out of direct sun and away from the cooker and boiler;  Check the temperature using a fridge thermometer. Fridges should be 0ºC to 4ºC, freezers -18ºC (****) to -5ºC (*);  Use the temperature control on fridges and freezers to keep the temperature right: the higher the setting, the lower the temperature;  Don’t put warm or hot items in a fridge/freezer;  Keep the door shut;  Defrost regularly - the more ice, the more electricity used;  Replace damaged door seals, they let heat in;  Take food out of the freezer in plenty of time to allow it to defrost without using a microwave;  Try to keep your fridge/freezer three quarters full – this is most efficient.

Washing Machine

A few simple actions can cut your energy and water use:  When choosing a washing machine, look for a machine that uses less than 50 litres per wash;  Washing clothes at 30oCsaves energy, and today's detergents wash just as well at low temperatures;  Run washing machines with full loads, as a half load uses more than half the energy and water of a full load;  Cleaning filters regularly keeps appliances running efficiently;  Use short wash cycles when clothes aren’t visibly dirty;  Use the spin function to help dry washing before using a tumble dryer.

Dishwasher

 Look for a dishwasher that uses less than 15 litres per wash.  Run the dishwasher with a full load, as a half load uses more than half the energy and water of a full load.

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Dryer

Taking steps to dry your clothes more efficiently will help save energy and money:  When possible, dry your clothes outside or on a clothes rack.  If you use the dryer, fill it each time, rather than putting on a number of small loads.  Dryers use up to three times the energy to dry clothes as to wash them.  Clean filters regularly

Further resources and information

Website:  Energy saving calculator and more information about lighting: http://www.nvisioncfl.com/savings-calculator.aspx  Explanation of EU energy Efficiency labels: http://www.which.co.uk/energy/saving-money/guides/energy-labels-explained/eu- energy-efficiency-labels/

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SECTION 3. READING METERS AND UNDERSTANDING FUEL BILLS

Gas and electricity meters are fitted in homes so as to be able to measure how much fuel the household has used, and therefore how much it needs to be charged. The newest meters display a large amount of information and can be read remotely, however the majority of meters still have to be read in person. This section will cover the following topics:

 The different types of meters and how to read them  The information included in gas and electricity bills

Why is it important to read your meter? Keeping a close eye on your meter reading can have many benefits:  Being aware of how much fuel is being used, to aid budgeting;  Check estimated fuel bills for accuracy;  Check the amount of fuel used when different heating or hot water use strategies are being tried out.

TYPES OF METERS AND HOW TO READ THEM

Standard gas meters and standard electricity meters are the most common types of meters in homes across the UK. The most common form of standard meters are electromechanical induction meters. These count the number of revolutions on an aluminium disc, which rotates at a speed that is proportional to the power used. You can find the information in imperial or metric units (see figure 11).

Figure 11: Imperial and gas meter displays

There are three different types of electromechanical induction meters which display the readings in different ways - they are standard, digital and dial meters8.

1. Standard gas and standard electricity meter Both standard gas meters and standard electricity meters use a mechanical display with numbers. When reading your electricity meter or reading your gas meter you must work from left to right recording any black numbers and ignoring any red numbers if present.

2. Digital gas and digital electricity meter Digital meters are arguably the most straightforward. You simply read the first five figures on the digital display. The sixth number (usually in a box or coloured red) is only a tenth of a unit and should not be read. Make sure to record the five numbers even if the first on is a zero, for example - 08456.

8 http://www.moneysupermarket.com/gas-and-electricity/meters/ 32

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3. Dial gas meter and dial electricity meter

Figure 12: Dial Meters Source: Easy Save booklet USEA

Dial meters are a little more complicated. You should read the numbers displayed on each dial from left to right but ignore a final red dial if it is present. If the needle on the dial is positioned between two figures then it is the figure it has just past that should be noted down (in Fig A you would write down the number 4). You should also adjust the reading to account for any variations - for example if the dial is directly over a figure, (in Fig B you would write down the number 5), you should note that down and underline it. Then If the pointer on the next dial falls between 9 and 0, reduce the underlined figure (the reading already taken for the dial on the left) by one - for example, if you originally recorded 5, reduce this to 4.

We can add another type of meter named Variable rate meters. Also called “economy 7″ meters because they are used for economy 7 tariffs that many suppliers offer. Variable rate meters operate on the same principle as standard meters, except they give two readings: one for daytime (on peak, called normal) electricity usage, and one for night-time (off peak, called low) electricity usage.

This allows the supplier to charge you a different (usually cheaper) rate for electricity used at night time under the economy 7 tariff.

INFORMATION INCLUDED IN GAS AND ELECTRICITY BILLS9

Energy consumption is defined in terms of watts and hours. If a 100 watt light bulb is used for ten hours, then the power consumed is 1000 watt hours. For ease we refer to 1000 watt hours as 1 kilowatt hour (kWh) and this is the standard unit that appears on our electricity bills.

Gas bills normally specify the number of cubic metres of gas consumed but also convert the figure into kWh. Once you move up from the domestic scale, kilowatts and kilowatt hours start to give way to megawatts (MW) and megawatt hours (MWh). The “M” makes everything 1000 times bigger – so a wind turbine rated at 2MW running at full power should produce 2000 units each hour. At the time of writing, typical prices (including standing charges) are 4p per kWh for gas and 14p per kWh for electricity.

9 http://www.uswitch.com/gas-electricity/how-to-read-your-energy-bill/ 33

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Each year, an average three bedroom semi-detached house uses around 15,000kWh for space heating, 5000kWh for water heating and 3000kWh for lighting and appliances, costing a total of more than £ 1000. This results in around six tonnes of CO₂ emissions – or even more if you factor in the extraction, processing and delivery of the fuels to the home or power station.

ACTIVITY 5:.Use the information below or use a bill that the householder has to go through the information provided

SAMPLE

1. Any contact details you need to get in touch with your energy supplier will be provided. 2. You'll usually find your customer reference number or account number on the front of your bill. This is your unique identifier should you need to contact your supplier. 3. This is the date your bill was issued. 4. The bill period shows you the dates your energy bill relates to. 5. This is the date and amount of the last payment you made to your energy supplier. 6. This is the total cost of the energy you've used in this period before VAT is added. 7. VAT at a standard level of 5% will be added to your bill here.

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8. This is the final total of your bill and is the amount you need to pay your energy supplier. 9. Any additional information that your supplier wishes to show you will often appear on the front of the bill. 10. Your electricity supply number will appear in this box format - however it will often appear very small so you might need to look for it carefully.

11. This is your meter point reference number, which you will need if you choose to switch your gas plan. This is sometimes referred to as an MPRN; 12. Your current plan name will often be shown on your bill but if it isn't displayed you may need to contact your supplier to find out what it is;

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13. A detailed breakdown of your energy usage is provided, including the kilowatt hours (kWh) used, the cost per kilowatt hour and your latest meter readings. You can also find out here if your meter readings are estimated or actual and the dates they were taken or estimated; 14. You'll be given a contact number to call if you have any specific requirements such as large print or braille bills; 15. A payment slip is provided if you wish to pay your bill at the bank or by post.

IDEA: Energy monitors might be available from your local council. They can be used to monitor energy use within the household

ADD PICTURE AND DETAILS OF HOW TO OBTAIN THE MONITOR IF AVAILABLE LAs

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SECTION 4. TARIFFS, FUEL PAYMENT METHODS AND SWITCHING SUPPLIERS

TARIFFS

Electricity and gas are supplied to domestic customers under a number of tariffs10. The most common are described below:

1. Online tariffs Almost all energy providers now offer paperless, online-only tariffs. Instead of a paper bill each month, you receive an email when your payment is due. If you pay by direct debit you won’t need to do anything, if not you can log into your account online to pay your bill. Managing your account online enables you to edit payment details and even enter your own meter readings.

2. Single fuel tariffs Getting your gas and electricity from separate suppliers can be more expensive than buying from a single supplier. Substantial savings are more likely to be made by moving to a duel fuel plan, but a full comparison for your postcode is suggested to be sure.

3. Dual fuel tariffs In a bid to encourage customer loyalty, most major suppliers offer a dual fuel tariffs with price reductions and discounts available to customers who take both their gas and electricity from the same company. Dual fuel tariffs also allow clients to have just one bill and one direct debit to deal with each month, going out to the same company. Because of the discounts offered, dual fuel tariffs are usually the cheapest option for many customers. However that’s not always the case so a full search to see what’s on offer at your postcode is recommended.

4. Capped prices Capped or fixed price tariffs work by guaranteeing that your monthly or quarterly bills won’t rise for a set amount of time. However, your price guarantee could cost you since capped tariffs can cost more per unit of energy than other plans that could fluctuate. Capped prices can be cost effective in the long run if prices go up.

5. Economy 7 Economy 7 tariffs use a two-tier meter, one to measure energy use at a higher rate during the day, and one to measure use during the cheaper “economy” hours at night. The times associated with the two tiers will vary between energy suppliers. Economy 7 customers pay a lower rate for their energy over seven night time hours to ease pressure on the national grid during the day when most people are boiling kettles, doing their washing and watching TV.

6. Economy 10 Economy 10 follows the same principal of the traditional economy 7 tariff but provides 10 hours of off peak electricity usage.

