Solar panels will be fitted on all new houses and heat pumps installed in nearly half a million homes every year under sweeping plans unveiled by Ed Miliband. [some emphasis, links added]
The Energy Secretary on Wednesday launched a £15 billion [USD$19B] green energy plan to fit solar panels, heat pumps, insulation, and double glazing to five million homes for people on low incomes — all at taxpayers’ expense.
Housebuilders will also be blocked from installing boilers and gas fires in new homes under building regulations to be announced later this year.
Mr Miliband’s “Warm Homes Plan” is one of the Government’s flagship green energy policies, with the budget around four times the size of the BBC’s annual licence income.
A new body, the Warm Homes Agency, will also oversee spending from the fund, making it one of Britain’s biggest quangos.
About £5 billion ($6.35 billion) of the £15 billion ($19 billion) will be spent on upgrading low-income homes, deemed to be any with a total annual income below £35,000 ($44,500). An estimated 14 million homes fall into this category.
An additional £2.7 billion ($3.4 billion) will be spent providing grants through councils and housing associations, with a further £1 billion ($1.27 billion) allocated for heat networks.
Some of Mr. Miliband’s greatest ambitions are focused on heat pump installations, which are expected to massively accelerate to 450,000 a year compared with 60,000 last year.
‘Warm, Affordable, and Safe’
Some of that will come from £2.7 billion ($3.4 billion) set aside for Boiler Upgrade Scheme grants, available to all irrespective of income, between now and 2030.
However, this is only enough for 360,000 installations in total – a fraction of the 450,000 per year by 2030 sought by Mr Miliband.
Justifying the plan, Mr Miliband said:
“It is a scandal that millions of people in our country do not have the security of a home that is warm, affordable, and safe. We are embarking on a national project to turn the tide – waging war on fuel poverty.”
According to the Warm Homes Plan, there will be no overt “boiler ban” but new rules from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government later this year will set emission standards too tough for most gas appliances.
The UK adds about 210,000 new homes a year — most of which will now have to be fitted with such low-carbon heating, with heat pumps being the likely candidate.
Read rest at The Telegraph
