November 2017 - National Energy Action
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November 2017
NEWS
Help spread the word about smart
meters
Around 53 million smart meters are being fitted in over 30 million homes
across England, Scotland and Wales. This is the biggest national
infrastructure project of our lifetime and it will enable a more efficient
energy system for Great Britain.
Smart Energy GB’s Resource centre offers free printed and
downloadable materials explaining smart meters and the rollout. There
are free printed copies of the Informational leaflets available for those
reaching people over the age of 65 who have no access to the internet,
who may need additional support to engage with the smart meter rollout.
There are also free downloadable resources for you to use when helping
others to get a smart meter, no matter who they are. Choose from a
range of more than 120 posters, fact sheets and more, in seven
languages and five alternative formats.
You can order your free printed leaflets on the Resource centre:
smartenergyGB.org/resources
Low carbon heat and rural poverty
poverty: Lessons from across Europe
This study by Community Energy Plus, funded with a grant from Eaga
Charitable Trust, examines the role of low carbon heat and the potential
for it to address fuel poverty, particularly in rural locations. Best practice
examples have been sourced from EU member states, which are leading
in both the deployment of low carbon heat and with low reported fuel
poverty levels. A review of barriers to the UK has been compiled and
learning experiences drawn, to inform next steps in the low carbon heat
agenda.
You can read the full research report, and research summary here.
New grant awarrd to Sheffield University
The Trustees of Eaga Charitable Trust are very pleased to announce a
new grant award which they have made to the University of Sheffield for a
research project entitled ‘Being Warm – Being Happy: Understanding
Disability Fuel Poverty and Energy Vulnerability for Adults with a Learning
Disability (AWLD)’. This mixed methods study aims to understand and
characterise fuel poverty and energy vulnerability from the perspective of
adults with learning disabilities.
Further information on the project can be found here.
Details of all research funded by Eaga Charitable Trust can be found on
the Trust's website.
MEMBERS NEWS
Honorary degree for local heat hero!
Ray Harrington-Vail is well known on the Isle of Wight for his work with
the Footprint Trust. His work in helping those in fuel poverty was
recognised by NEA when he was awarded Heat Hero status in 2013. The
Trust, set up by Ray in 2002, was given the Queen’s Award for Voluntary
Service for its pioneering work.
The Open University has made Ray an Honorary Master in recognition of
his work in the field of education, helping those who are excluded from
learning due to their economic or social circumstances. He was presented
with this honour at the university’s degree ceremony in Poole on Thursday
9th November 2017. The award was presented on behalf of the Senate
by Professor William Nuttall of the university’s Faculty of Science,
Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.
Ray’s work in the field of nature conservation along with his long career in
the voluntary sector, especially working for environmental causes, is
recognised as having a profound influence in his local community.
Plymouth Energy Community takes the
power back!
On 15 November, nearly 100 people joined Plymouth Energy
Community (PEC) for an inspirational energy jamboree about social
justice and making the energy system work better for communities.
‘Taking the Power Back’ explored how the energy system is changing and
the opportunities for communities to innovate and collaborate with
network operators. PEC unveiled ‘Cold Realities’, a hard-hitting photo
exhibition commissioned to shine a spotlight on the impact of fuel poverty.
Attendees heard from passionate speakers Howard Johns, Gideon
Mendel, Luke Pollard MP and Alistair Macpherson talk about fuel poverty,
climate change, social economy, and taking local action.
People left fuelled with enthusiasm, ideas and actions to make a real
change to our energy future. This was a free event organised by PEC,
Regen, WPD and was part of Plymouth Social Enterprise Festival.
Read the full summary and download presentations from the day on the
PEC website.
Switchee at the Fuel Poverty Forums
October and November have seen NEA business supporter Switchee
present at four Fuel Poverty Forums.
Switchee’s Key Account Director, Alastair Thorpe (pictured), has
presented at the East Midlands, London, North West and Yorkshire &
Humber forums. He has demonstrated how smart technology and the
‘Internet of Things’ are being used to optimise property heating settings
and provide landlords with environmental data that enables them to
improve the energy efficiency of their housing stock and ultimately tackle
fuel poverty.