10 Energy Advice Handbook, Energy Inform Ltd 2004 37

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The hours for the economy 10 tariff are split into three tariff periods (rather than 2 as with economy 7) as follows: 3 hours in the afternoon, 2 hours in the evening, 5 hours over night. As with economy 7 the actual designated times when this tariff is effective varies from supplier to supplier so if you want to investigate this tariff then it is best to check with your provider to see if they can provide it for you and what the times for the reduced rates are.

FUEL PAYMENT METHODS

The two main ways to pay for electricity and gas are Credit and Prepayment.  Credit – this is how most people pay for fuel. The amount of fuel used is measured by a meter as it enters the home and the householder receives a bill which can be paid in various ways (online direct debit, standard direct debit, paying by cash or cheque).  Prepayment – by means of tokens, smart cards or keys. The fuel is paid for as it enters and is used in the home.

Prepayment meters and standard credit are the most expensive ways to pay for energy, while paying by direct debit often accesses the cheapest rates and is also the most convenient as it allows residents to budget more effectively and spread the payments over the year, rather than ending up with high bills in the winter.

Energy companies often offer discounts to customers who can manage their account online, so online direct debit is proving even cheaper than standard direct debits.

Figure 13: Fuel Payment Methods Source: USEA

SWITCHING SUPPLIERS

Key points: 1. Use a free, impartial comparison service, online/phone such as www.cocoonyourhome.co.uk/energy 2. Will be required to give a few details about the property and current usage 3. Use old bills to make the results more accurate 4. Look for a gas and electricity tariff if possible 5. Can help those using storage heaters obtain better deals

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Using an impartial comparison service will provide you with a comprehensive list of suppliers in your area. When you do this they will ask for a few details about your property, e.g. how is it heated? They will also ask about current energy use, you can use old bills to get this information.

The switching process 1. Choose a new supplier 2. The paperwork is handled by the new and old suppliers 3. The transfer can take up to six weeks 4. The new supplier will keep the resident updated and confirm the switch date 5. The old supplier will send a final bill – pay this and cancel any direct debits 6. Take a meter reading on the switch date and give it to both suppliers

Useful to know: 1. Fixed term tariff charges – some companies may charge to end a contract early, particularly with a fixed rate tariff. 2. Cost of changing to a standard meter – some companies charge for changing from a prepayment meter to a standard meter. 3. You are not able to switch suppliers if you owe the energy company money. You would have to clear the debt before switching suppliers.

Green Suppliers Most energy suppliers offer 'green' electricity tariffs. These seek to support renewable energy. The two main types of offering are green supply tariffs and green funds.

1. Green tariffs A green tariff means that some or all of the electricity you buy is 'matched' by purchases of renewable energy that your energy supplier makes on your behalf. These could come from a variety of renewable energy sources such as wind farms and hydroelectric power stations. Your supplier should let you know what sources are included in the mixture, and also what proportion of your supply is renewable.

Many green tariffs state that your supply is renewable but they simply assign some of the renewable energy they are already required to supply to you, while reducing the amount of renewable energy they provide to other customers. This does not increase the amount of renewables in the overall energy mix.

Some companies will guarantee that a proportion of the renewable energy they are purchasing (and you are buying) is 'additional' i.e. it is above and beyond what suppliers are already required to produce. This creates an additional incentive to develop new generating capacity and so could lead to increased renewable generation and reduced carbon dioxide emissions.

2. Green funds A green fund usually involves paying a premium to contribute to a fund that will be used to support new renewable energy developments. Under this option, the existing electricity supply continues as normal, but your involvement could help to alter the mixture of energy sources in future toward renewable sources (depending on the type of tariff).

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The new generation projects supported may also receive support under existing government support schemes.

Further resources and information Websites:  Cocoon your home information about how to save energy: http://www.cocoonyourhome.co.uk/section/?sectionID=33  Information about Dual fuel, Electricity and gas: http://www.gocompare.com/gas-and-electricity/  Energy Saving Trust information about green electricity:  http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/In-your-home/Your-energy-supply/Buying-green-electricity

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SECTION 5. CAVITY WALL, SOLID WALL AND LOFT INSULATION

Making sure our homes are not losing heat is one of the most cost effective ways to reduce energy use and therefore reduce carbon emissions and energy bills. Here are some of the available options.

LOFT INSULATION

Homes with loft insulation of 10cm or less should definitely consider topping it up to at least 27cm – the current minimum requirement for new build properties. Doing so can save 1 tonne of CO₂ per year and reduce heating bills by a fifth. Best of all, the materials are inexpensive and can usually be installed quickly and with minimal disruption – all of which makes loft insulation a great area for community groups to look at.

Figure 14 shows the difference between an insulated and an uninsulated house; the exact figures vary from building to building.

Figure 14: Heat Loss Comparison Source: USEA

CAVITY WALL INSULATION

Most homes built in or after the 1930s have cavity walls (an inner and outer wall with a gap in between). You can usually spot cavity walls as they’re relatively thick - around 30cm, compared to about 23cm for a typical solid wall.

The pattern of the brickwork can also be a useful clue. As figure 15 shows, with cavity walls, each brick is equally wide, whereas with solid walls many bricks will be placed sideways on and appear half as wide.

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Figure 15: Typical Brick Patterns

How much could you save?11

Loft top-up Loft top-up (0 – 60 mm pre-existing) (60+ mm pre-existing) to 270mm to 270mm

Annual saving per year (£) Around £145 Around £40

Installed cost (£) Free for a standard Around £150 insulation

Installed payback If free N/A Around 3 to 4 years

DIY cost £50 - £350 £50 - £350

DIY payback Up to 3 years 1 to 9 years

CO2 saving per year Around 730kg Around 210kg

For homes with cavity walls, making sure the cavity is full of insulating material is usually a no brainer. Filling an empty cavity can lead to huge energy savings for a fairly small initial outlay and it is a quick job that causes minimal disruption. Holes are drilled in the building’s external wall and insulation material is injected into the cavity.

ACTIVITY 6: If you aren’t sure whether your cavity walls have already been insulated, look for small circular marks left by the drilling process, or get a local insulation company to come and take a look. www.cocoonyourhome.co.uk can be a good place to compare local cavity wall and loft insulation prices including grants – it might even be free!

11 These are estimates based on insulating a gas-heated, semi-detached home with three bedrooms 42

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SOLID WALL INSULATION

Around a third of the UK’s homes were built before 1930 and have solid rather than cavity walls. It is usually more costly and labour intensive to insulate this kind of wall, but for some homeowners it will be the most effective step they could take to reduce their home’s carbon footprint. Solid wall insulation can be applied on the inside or the outside of the walls.

Internal wall insulation is done by fitting rigid insulation boards to the wall or by building a stud wall filled in with mineral wool fibre. There are two ways to insulate a solid wall internally – with rigid insulation boards, or a stud wall.

Stud wall insulation is thicker than rigid insulation boards, so it will reduce the size of your room more. But a stud wall is strong enough to hold heavy fittings such as kitchen units, radiators or wash basins. Insulation boards need fixings that go through them and into the wall behind.

External wall insulation involves paying someone to add a thick layer of insulating render (up to 10cm deep) to the outside walls. This can be very pricy if done in isolation, though if the walls need repair anyway the marginal cost may be as low as £1800 for a medium sized home. Of course, exterior insulation will drastically change the look of a building which may rule it out for properties located in conservation areas. The final finish can be flat (wet render), pebble- dashed or, for an extra cost, clad in wood, brick slip, clay or aluminium.

The following table contains relevant information about the difference between internal and external insulation.

Type of solid wall Total cost Carbon dioxide saved per Saving per year insulation including installation year Internal Around £445 £5,500 to £8,500 1.8 tonnes External Around £475 £9,400 to £13,000 1.9 tonnes

OTHER TYPES OF INSULATION

Draught proofing

Draught proofing is affordable, effective and usually manageable without professional help. There are many different sources of draughts and heat leakage, some of which are easier to sort out than others. Start off with the obvious measures, such as:

1. Use chimney balloons or specially designed panels to stop heat leaking through fireplaces. Be sure to clearly mark any blocked chimneys, however, to ensure that no one tries to light a fire. 2. Add weather strips to windows, external doors and loft hatches. 3. Use caulk or sealant to fill gaps under skirting boards, around window frames and anywhere else where heat could escape. 43

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Double-glazing Single-glazed windows, or even old and broken double-glazing, can be a significant source of heat loss, especially in homes that have lots of windows and doors. New windows are usually a relative expensive way to save energy but they’re well worth considering for homes that can afford it. Whatever type of windows a homeowner wants they should look out for models with a good energy efficiency rating.

Floor insulation

Some homes lose as much heat to the ground as they do through the windows. For houses with wooden floors on the ground level insulating is simple: some boards are temporarily taken up and the insulation is rolled or blown between the joists. Things are trickier for homes with solid floors. Sheets of insulating material are placed on the underlying concrete with chipboard and a finishing layer on top. The floor will be raised which will mean shortening doors and raising skirting boards. Insulating a concrete floor will increase the speed at which rooms warm up after the heating is switched on.

Further resources and information Website:  More information for insulation: http://www.cocoonyourhome.co.uk/section/content/?pageID=213  More information about insulation from energy saving trust: http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/In-your-home/Roofs-floors-walls-and- windows/Solid-wall-insulation

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SECTION 6. RENEWABLE ENERGY

ELECTRICITY GENERATING SYSTEMS

There are a number of technologies which can be installed in order to generate electricity from renewable sources of energy, such as the wind and sun. Solar photovoltaic panels (PV) are by far the most popular electricity generating technology to be installed at a domestic level. Wind turbines, micro-hydro and anaerobic digestion are better suited for community generation.

