Tackling our energy use
According to the Energy Saving Trust we produce around 22% of the UK’s carbon emissions from what we do in our homes. To avoid further global warming, we can all help to reduce these emissions by using renewable rather than fossil fuel energy at home. We can also aim to reduce the amount of energy we use in our homes which will help to reduce our fuel bills.
Switching to renewable energy
A simple way to reduce your carbon footprint is to switch to a renewable energy tariff. These days there are many energy suppliers offering ‘renewable’ or ‘green’ energy but not all ‘renewable’ energy is as green as you might think. The guide we have provided here is designed to help you choose the best renewable energy tariff for you, depending on your priorities.
Click below for an excellent series on YouTube on this topic!
Insulating your home to reduce your heating demand
As a nation, our housing is old, leaky, and hopelessly dependent on fossil fuels – around 85% of UK homes use gas boilers. The first priority has to be insulation which includes insulation in lofts, cavity walls and solid walls.
There are government schemes to help pay for insulation. And if you pay about £50, you can get an energy performance assessor to identify your options.
Make any insulation and draught-proofing improvements that you can and consider replacing single glazed windows and doors with double-glazing.
Heating your home – heat pumps
Once you have tackled any insulation issues in your home, the next step to decarbonising your heating may well be to install a heat pump. Heat pumps operate the reverse of fridges in that they move outside heat – either from the air or from the ground – into your house.
Heat pumps are not cheap to buy and may require you to make changes in your home such as fitting bigger radiators. The good news is that there are some schemes that can help you with the cost of heat pumps (eg. The Green Homes Grant and the Renewable Heat Incentive) provided that you use installers qualified under the government-mandated Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS). There are a few local MCS certified installers, the nearest to Witchford being Eco Installer (located across the A142 on Sedgeway Business Park) who can provide a free quote and advice. Examples of the type of equipment you would need in your homes are installed in their showroom.
Heating your home – improving your central heating system
There are likely to be significant changes ahead to how we heat our homes to meet net zero carbon emissions targets set by the UK Government. If investment in renewable heating systems is not a practical choice for you right now, there is a lot you can do to make your heating system more energy efficient, reducing your fuel bills, as well as reducing your carbon emissions.
If you have a central heating system, you may want to consider these energy saving improvements suggested by the Energy Saving Trust:
- Replace your boiler with a newer, more efficient model.
- Fit better controls and use them to make sure your boiler only provides heat where and when you want it.
- Use chemical inhibitors to help maintain central heating system efficiency.
Heating your home – a range of renewable energy systems
With a renewable energy system, you could heat your home or generate your own electricity, while reducing your energy bills and your reliance on fossil fuels.
Consider a wide range of renewable energy options on the Energy Saving Trust website.