Minister visits Swale Heating for energy summit

3rd July 2012
Minister visits Swale Heating for energy summit

The Green Deal, the Government’s new flagship carbon emission reduction policy, will bring huge benefits to households and businesses while providing a much-needed financial shot in the arm for companies who get involved in the initiative.

That was the key message from Gregory Barker MP, Minister for Climate Change, when he addressed a green energy summit at the offices of Swale Heating in Sittingbourne, Kent, on Monday 2 July.

Responding to an invitation by Sittingbourne and Sheppey MP Gordon Henderson, the minister explained to an audience of private and public sector delegates how the Green Deal would work when it comes into force later this year.

Mr Barker said that under the Green Deal, bill payers will be able to get energy efficiency improvements without having to front up the cash. Instead, businesses who become approved providers under the scheme will provide the capital, getting their money back via the energy bill. At the heart of the offer is a simple rule – that estimated savings on bills will always equal or exceed the cost of the work.

“Every property considered under the Green Deal will be assessed by an accredited, objective adviser, and the energy efficiency measures installed by an accredited installer. The scheme will provide a substantial opportunity for companies here in Kent and elsewhere to tap into a huge potential market.

“Millions of residential and commercial properties could benefit from the energy efficient savings that these improvements could bring – measures like cavity wall and loft insulation, solid wall insulation, double glazed windows and new doors, solar pv panels, energy-saving heating controls and lighting systems, A-rated boilers and much more.

“Within the next few weeks I will be issuing advice to local councils to draw up a strategy to roll out the Green Deal in their areas,” said Mr Barker, who acknowledged that a big job lay ahead in explaining the scheme to the public and other target audiences.

Responding to questions about small to medium sized regional firms being squeezed out of the new scheme by larger national home improvement suppliers, the minister said he expected ‘an army of SMEs’ to get involved and urged local authorities in Kent to help manage this.

He also denied a claim that the Green Deal would be a ‘flash in the pan’ initiative that fizzles out in six months. “This is a 20-year programme. We will not have a big flashy launch with a huge advertising budget. It will be rolled out in a controlled and steady way, based on partnerships between Government and local councils and groups,” he argued.

Swale Heating managing director Mark Pope said the company was keen to put its weight behind the Green Deal: “Ahead of this meeting we understood the ethos of the Green Deal but it was unclear how the Government planned for it to be delivered. Now it is clear that there are opportunities for independent heating services companies like ours to be involved and we look forward to finding out more about becoming an accredited provider.”

Gordon Henderson said: “One of the reasons I invited the minister is because some of our smaller companies here in Kent have concerns about being excluded from the Green Deal. There has also been the worry that households will postpone decisions on home improvements like new windows until the Green Deal is introduced later this year, leading to work drying up for the next few months.”

Pete Raine, regeneration director at Swale Borough Council, told the minister that a huge amount of promotion was needed to ‘sell’ the scheme to consumers: “I think there is a key role for councils and other trusted community advocates to get behind the Green Deal and explain the benefits to the public,” he added.

Present at the summit were Mark Pope, Ian Pierson and Matthew Edwards of Swale Heating; Swale Borough Council regeneration director Pete Raine and Janet Hill, climate change officer; Carolyn McKenzie, head of sustainability and climate change at Kent County Council; Chris Woollett, managing director of The Bond Group: James Speck, site director of Kent Science Park; Tim Evans of STEAG New Energies UK; and Bernie Sketchley, managing director of Kent Trade Frames.

For more information about Swale Heating, please visit: www.swaleheating.com.