Combined with a large battery, any of these technologies could theoretically be used to enable a domestic building or a whole community to become self-sufficient in their electricity usage. In practice however, that would probably be very expensive and far less environmentally friendly than connecting the system to the national electricity grid. Grid connected systems enable a home or community to automatically feed any excess electricity into the grid, reducing the need for fossil fuel electricity generation elsewhere and earning extra income for the owner of the system. Also, when the system isn’t generating enough electricity to meet the demands of the end user, electricity can be imported from the grid.

Feed-in Tariffs (FITs) On the 1st April 2010 the UK joined many other nations, such as Spain and Germany, in implementing a Feed-in Tariffs (FITs) scheme. FITs replaced the Low Carbon Buildings Programme as the UK Government’s support mechanism for small scale low and zero carbon electricity generation.

Eligible electricity generating systems, less than 5MW in size, will:  Receive a fixed payment for each unit of electricity generated, regardless of how it is used (generation tariff). This rate will change over time for new entrants to the scheme, but once you join you will continue to receive the same generation tariff for 20 years, or 25 years in the case of solar PV.  Receive an additional payment per unit of electricity exported to grid (export tariff).  Benefit from avoided electricity costs where the electricity generated is used onsite.

Owners of domestic systems do not pay tax on the earned income. FITs payments are paid by energy suppliers and in order to be eligible, the system must be installed by an MCS (Microgeneration Certification Scheme) certificated installing company. A full list of certificated installing companies can be found on the MCS website – www.microgenerationcertification.org.uk

Figure 16: Table of FITs levels

Technology Size FITs (Year 3) As of 01/04/2012 Anaerobic digestion 250kW or less 14.7 Anaerobic digestion > 250kW – 500kW 13.6 Anaerobic digestion > 500kW – 5MW 9.9 Hydro 15kW or less 21.9 Hydro > 15kW - 100kW 19.6 Hydro > 100kW - 2MW 12.1 Hydro > 2MW – 5MW 4.9 Combined Heat and Power 2kW or less (Tariff available only for 11.0

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(CHP) 30,000 units) Solar PV 4kW or less 21.0 Solar PV > 4kW – 10kW 16.8 Solar PV > 10kW – 50kW 15.2 Solar PV > 50kW – 250kW 12.9 Solar PV >250kW – 5MW 8.9 Not attached to a building and not Solar PV (stand-alone) wired to provide electricity to an 8.9 occupied building. Wind 1.5kW or less 35.8 Wind > 1.5kW - 15 kW 28.0 Wind > 15kW - 100kW 25.4 Wind > 100kW - 500kW 20.6 Wind > 500kW - 1.5MW 10.4 Wind > 1.5MW – 5MW 4.9 EXPORT TARIFF 3.2

Solar photovoltaic (PV) PV systems convert daylight into electrical energy using a thin layer of semiconducting material, usually silicon. The potential electrical energy from a single PV cell is low, so cells are joined together to create a panel (or module). Panels are then joined together to create an array.

Solar PV installations in the UK have greatly increased since the introduction of the FITs scheme and as a result this has driven down installation costs. Prior to the launch of FITs, PV technology was prohibitively expensive per unit of energy generated. This has prompted some critics to argue that this technology will never make a significant contribution to the UK’s electricity needs. Solar advocates however, counter that as well as being a great way to generate clean energy, PV also reduces demand because when solar is installed the end users often become much more energy aware.

Community PV projects usually involve winning grants or gathering investments from community members to fund installations. Panels are then installed on homes, community buildings (e.g. village hall/community centre) or other sites. Some or all of the income from the FITs can then be used to support other low carbon projects within the community. Another approach which has been tried is a community focused bulk buying group that can negotiate discounts and provide support to enable more local homes to invest in their own solar system.

 An example of this is the ‘100 Solar Project’ undertaken by Transition Town Marlow (http://wikisolar.editme.com/).  There are a number of websites available which calculate the potential returns you could get from installing a solar PV system on your roof e.g. www.cocoonyourhome.co.uk/solar

Wind power The UK has a large wind resource which could generate a huge amount of electrical energy. Indeed, the UK government sees wind power as the most important tool for reaching its renewable energy targets. So far, however, roll out of wind power has been slow largely due to planning problems, of

Buckinghamshire Energy Champions Network Toolkit which many are the result of objections from local people.

Larger turbines gain disproportionately better results, in terms of electricity generated per pound invested; the same is also true the higher up the turbine blades are located. Because of this, schemes focusing on commercial scale turbines are arguably the most beneficial.

Figure 17: Small scale turbine installed costs Source: ‘Renewable Energy: A User’s Guide’ – Andy McCrea Wind Typical fully Cost per Turbine installed costs kW Rating (kW) (2008) installed 2.5 £10,000 – 12,000 £4,400 6 £18,000 – 22,000 £3,300 10 £25,000 – 30,000 £2,700 20 £40,000 – 50,000 £2,200 50 £70,000 – 80,000 £1,500

At the other end of the scale, tiny turbines mounted on buildings usually produce very little power, especially in urban areas with high levels of turbulence. In between the two extremes are small to medium sized standalone turbines which are less efficient than bigger models but can still produce a very useful amount of power. They can also play a symbolic role, especially in an educational setting. Community owned wind hasn’t taken off in the UK in quite the same way that it has in Denmark but there are a number of projects and many more in the pipeline.

 An example of a community owned scheme is Westmill Wind farm near Swindon where they have 5 wind turbines up and running (http://www.westmill.coop).

Hydro If you are fortunate to live beside a river or a fast flowing stream, a small scale hydroelectricity installation may provide an opportunity to generate significant amounts of electricity. In hydropower systems, water flowing steeply downhill is diverted via a pipe called a penstock. This directs the water through an enclosed turbine, which rotates to produce electricity. Systems vary in size from giant dams across whole valleys through to fairly tiny installations on steep streams running through people’s gardens. In between are community scale projects. Although community hydro is still fairly niche, there’s a huge amount of potential in the UK with promising sites located all over the country, many of them easy to spot by the presence of an old water mill.

 An Abstraction License must be obtained from the Environment Agency in order to proceed with an installation (www.environmentagency.co.uk).  Settle Hydro (www.settlehydro.org.uk) is an example of a community owned hydropower scheme.

Anaerobic digestion Anaerobic Digestion (AD) is the process where plant and animal material is converted into useful products by micro-organisms in the absence of air. AD can accept waste from our homes, supermarkets, industry and farms, meaning less waste goes to landfill. The material is put inside sealed tanks and naturally occurring micro-organisms digest

Buckinghamshire Energy Champions Network Toolkit it, releasing methane that can be used to produce useful energy. Anaerobic digesters can also be fed with purpose grown energy crops, such as maize.

AD is widely used as a source of renewable energy. The process produces a biogas, consisting of methane, carbon dioxide and traces of other ‘contaminant’ gases. Biogas can be combusted to provide heat, electricity or both or alternatively it can be cleaned up and the pure methane injected into the mains gas grid or used as a road fuel. The material left over at the end of the process is rich in nutrients so it can be used as fertiliser.

The technical expertise required to maintain industrial scale anaerobic digesters, coupled with high capital costs and low process efficiencies has so far been a limiting factor in its deployment as a waste treatment technology. Anaerobic digestion facilities have, however, been recognized by the United Nations Development Programme as one of the most useful decentralised sources of energy supply, as they are less capital intensive than large power plants.

 AD is not a new technology, it has actually been used in the UK since the late 1800s and there are a growing number of plants in the UK processing our waste and producing energy.  Many community groups in rural areas are now looking into the technology. To find out more about this fast developing area, visit http://biogas-info.co.uk/

In Annex 3 there is a Comparing Renewable Electricity Systems table were power, income, cost, space and planning permission from each kind of energy is compared.

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HEAT GENERATING SYSTEMS

For most homes, space and water heating costs more and creates more CO2 than electricity so it’s no surprise that renewable heating systems can provide huge savings, both financially and environmentally. They’ve been an attractive investment for a number of years and can provide good financial returns, especially for properties which are off the gas network and reliant on expensive and polluting fuels such as oil or electricity.

Renewable Heat Incentive The Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) is a new UK government policy aiming to reward anyone producing low carbon heat, in much the same way that Feed-in Tariffs do for electricity. The domestic version of the RHI is due to begin in summer 2013, though in the meantime, Renewable Heat Premium Payments have been made available to help with the upfront cost of installing renewable heating systems. The RHI aims to provide long term support for renewable heat technologies.

Renewable Heat Premium Payments (RHPP) RHPPs have been providing support to the domestic sector since August 2011. Phase 2 has recently been introduced which continues to support domestic installations, but also includes a new social landlords competition and a new communities competition, building on the experiences of Phase 1.

Applicants to the voucher scheme should register on the Energy Saving Trust website (http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/Generate-your-own-energy/Financial- incentives/Renewable-Heat-Premium-Payment).

Properties heated using mains gas are only eligible to apply for Solar Water Heating. Properties heated using oil, liquid gas, solid fuel or electricity, however, can apply for all the available technologies, as outlined in the table below.

Basic energy efficiency measures are a prerequisite of the RHPP and householders must agree to complete customer questionnaires, as well as making provision for the installation of a meter to monitor the energy use and performance of the heating system.

Figure 18: Table of RHPP values

Technology Voucher Value Solar Water Heating £300 Air to Water Source Heat Pump £850 Ground Source or Water Source Heat Pump £1250 Biomass Boiler £950

Currently there is no indication as to what the long term support for domestic renewable heat will look like. A consultation is due to be published in September 2012 which will set out a firmer timetable for delivering the longer term support. Anyone who receives an RHPP will be eligible to gain long term support once it’s launched.

Non domestic RHI In November 2011, the RHI opened for commercial, public sector, industrial and community renewable heating installations (referred to as ‘non-domestic’). Buckinghamshire Energy Champions Network Toolkit

The scheme is administered by Ofgem who also undertake the inspection and certification of non-domestic systems. As with FITs the tariffs are linked to the Retail Price Index (RPI) and therefore will rise each year with inflation.

Figure 19: Table of RHI non-domestic tariffs

Tariff Name Eligible Technology Eligible Sizes Tier RHI tariff (p/kWhth) 01-04-2012 Small Commercial Tier 1 8.3 Solid biomass Less than 200kWth biomass Tier 2 2.1 including solid Medium Commercial Tier 1 5.1 biomass contained in > 200 - 1,000kWth Biomass Tier 2 2.1 municipal solid waste Large Commercial > 1,000 kWth and (incl. CHP) N/A 1 Biomass above Small Commercial Ground-source heat Less than 100 kWth N/A 4.7 heat pumps pumps; Water Source Large Commercial heat pumps; deep 100 kWth and above N/A 3.4 heat pumps geothermal All solar collectors Solar collectors Less than 200 kWth N/A 8.9 Biomethane injection Biomethane all Biomethane and and biogas scales, biogas N/A 7.1 biogas combustion combustion, except combustion, except from landfill gas from landfill gas

Solar water heating (SWH)

Sometimes called Solar Thermal, SWH systems use energy from the sun to provide hot water to taps and showers. They have been around for decades and there are more than 100,000 installations in the UK. There are various models available and efficiency usually increases with price. SWH is especially attractive for buildings with high levels of hot water demand such as community centres, B&Bs and campsites but the technology can also work well on domestic homes.

Solar collectors are installed on the roof, in a position of good solar exposure, and transfer the sun's heat energy to a fluid which is pumped around the SWH system. The fluid used is typically a water/anti-freeze mix which heats a heat exchanger in the hot water tank which in turn heats the water stored in the tank. The liquid is then pumped back up to the solar collector on the roof and the process starts all over again. The hot water cylinder thermostat should to be set at 60oC. When the sun’s energy alone isn't enough to bring the water to temperature the boiler or immersion heater can provide backup heat. SWH will supply approximately 60% of a domestic property’s annual water heating and may answer all your hot water needs between March and September.

Ground source heat pumps

Ground source heat pumps extract stored solar energy from the ground and convert it into useful heat energy which can be distributed 50

Buckinghamshire Energy Champions Network Toolkit throughout a building. A length of plastic pipe is buried 1-2m under the surface of the ground, in close proximity to the building, and filled with a mixture of water and antifreeze. The fluid absorbs heat from the ground (1m below ground surface stays fairly constant 10-12oC all year round, even when the air is freezing) and an electric compressor raises the temperature to a useful level. The heat is then distributed around the building, typically via under floor heating since the system is much more efficient at supplying constant, low temperature heat.

Electricity is used to drive a compressor and move the fluid around the heat pump. If the building is well insulated, the total energy cost and carbon emissions will usually be far lower than with a typical off gas grid heating system. In poorly insulated buildings, the benefits are greatly reduced because the pump has to work much harder, consuming valuable electricity. If you combine a ground source heat pump with a solar PV system or a wind turbine, your reliance on fossil fuels will reduce even further. Some systems can also work in reverse to create cooling during the summer months, particularly useful in larger buildings with high levels of daytime activity e.g. office blocks. Large buildings undergoing major works could also consider inter- seasonal heat transfer e.g. Howe Dell School http://www.icax.co.uk/howe_dell_school.html

Air source heat pumps

Air source heat pumps work in a similar way to ground source models but exploit the low level heat in the air rather than the ground.

Air source heat pumps are usually easier to install than ground source as they don't need any trenches or drilling, but they are often less efficient.

Wood fuelled heating

Biomass, in the context of heating, refers to wood in the form of logs, chips or pellets (compressed sawdust). When wood is burnt, it releases CO₂ but this is then absorbed by new trees which have been planted to replace the ones that have been felled – ‘carbon neutral’.

Open fires are the least efficient way of burning wood as approximately 40% of the potential heat energy enters the room and the remaining 60% is lost up the chimney. Also, when not in use, chimneys can be a source of draughts. Therefore, a modern wood burning stove is a far more fuel efficient option. Some wood burning stoves can be integrated with an optional back boiler.

Biomass boilers are comparable to oil fired heating systems and achieve high thermal efficiency (around 90%). Ignition and control is automatic but ash will need removing manually on a regular basis. Pellet boilers are larger than conventional domestic oil boilers and a pellet fuel store is approximately three times the size of an oil tank, with the same calorific value. Pellet boilers are suitable for domestic properties whilst chip and log boilers are more commonly found in non-domestic locations with plenty of space available for a much larger fuel store e.g. farm. Biomass boilers are yet to catch on in a huge way in the UK, but they are a proven technology – Austria alone already has more than 100,000 installations.

In Annex 4 there is a table that compares the heat, income, cost, space and planning permission of the different Renewable Heat Systems.

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HEAT AND ELECTRICITY GENERATING SYSTEMS

Combined heat and power (CHP)

Large scale combined heat and power systems use waste heat from the generation of electricity (normally dumped into the atmosphere, rivers or the sea) and distribute the heat as a secondary output. Although it is possible to run CHP on wood, or some other renewable fuels, gas is currently used in the majority of installations. Conventional power stations extract as little as a third of the energy from their fuel and the rest becomes heat, which in most cases is treated as a waste product and expelled via a cooling tower. Further inefficiencies occur in transmission over the grid. By contrast, CHP systems can extract almost all the energy from the fuel by creating a mixture of heat and electricity for use in nearby buildings that require both.

Micro CHP (mCHP) can be use in domestic properties where the main output of the system is heat, with some electricity generation, at a typical ratio of about 6:1. The gas powered Baxi Eco Gen is currently the only mCHP system available but many other models are in the testing phase. Although gas fired mCHP isn’t carbon free but it’s still much greener than buying electricity from the grid and creating heat separately using a boiler. Currently there is also a Feed- in Tariff available for electricity generated via a mCHP system.

A community energy group could explore installing a medium to large scale CHP system to supply a community building or group of homes, and a district heating network could be used to distribute hot water to homes from the local CHP plant. This is becoming increasingly popular in some European countries, and it is hoped that the Renewable Heat Incentive will help it catch on in the UK.

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SECTION 7. SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT

A MATTER OF CHOICE

What is your main way of transportation?

WALK&BICYCLE PRIVATE TRANSPORT PUBLIC TRANSPORT

Why does it matter?

Figure 20: Breakdown of Carbon Emissions Sources: UK Climate Change Programme 2006

Public Agriculture 3% 1%

Domestic Business 26% 37%

Transport Intl shipping (within UK) 1%

26% Intl aviation 6%

As shown in figure 20, domestic transport is responsible for 26% of the total carbon emissions in the UK.

Emissions from transport are increasing at a faster rate than any other energy sector. Transport systems have significant impacts on the environment, accounting for between 20% and 25% of world energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions. Road transport is responsible for the biggest share of carbon emissions from the transport sector. Car usage is a big contributor to climate change due to the emissions given off by traditional fuels.

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Figure 21: Estimated CO2 Emissions Source: DfT (2008) Carbon Pathways Analysis: Informing Development of a Carbon Reduction Strategy for the Transport Sector. Emissions from all modes of passenger transport journey purpose, 2002/2006 average

Other leisure Holiday day trip Visit friends 6% 8% elsewhere 3% Visit friends at Education / Shopping private home escort 14% 13% education 4% Other personal Business business / escort 13% 15%

Commuting 24%

Whilst there are now many alternative fuels available, sustainable transport is a term used to describe transport which has little or no environmental impact. Truly sustainable transport comes down to cycling and, in particular, walking as these require very little of the earth’s resources.

There are a number of initiatives in place to encourage these activities as ways of helping reduce emissions, as well as contributing to a healthy lifestyle. A quarter of all car journeys are less than two miles long so it is not unrealistic to significantly increase the number of journeys people make by foot or bike12. Moreover, sustainable transport helps you to save money.

ACTIVITY 7: True or false? Some of the sentences below are true and some are false. Ask people what they think then check the answers with them.

12 Information from: http://www.uk-energy-saving.com/sustainable_transport.html 54

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Some interesting facts about transport in the UK

• 50% of Britain's car journeys are less than 5 miles. TRUE • Approximately one quarter of UK car trips are less than 2 miles which is less than a 15 min cycle or 40 min walk. TRUE • An average urban household spends about 18% of its monthly income on transport. FALSE (African cities statistics)13 • 17% of car journeys are travelling to and from work. TRUE • If half of UK motorists received a lift one day a week, pollution would be reduced by 10% and traffic jams by 20%. TRUE • The UK devotes 15 to 20% budget expenditure on urban transport systems. FALSE (African cities statistics) • There are 20 million empty seats on the road every day. FALSE (there are 38 million) • Traffic jams cost the economy £3,5 billion every year in lost productivity. FALSE (£5 billion) • The cost of running a car in Britain averages at £438 a month. TRUE • UK households spend £1 in every £6 on motoring. TRUE • The smaller your car, the cheaper it is to run. TRUE • The average double decker bus carries as many people as 20 cars and takes up just a seventh of the road space. TRUE • 89% of British households have a bus stop within a 12 minute walk. FALSE (6 minutes).

Petrol prices in the UK are steadily increasing, taking steps to drive more efficiently can result in an average 10% saving, with some people saving more than 30% on their fuel costs.

But how can you convince someone to change their transport choices? As a Community Energy Champion it is important that you know that people behave in response to the physical nature of the world around them, their capabilities and understanding of the world, as well as their perceptions. People’s behaviour will mainly depend on: 1. Their characteristics: Age, gender, income, social grade … 2. Their circumstances: The distance between home and school or work … 3. Their attitudes: How they feel when they drive/cycle/go by bus… Moreover, not only do different individuals vary, but the same individual can vary at different times. For example, a woman travelling to work in town may take the train because it is quick and easy. But the same woman travelling into town at the weekend may decide to drive because she is a parent, needs to transport very young children with her, and the lack of a lift at her local train station means she views travelling by train with very young children as a ‘hassle’.

Once the decision to change is made, people will need some information on the available community resources. Below are some tips and information on transport in Buckinghamshire.

13 More information at: http://www.unep.org/training/programmes/Instructor%20Version/Part_2/Activities/Lifestyle_Patterns/Transpo rtation/index.html

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TIPS

Bicycle: 1. Check if there is a pool biking service in your area or a Cycle to work scheme at your workplace 2. Plan the route you would have to do to the place you want to go. 3. Ask friends to join you, cycling in company can be more fun! 4. Check with your local council for local cycle paths.

Public Transport:

1. Switching to Public Transport: If you're not sure you can use public transport for every trip you undertake, why not start small by taking public transport one day a week until you figure out the system. 2. Fly: Aviation carbon emissions per mile are significantly affected by the length of the flight because a high percentage of fuel use and emissions are expended on take-off. Try to reduce the number of plane trips you take and try not to use a plane for any trips under 1000km (620 miles) 3. Try the bus or train for longer trips: Buses, trains, light rail and ferries generally have dedicated travel paths that are quicker than sitting alone in your car which can cut down travel times. 4. Catch a taxi: Taxis are also a form of public transport because you don't own them (unless you are a taxi driver!), and when you don't need the service they are made available for others to use. 5. Buy fare saver tickets: Return, weekly/monthly, or off-peak bus/train tickets are often significantly cheaper than single ride tickets. 6. Plan your trip: Obtain timetable and route maps for your journey to know what to expect in advance. Many public transport systems now have free online tools that will take your starting point and destination and calculate the fastest times and best route for your trip. This can take the uncertainty out of public transport travel. 7. Be a Change Agent: Encourage other people to use public transport. You can meet near a bus station.

Car

Car sharing

Car sharing is also known as carpooling, lift sharing or ridesharing (not to be confused with car clubs). Car sharing is when two or more people share a car and travel together. It allows people to benefit from the convenience of the car whilst alleviating the associated problems of congestion and pollution. It also allows people to share the costs of petrol.

The benefits of sharing vehicles

 Reduce the number of cars on the roads resulting in less congestion, less pollution, a reduction in GHG emissions and fewer parking problems.  Provide a real solution to the transport access problems of rural areas.

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 Give employees and employers more transport options.  Reduce the need for private car ownership.  Save money. Travelling with others can save up to £1000 a year on transport costs.

Top smarter driving tips

1. Check your tyre pressure: Under inflated tyres are dangerous, increase fuel consumption and wear out more quickly. Check your tyre pressure once a week. Remember to look in your car manual to find out the correct tyre pressure for your car.

2. Check your revs: When you accelerate change gear between 2000rmp and 2500rpm

3. Watch your speed: The most efficient speed is around 45 – 50mph. Faster speeds will greatly increase your fuel consumption, driving at 70mph uses as much as 9% more fuel than driving at 60mph.

4. Step off the accelerator: Stay in gear but take your foot off the accelerator as early as possible when approaching a red light or roundabout. This cuts the fuel flow to the X engine to almost zero. Avoid unnecessary use of the brakes.

5. Read the road: Anticipate road conditions and drive smoothly. Avoid last minute braking and sharp acceleration.

6. Switch it off: Modern cars use hardly any extra fuel when they’re restarted. So if you’re stationary for more than a minute or two turn your engine off.

7. Reduce drag: Drive only with the accessories you need. Roof racks, bike carriers and roof boxes have a big effect on your car’s aerodynamics and will increase fuel consumption. X

8. Plan your journey: Only use your car for long journeys and when you do, plan your journeys to avoid congestion, road works and getting lost.

9. Drive off from cold: Modern cars are designed to be driven off straight away. Warming up the engine just wastes fuel.

10. Air conditioning: Use air conditioning only when needed as it makes a big difference to fuel consumption. At fast speeds, however, air conditioning is better than opening a window as this increases wind resistance.

There are a number of sustainable transport initiatives already in place to encourage people to walk and cycle.

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Local Authority Information

Is your journey necessary? You could save yourself some valuable time and money by trying alternatives to travel. Think about whether it is actually necessary to make your journey by considering other options such as working from home, teleconferencing or shopping online. If any of these options are possible for you why not give them a try?!

Catch the bus: Catching the bus in Buckinghamshire couldn’t be easier. Aylesbury and the north of the county All routes call at Aylesbury Bus Station in the centre of town, while many call at the Railway Station and High Street too.  Areas within Aylesbury town are served by the Rainbow Routes network (www.rainbowroutes.co.uk). This is a colour coded network of buses running on average every 15–20 minutes between the town’s estates and the town centre.  There are also great links for those wishing to travel further afield, with services every 20 to 30 minutes to Oxford, Milton Keynes, High Wycombe, Watford and Wendover.  Timetables for all Aylesbury services can be found on www.buckscc.gov.uk/transport.

High Wycombe and the south of the county All routes call at Wycombe Bus Station in the town centre within Eden Shopping Centre, while many call at the Railway Station and Oxford Street too.  Areas within High Wycombe town are served by the Rainbow Routes network (www.rainbowroutes.co.uk).  There are also great links for those wishing to travel further afield with regular services to Amersham, Chesham, Aylesbury, Reading, Marlow, Uxbridge, Heathrow Airport, Hemel Hempstead, Watford and Slough.  Timetables for all High Wycombe's services can be found on www.buckscc.gov.uk/transport

Alternatively why not track your bus’s journey in real time. Live departure times can be accessed via sms, mobile internet or online. Go to www.nextbus.travel to find out more.

Park and Ride

High Wycombe offers an alternative to driving into the town centre. Why not hop on the Park and Ride bus? http://www.wycombeparkandride.com/

Get the Train: Buckinghamshire has good rail links to London and Birmingham as well as good local services.

Aylesbury Aylesbury has two railway stations: Aylesbury Station, located in the town centre, and Aylesbury Vale Parkway to the north west of the town. 58

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 Frequent trains operate between these stations and the centre of London, stopping at several locations along the way, including Stoke Mandeville, Wendover, Great Missenden and Amersham.  Trains are also available from Aylesbury Station to Princes Risborough where you can connect with services going to High Wycombe, Bicester North and Birmingham.

High Wycombe High Wycombe Station is located in the town centre. Frequent trains operate south to the centre of London, stopping at several towns along the way, including Beaconsfield and Gerrards Cross.

 Trains are also available north to Birmingham calling at towns along the way such as Princes Risborough, Bicester, Banbury and Warwick..  These trains are run by Chiltern Railways. To find out times or purchase tickets go to www.chilternrailways.co.uk.

Amersham, Chesham and Little Chalfont The London Underground (the Metropolitan Line) serves these stations providing fast connections to Harrow, Baker Street, Kings Cross and Farringdon.  To find out times go to the Transport for London (TFL) Website at http://www.tfl.gov.uk/

If you are planning a journey further afield please go to www.nationalrail.co.uk or call 08457 48 49 50. Most stations have cycle parking facilities and this can be checked out at the individual station websites.

Cycle

Don’t live life behind the wheel, get on your bike and seek out a side of Buckinghamshire that you would never see by car. Cycling is fun and a great way to stay fit and healthy so why not get on your bike and discover some of our hidden treasures along the way.

Buckinghamshire offers a huge variety of cycling opportunities within a tranquil, rural landscape. From the high spots of the Chilterns and the Icknield Way in the south, to the Vale of Aylesbury in the north, you will find picturesque villages, quiet lanes, steep climbs, peaceful canal towpaths, stately homes and also busy, cycle-friendly towns.

Why not start a bike group in your local area or run a bike maintenance session in your town or village?

 To download information on cycle routes, cycle safety, games competitions and the latest events and cycle training log on to www.cycleaylesbury.co.uk .

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 This web site will also provide a link to the cycle training page where there is information on how schools and youth groups can bid for funding for Bikeability training. http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/bcc/transport/cycle_training.page

 Local Businesses may be interested in the Cycle to Work Scheme which they can find on http://www.cycleaylesbury.co.uk/page/cycle2work-scheme.php

 The following websites will also give you inspiration: o www.sustrans.org.uk o www.britishcycling.co.uk o www.goskyride.com

Walk Walking is a fantastic way to get fit and stay healthy. It’s easy to fit into everyday life and people who walk tend to keep it up and therefore help to improve their health. Walking is free and does not require any special equipment, just some comfortable shoes and perhaps an umbrella. Get your 30 minutes of exercise a day wherever you are. Why not:  Park in a car park outside of town and walk into the office  Stretch your legs during your lunch hour  Get off the bus (or train) one stop early and walk the last part of your journey  Join your local walking group

Walking can help improve the environment. Visit www.walkit.com the urban walking route planner where you can get a route map between any two points. This information will include your journey time, calories burned, step count and carbon savings. It’s quick, free, healthy and green. Why not join a walking movement and become really involved? Simply Walks is a volunteer led walking scheme aiming to improve health and fitness and what better way to become engaged with people in your local area? http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/bcc/row/simply_walk.page Walk Wycombe was a project launched in High Wycombe in 2010 to encourage walking in the town centre. There are banners that can be loaned, and businesses and schools can be encouraged to take part in promotional walks. http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/bcc/transport/walk_wycombe.page

Share your car Sharing your car journey will save you money, help relieve the stress of driving, and also help to reduce congestion on the county’s roads. Why not find out if your friends, family or colleagues are making similar journeys to you? If none of them are, you could join Bucks Carshare on www.buckscarshare.co.uk. With over 1700 members already signed up to car sharing there are plenty of partners available to be matched with. Sharing your car just once a week will help to reduce your carbon footprint by 20%

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Other useful websites for transport information are:

 Web site: www.traveline.info

 Name and description: Whether travelling locally or further afield Traveline can help you

plan your journey. It has up to date details of every local bus, coach and train in the

country just call 0871 200 22 33* or go to www.travelinesoutheast.org.uk.

*Calls cost 10p

 Web site: www.buckscc.gov.uk/transport

 Name and description: BCC Transport section of website

 Web site: www.sustrans.org.uk  Name and description: Sustainable Travel Charity

 Web site: www.walk4life.info

 Name and description: Information about walking.

 Web site: http://www.ctc.org.uk/resources/Training_and_Education/CTC_Leaflet_Streets_Ahead.pdf

 Name and description: CTC basic skills for commuting to work by bike

 Web site: http://www.nhs.uk/change4life/pages/bike4life-supporter-resources.aspx?filter=Bike4Life

 Name and description: Change for Life Bike for Fun leaflet is quite nice

 Web site: http://www.sustrans.org.uk/resources/publications/information-sheets  Name and description: The Sustrans good cycling code may be useful

Sustainable School Travel

There are lots of alternative ways to get to and from school safely. Many schools in Buckinghamshire have their own School Travel Plans which means they actively promote walking, cycling, scooting and car sharing. Travel Plans are coordinated by volunteers at the school. It may be worth approaching your local school to see what they are doing already and if they need your support to encourage parents and children to give alternative travel a go. 61

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 You can find out all about School Travel Plans by visiting the Bucks County Council web site on http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/sites/bcc/transport/school_travel_plans.page

 Some school volunteers run formal ‘walking bus’ routes to school, known locally as Crocodiles and Alig8ors. Find out more on http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/bcc/transport/crocodiles.page?

 Others run Buckinghamshire’s less formal but highly successful Go for Gold scheme to keep children walking or riding to school. http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/bcc/transport/go_for_gold.page?

Keeping children safe and learning their Green Cross Code is all part of encouraging them to walk, cycle and scoot to school. There is various training available for children of different age groups - Footsteps for primary school children, First Steps for Nursery age children and Making Tracks for those in Y6 at transition to secondary school.  http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/bcc/transport/footsteps.page?  http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/bcc/transport/First_steps.page?  http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/bcc/transport/Transition.page

For Scooting there is scooter skills training and for cycling there is the Bikeability scheme as well as Biking Basics.  http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/bcc/transport/Scooter_skills.page?  http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/bcc/transport/cycle_training.page?  http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/bcc/transport/biking_basics.page

Secondary school advisory leaflets and information are available for students, staff and parents. Mopeds and Scooters are covered in the comprehensive Sixth Form Car Share leaflet.

Further resources and information

Website:  Open Charge Map webpage. The project provides a global, open and public database of consolidated electric vehicle charging location information. http://openchargemap.org/  Department of Energy and Climate Change: http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/statistics/climate_stats/gg_emissions/uk_e missions/2010_final/2010_final.aspx  Behavioral Insights Toolkit. Social Research and Evaluation Division, Department for Transport: http://assets.dft.gov.uk/publications/behavioural-insights-toolkit/toolkit.pdf  Bucks car share: http://www.buckscarshare.co.uk/Default.asp?uxi=&cr=check  South England Car sharing: http://www.carplus.org.uk/cms/car-sharing/find-a-lift- now/south-east-england/  Carbon Pathways Analysis, Informing Development of a Carbon Reduction Strategy for the Transport Sector: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/sustainable /analysis.pdf

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SECTION 8. USEFUL INFORMATION, FINANCIAL HELP AND CONTACTS

The future: ECO and Green Deal

The Green Deal is the flagship green policy of the coalition government and seeks to achieve widespread home improvements on a huge scale.

The 2011 Energy Act created an innovative finance mechanism which eliminates the need to pay upfront for energy efficiency measures because the cost of the measures is financed via payback on the electricity bill. The ‘Golden Rule’ principle states that the savings achieved by the measures must be greater than or equal to the cost of financing the measures. The loan will be tied to the property and not to the householder. The Green Deal will be introduced in late 2012 and will be available for both residential and commercial buildings.

The Green Deal will replace the CERT and CESP schemes which have been in place since 2008 to support the update of measures such as cavity wall and loft insulation, energy efficient lighting and other energy efficiency measures. Under these schemes, energy companies must pay for loft and cavity wall insulation, spending at least 40%on vulnerable or low income households, and meet a legally binding target of cutting carbon by 293 million lifetime tonnes by December 2012. The target spend is £2.4 billion CERT and £350million CESP levied by energy companies from their customers’ fuel bills to spend on energy efficiency works ahead of the 31 December deadline.14 The Energy Company Obligation (ECO) is a new requirement for larger energy suppliers and will require those suppliers to make around £1.3bn available per annum to sit alongside the Green Deal, allowing supplier subsidy and Green Deal Finance to come together into one offer to the consumer.

The Green Deal will include a whole range of home improvements beyond insulation. An industry-wide ‘Call for Evidence and Literature Review’ on the costs and benefits of a range of measures was issued in March 2011 and the results are due to be published shortly. The measures currently looked at for the Green Deal scheme are15:

Heating, ventilation and air conditioning Condensing boilers Heating controls Under-floor heating Heat recovery systems Mechanical ventilation (non-domestic) Flue gas recovery devices

Building fabric Cavity wall insulation

14 British Gas: Government CERT Targets Unrealistic, Inside Housing. http://www.insidehousing.co.uk/eco/british- gas-government-cert-targets-unrealistic/6520112.article (Accessed 19 March 2012) 15 What measures does the Green Deal cover? DECC http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/what%20we%20do/supporting%20consumers/green_deal/1734-what- measures-does-the-green-deal-cover.pdf (Accessed 19 March 2012) 63

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Loft insulation Flat roof insulation Internal wall insulation External wall insulation Draught proofing Floor insulation Heating system insulation (cylinder, pipes) Energy efficient glazing and doors

Lighting Lighting fittings Lighting controls

Water heating Innovative hot water systems Water efficient taps and showers

Microgeneration Ground and air source heat pumps Solar thermal Solar PV Biomass boilers Micro-CHP

In addition, wastewater recovery systems will benefit from Green Deal finance. It was recently announced by DECC that some renewable heat technologies will be eligible for the Green Deal; however, renewable technologies such as solar PV are unlikely to be covered. New products will be included for finance at a later stage once their performance has been independently verified.16

Updates on the Green Deal can be found on the Department of Energy and Climate Change website: http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/tackling/green_deal/green_deal.aspx

New energy saving advice service launched

On Monday 2nd April, DECC announced the launch of a new Energy Saving Advice Service. Consumers can access the Advice Service by dialing 0300 123 1234 or by visiting the Saving Energy section of the Directgov website ( www.direct.gov.uk/savingenergy ).

Focusing initially on providing advice to households and businesses on existing Energy Efficiency and Microgeneration schemes, the Advice Service will go on to play a crucial role in providing independent and impartial advice to consumers, including onward referrals, on the Green Deal when the policy launches in October 2012.

The Advice Service is being delivered by the Energy Saving Trust in partnership with Careline Services.

 Details about the Advice Service can be found on the DECC website (http://www.decc.gov.uk/ ).

16 Speech by Greg Barker at Eco Build 20 March 2012 http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/news/ecobuild/ecobuild.aspx (Accessed 21 March 2012) 64

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 To see how organizations, communities and individuals around the country have been preparing for the Green Deal, read the Green Deal case studies on the DECC website.

FINANCIAL HELP

Cold weather payment

If you are in receipt of Pension Credit, Income Support, Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance or Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), you may also be able to get Cold Weather Payments.

Pension Credit If you are in receipt of Pension Credit you will usually receive Cold Weather Payments.

Income Support and Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance If you are in receipt of Income Support or Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, you will usually receive Cold Weather Payments if you also have any of following:  A disability or pensioner premium  A child who is disabled  Child Tax Credit that includes a disability or severe disability element  A child under five living with you

Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) If you are in receipt of Income-related ESA, you will usually receive Cold Weather Payments if you also have any of the following:  The support or work-related component of ESA  A severe or enhanced disability premium  A pensioner premium  A child who is disabled  Child Tax Credit that includes a disability or severe disability element  A child under five living with you

How to apply  You don't need to apply. If you can get a Cold Weather Payment you’ll be paid it automatically.  Cold Weather Payments are usually paid into the same bank or building society account as your benefit payments.

How much do you get?  You will get £25 for each seven day period of very cold weather between 1 November and 31 March.

If you don’t receive your Cold Weather Payment  Tell your pension centre or Jobcentre Plus if you think you should have received a Cold Weather Payment but you have not had one.

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Warm Home Discount Scheme

The Warm Home Discount Scheme provides £120 rebate on your electricity bills in winter 2011/12. For further information about the scheme call the Warm Home Discount Scheme Helpline on 0845 603 9439. Lines are open from 8.00am - 6.00pm, Monday to Friday, or read below

Who can get the Warm Home Discount? The Warm Home Discount Scheme helps some older people with energy costs. The scheme runs for four years from winter 2011/2012. The Warm Home Discount Core Group Scheme for winter 2011/2012 closed on 28th March 2012. Find out what help will be available in winter 2012/2013. You may qualify for this energy discount if on the qualifying date of 21 July 2012:  you are receiving only the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit (no Savings Credit)  you are aged 80 or over and are receiving the Guarantee Credit and Savings Credit elements of Pension Credit And all of the following apply:  your name, or your partner’s name is on your electricity bill  you get your electricity from one of the energy suppliers participating in this scheme If you meet the conditions above you do not need to do anything now to get your discount in 2012/2013.

If you do not qualify automatically see "Can other people get a Warm Home Discount" below. Please note, this scheme is now closed for winter 2011/2012. Discounts for last winter were £120 and were paid to people who received only the guarantee credit element of Pension Credit.

Can other people get a Warm Home Discount? Energy suppliers may also give a £130 discount to some other customers in vulnerable groups (called the broader group). Each electricity supplier has different eligibility criteria they will use to decide who may get the discount.

What you need to do Nothing now. The Government will write to all those potentially eligible for the discount in autumn 2012.

How much you can get If you qualify you’ll receive £130 towards your electricity bill in winter 2012/2013.

When you’ll get your rebate Energy discounts for 2012/2013 will be made during the winter months. If you qualify you'll get a letter to confirm this.

Energy suppliers participating in the scheme

The electricity suppliers involved in this scheme are: Atlantic, British Gas, EDF Energy, E.ON, Equipower, Equigas, Manweb, M&S Energy, npower, Sainsbury's Energy, Scottish Gas, Scottish Hydro, ScottishPower, Southern Electric, SSE, Swalec and Utility Warehouse.

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What is the Warm Front scheme?

The Warm Front scheme makes your home warmer, healthier and more energy efficient

The Warm Front scheme provides heating and insulation improvements to households on certain income-related benefits living in properties that are poorly insulated and/or do not have a working central heating system.

Qualifying households can get improvements worth up to £3,500 (£6,000 where oil central heating and other alternative technologies are recommended). Grants are available for improvements such as:

 Loft insulation  Draught proofing  Cavity wall insulation  Hot water tank insulation  Fas, electric, liquid petroleum gas or oil heating  Glass-fronted fire - the Warm Front scheme can convert your solid-fuel open fire to a Glass-fronted fire

You won’t have to pay anything as long as the work doesn’t cost more than the grant available. If the cost of the work is more than the grant available you'll have to make a contribution to enable work to go ahead. Work will not start without making sure you are willing and able to pay the difference.

Eligibility for the Warm Front scheme You may be eligible for heating and insulation improvements up to £3,500. The scheme is now targeted at people on certain income-related benefits and living in properties that are poorly insulated and/or do not have a working central heating system. You must own your home or rent it from a private landlord.

The Warm Front scheme is only available in England. Other schemes are available in the rest of the UK.

Benefits and financial support

Eligible customers are all those awarded:  Pension Credit or;  Income-related Employment and Support Allowance that includes a work-related activity or support component (this includes contribution based ESA customers in the support group who get an income related top up because they automatically qualify for the enhanced disability premium payable with income related ESA)

And those awarded:  Income Support or;  Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, or;

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 Income-related Employment and Support Allowance in the assessment phase (first 13 weeks of the claim)

Who must also have one of the following:  A pensioner premium. or;  A disability or severe disability premium, or;  An award of child tax credit that also includes an element for a disabled, or severely disabled child or young person, or;  A child under the age of five living with you

In addition to the qualifying benefits listed above, the property you live in must also be poorly insulated and/or not have a working central heating system. If your application continues, you will then be visited by a Warm Front surveyor, who will measure the energy efficiency of your home using a Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP). The surveyor will then make recommendations on which energy efficiency improvements are most appropriate for your property.

To be eligible for Warm Front your home must have a SAP rating of 55 or below. This is equivalent to the start of a Band D Energy Performance Certificate (EPC).

Apply for a Warm Front grant You can apply for the Warm Front scheme in any of the following ways:

1. Apply online  Website: https://web.eagagroup.com/referrerEBS/createReferralPublic.pdo?referrer=WFPUB  You can also email your contact details to the address below. o An advisor will then call you back: [email protected]

2. Apply over the phone  Call 0800 316 2805 (or textphone 0800 072 0156). o An advisor will then take you through the application form. o Lines are open Monday to Friday 8.00 am to 6.00 pm and Saturday 9.00 am to 5.00 pm.

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ANNEXES

ANNEX 1: USEFUL CONTACTS

NAME CONTACT WHEN TO CONTACT United Sustainable Address: The National Energy Centre, 9am – 5pm Energy Agency Davy Avenue, Knowlhill , Milton, Keynes (USEA) MK5 8NG Giorgio Bagordo Phone: 01908 699920 Ruth Wharton Webpage: http://www.usea.org.uk/ Susanna Olai Community https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bucks- Energy Champions Community-Energy- Facebook page Champions/348895995132311 Community @BucksChampions Energy Champions Twitter LA Contacts?

ANNEX 2: BULK OIL

BULK OIL BUYING SCHEME

Using oil as fuel? Community Impact Bucks has set up a new scheme in Buckinghamshire and Rural Milton Keynes to help purchasers of central heating oil to make savings by buying in bulk.

By bringing communities together throughout Buckinghamshire and Rural Milton Keynes it is possible to make the most of the joint buying power of schemes operating in 7+ counties across the country. Savings can be made and passed directly to people whose fuel costs are high simply because they do not have a gas supply and have to use oil for cooking and heating.

To join the scheme, an annual membership fee is paid which will cover as many oil orders as you need during the course of the year. The minimum order that can be placed is 500 litres.

New members are eligible to place an order in the same month they join the scheme, as long they submit their application form and pay their membership fee two weeks before the ordering deadline date', which is usually the last Wednesday of the month.

Bulk oil ordering dates and price

For a list of the next Bulk oil ordering dates go to the following link: http://www.communityimpactbucks.org.uk/pages/work-with-commu-bulk-oil-buying-scheme- 159.html

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As at 30th March 2012, Monthly bulk oil order price were as follows:

Member price (kerosene): 60.3 per litre

Highest price quoted by a supplier 74ppl Average price quoted by suppliers 65ppl Average Saving on 1000 litres = £47.00

(All prices inclusive of 5% VAT)

How it works 1. Contact your local co-ordinator and let them know how much oil you want to order. 2. Once a month your co-ordinator lets us know the total oil needed for your area. 3. At the end of each month, the bulk oil purchase is negotiated by our oil buyer. 4. Tell the co-ordinators when to expect delivery and how much it will cost, and he or she passes the information on to you. 5. You pay the supplier direct for the oil they deliver.

Does your community have a local co-ordinator?

For a list of Parishes with local co-ordinators and to download the information leaflet about the role of the co-ordinator (should somebody be interested in becoming a co-ordinator!) see the following link: http://www.communityimpactbucks.org.uk/pages/work-with-commu-bulk-oil- buying-scheme-159.html

Membership fees Information on Membership of the Community Impact Bucks community-based countywide oil buying syndicate. All you have to do to take advantage of this scheme is to complete the membership form and arrange payment of annual fee.

£20 Domestic annual £30 Community Building £100 Business annual membership annual membership membership

Further resources and information  Telephone: 0845 389 0389  E-mail: [email protected]

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ANNEX 3: COMPARING RENEWABLE ELECTICITY SYSTEMS

PLANNING POWER INCOME COST SPACE PERMISSION The cost of PV installations At the current Feed-in Each kW of PV requires Most domestic PV varies according to the Tariff rates, a 2kWp approximately 6-7m2 of east installation won’t need A 2kWp PV system can generate complexity and size of the system would typically to west, through south facing planning permission but you approximately 1600 units of system. earn around £400 per roof or a slightly larger area should check with the electricity per year, depending on An average 3kWp system will year through a of flat roof or ground on planning department of your the location. That would be cost around £10,000 (including combination of FITs which sloping frames can be local authority, especially if sufficient to provide the base load VAT at 5%). Most domestic PV and reduced electricity erected. It is possible to your home is a listed of a typical home’s electricity use, systems cost around £3,000 - bills. The system will install panels on other building, or in a conservation or about 40% of its total annual 3,500 per kWp installed, though typically be aspects and angles, though area or World Heritage Site. demand. In most cases, the small systems cost guaranteed for 25 the amount of power PV systems are permitted limitation for bigger systems on proportionately more. A large years, though it produced will be reduced. unless the panels protrude homes is usable roof space. community sized system would SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC SOLAR should last much South facing is the optimum more than 200mm when usually work out cheaper per longer. orientation. installed. kWh. It all depends on the size and The cost of a system will location of the turbine. You can depend on the size and the Planning regulations have check the estimated wind speed mounting method. Building- become more favourable and in your area at mounted turbines cost less to install than pole-mounted ones. Best results are achieved at wind turbines are now

www.decc.gov.uk/en/windspeed. 10m or more above regarded as permitted For a more accurate indication of For equipment and installation, At current Feed-in surrounding buildings and development as long as they wind speed an anemometer can with VAT at 5%: Tariff rates, a small to trees. In mounting any meet strict criteria. Further be installed for 6-12 months.  a roof-mounted 1kW medium turbine could turbine, avoid sites with information can be found at For reference, an appropriately microwind system costs pay for itself in ten excessive turbulence, which www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/ sited small 6kW standalone around £2,000 years. will not just reduce 2011/2056/made turbine with a blade diameter of  WIND POWER WIND a 2.5kW pole-mounted performance but also shorten For bigger projects planning 5.5m, raised 15m above the system costs around £15,000 the device’s working life. can still be a huge challenge. ground should be capable of  a 6kW pole-mounted system It is recommended you producing around 7,500 units of costs around £22,500. always contact your local electricity from an average wind Large stand-alone turbines may speed of 5m/s. That’s about also require foundation work, Buckinghamshire Energy Champions Network Toolkit

double the needs of a typical which can cost another few home. thousand. A typical 5kW scheme suitable Planning permission is Given the nature of hydro, every for an average domestic necessary for installing any A hydro system can project is different. The upfront property might cost around To be suitable for electricity domestic or community generate 24 hours a cost and future income depends £25,000 including installation. generation, a river needs to hydroelectric system. You day, often generating

entirely on the site. So while Some sites cost less than this to have a combination of: should contact your local all the electricity Settle’s community installation develop; others cost much  flow – how much water authority at an early stage. needed and more. cost a little over £400,000 and is more due to the nature of the is flowing down the river The Planning Office will be Hydro systems will expected to generate around site, and so will be less per second able to advise you on other HYDRO also receive FITs 150,000kWh in a typical year, financially attractive and less organisations that need to be payments so  head – a difference in others may be significantly more likely to be developed. consulted, such as the significant savings and height over a reasonably or less expensive per unit Maintenance costs vary but are Environment Agency, and income can be gained. short distance generated. usually low as hydro systems the process you need to go are very reliable. through.

The amount of energy produced Planning permission is by AD will vary depending on the necessary for most anaerobic An AD plant can material that goes into it and the digestion installations. Small generate 24 hours a particular type of digester that is Huge capital investment is AD is not suitable for scale digesters using only on- day as long as there is used. Digesting 1 tonne of food required for anaerobic digestion domestic use. It requires farm waste may only require enough waste material waste can generate about 300 systems costing in the large areas available to install an Agricultural Notification, available. AD systems kWh of energy. According to the £millions. Upfront costs vary the large tanks. A large farm but it is recommended you will also receive FITs Renewable Energy Association, if massively depending upon the could be a suitable location get legal advice before payments so all the UK's domestic food waste site and available waste. for an AD plant. pursuing this. Any significant savings and was processed by AD, it would installation accepting third income can be gained. generate enough electricity for party waste will need full ANAEROBIC DIGESTION ANAEROBIC 350 000 households. planning permission. Source: USEA table made with information from the Rough guide to Community and www.energysavingtrust.org.uk

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ANNEX 4: COMPARING RENEWABLE HEAT SYSTEMS

PLANNING HOW MUCH HEAT? INCOME COST SPACE PERMISSION It remains to be seen how Planning permission isn’t generous the RHI will be for The cost of installing a In the UK, a typical domestic A typical 3 bed property required for most domestic domestic installations, but typical domestic SWH system will provide enough would need approximately 3- SWH systems, as long as the income and savings for system is around £4,800 hot water for a family home 4m2 of roof space facing east they're below a certain size - SWH will always vary (including VAT at 5%). in the summer – and around to west, through south. you should check with your according to summer hot Prices, per unit of heat a third of its total annual hot Usually, the hot water tank local authority, especially if water demand and how the generated, will reduce as the water demand. A home will need replacing for a your home is a listed building previously heated its system size goes up. located in South West larger, 200 litre tank with two building, or in a conservation water - the savings will be Installation costs can England is likely to generate heat exchangers. area or World Heritage Site. highest and the payback sometimes be reduced if more heat energy than a Most combi boilers are not Permitted unless panels quickest if the solar system is combined with other roof system installed in Scotland. compatible with SWH. protrude more than 200mm

SOLAR WATER HEATING WATER SOLAR displacing electricity or oil work. when installed. rather than gas. When replacing a non-gas central heating system, ground source heat pumps can provide significant Depends on the system size. financial and economical Installing a domestic system A home typically needs a Domestic ground source savings – especially for well will cost around £9,000 - trench 75-100m long and 1- heat pumps are generally It’s often possible to produce insulated buildings. 17,000. Running costs will 2m deep. Vertical systems allowed as permitted all the space heating that a The RHI tariff available for depend on a number of based on deep bore holes are developments, but check building needs and much of large buildings will reduce factors - including the size of possible and take up much with your local authority to the water heating. the payback time to less than the home and how well less space, but they are much find out whether you need 10 years in the most insulated it is. more expensive. The pump planning permission or not. favourable cases. It remains itself is a fridge sized box. to be seen what RHI level domestic installations will

GROUND SOURCE HEAT PUMPS HEAT SOURCE GROUND received.

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HOW MUCH PLANNING INCOME COST SPACE HEAT? PERMISSION Domestic air source heat pump systems will be classed as Permitted Development if: Air source heat For a domestic system, a  there is no wind turbine When replacing a pumps primarily box (similar to an air at the property non-gas central provide space conditioning unit) is  the external unit is less heating system, air A domestic system will cost around £6,000 - 10,000 heating. They can placed on the exterior of than 0.6 m3 in size source heat pumps to install. Running costs will vary depending on a also be designed to the building. The heat is  can provide number of factors - including the size of the building, the unit is more than 1m include water either piped to a heating financial and how well insulated it is and what room temperatures from the edge of the heating but this is system or distributed economical are desired. property not common directly into the rooms savings – Air source pumps can be slightly noisy. Larger  it is not on a pitched roof, practice as it will via fans. As with ground especially for well systems vary widely in cost. or near the edge of a flat reduce the source, air source heating insulated roof efficiency of the is best for well insulated buildings.  it meets additional criteria AIR SOURCE HEAT PUMPS HEAT SOURCE AIR system somewhat. properties. if in a conservation area, World Heritage Site etc. You must always check with your local authority. A large pellet A medium sized A pellet stove will cost around £4,300 including Wood has a low energy You must check with your boiler system community installation. Installing a new log stove will usually cost density, so the building local authority in case other could easily building with an less than half this, including a new flue or chimney needs plenty of storage conditions apply, but in produce enough annual heating lining. space. A large old house general wood burning boilers space and water requirement of An automatically fed pellet boiler for a typical with a total water and and stoves are permitted as

heating for a 75,000kWh could domestic home would costs around £11,500 heating demand of long as: standard home. potentially pay including installation, flue, fuel store and VAT at 5%. 25,000kWh would require  flues on the rear or side Wood chip boilers back the cost of Manually fed log boiler systems can be slightly roughly ten cubic meters elevation of the building are more powerful conversion from cheaper. of wood pellet storage or are no more than 1m BIOMASS still and best suited oil to wood chip in Pellet costs depend mainly on the size and method of 38m3 for wood chip. The above the highest part of to large buildings just a few years delivery. Buying a few bags at a time makes them building also needs space the roof with plenty of and the RHI will expensive. If you have room for a large fuel store that to house the boiler and  in a conservation area or space, such as reduce payback will accept several tonnes of pellets at a time, hopper (generally about a World Heritage site, the community periods yet delivered in bulk by tanker, you can keep the cost double the size of an oil flue is not be fitted on the buildings and further. down to around £190 per tonne in most parts of the boiler) and a flue. principal or side elevation

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farms. UK. Logs can be cheaper than pellets, but costs if it would be visible from depend on the wood suppliers in your local area, as a highway they cost a lot to transport. If you have room to store  the building is not listed more than a year’s worth of logs you can save money or in a designated area (in by buying unseasoned logs and letting them season which case you may need for a year. You can search for wood fuel suppliers in permission for internal your area at www.nef.org.uk/logpile/ alterations too) A wood chip boiler for a large community building might cost £30,000 - 300,000, depending on the size. The project will also need to budget for fuel, of course, though pellets and chip are relatively inexpensive. Source: USEA table made with information from the Rough guide to Community and www.energysavingtrust.org.uk