NEA’s recent Technical Innovation Fund (TIF) report revealed Switchee
made average savings of 17.91% in the small selection of Together
Housing properties where it was installed. Consequently, further TIF
funding has been provided to install Switchee in a range of Walsall
Housing Group properties.
NGN shortlised for Utility Week award
Northern Gas Networks (NGN), has been shortlisted in the Community
Initiative of the Year category at this year’s Utility Week Awards for its
Warm Hubs initiative.
The hubs provide warm, friendly places, staffed by volunteers, where
customers living in vulnerable situations, usually in areas that aren’t
connected to the gas network, can go to socialise, get warm, have a hot meal and access information, advice and referrals to relevant support. Winners will be announced at the Utility Week Awards ceremony at the Grosvenor Hotel in Mayfair, London on Monday 11 December. NGN Community Promises Fund This month (November), the north of England’s gas distributor Northern Gas Networks (NGN) will be reviewing the shortlist of applications it received for its annual £50,000 Community Promises Fund. In partnership with Leeds Community Foundation (LCF), the fund offer grants of £1,000 to £10,000 to third sector organisations and community groups with innovative approaches to delivering sustainable initiatives in council areas of the north of England. Started in 2016, the Community Promises Fund supports projects, events and initiatives which help to alleviate hardship and other challenges associated with fuel poverty, educate around energy efficiency ideas and raise awareness of the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning. Funding is also available to groups who encourage people to get involved with STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and maths) and related career opportunities. MOVE! Northern Gas Network volunteers have recently embarked on their training to deliver MOVE (Motivating Offenders Via Employment) in partnership with Northumbria Community Rehabilitation Company (NCRC). The MOVE project aims to get offenders back into employment by educating them and teaching them skills that are beneficial to an employer. Currently, seven volunteers have attended the initial training session and a further four will be attending in mid-December. UK Power Networks set to transform its networks for a smart future Britain’s largest electricity distributor, which delivers electricity to London, the east and south east, has launched its vision for the future to create an electricity network that empowers and enables communities and consumers to benefit from the new technologies available – and facilitate the development of those yet to come. In the coming years, more and more people will own electric and driverless cars, use smart appliances in their homes, and generate, store and sell their own electricity. UK Power Networks is setting out how it will enable people, communities and business to benefit from such technologies, while continuing to provide safe, reliable services for all customers. The business will transform from being a Distribution Network Operator (DNO) which simply manages the network, to become a Distribution System Operator (DSO) which enables a smart, flexible system that responds to customers’ needs. Read the full news release here. Brits urged to be winter ready as research reveals public is not prepared 9.5 million people across Great Britain admit they don’t carry out basic winter preparations as the colder weather rolls in. The figures have been released by the country’s electricity and gas networks, which aims to help the public be better-prepared if they have a power cut or gas emergency this winter. The survey found that 59% of people think the reliability of the gas and electricity networks means they don’t have to prepare for winter as much
as they used to. Over half (52%) don’t keep a torch in their house in case
of a power cut, and over 70% (71%) don’t take steps to get their boiler
serviced in advance of winter. Furthermore, over 70% (72%) don’t know
who their local gas or electricity network operators are, with only 21%
saying they prepare themselves for winter by finding out who to contact if
their gas or electricity goes off.
The energy networks are calling on the public to follow these three steps
to Be Winter Ready:
Know your free emergency numbers - in a power cut dial 105 or,
for a gas emergency, dial 0800 111999.
Prepare your home - keep a torch handy and get your appliances
serviced by a Gas Safe registered engineer to prevent carbon
monoxide poisoning. Vulnerable households can get extra
support by signing up to the Priority Services Register. Contact
your gas or electricity network to find out more. Visit
www.energynetworks.org to find out who your network operator
is.
Keep your eyes open - keep an eye on the weather forecast and,
if you have a power cut or a gas emergency, check on your
neighbours.
For more information on the campaign visit the Energy Networks
Association website and search for 'Be Winter Ready'.
TRAINING NEWS
NEA/City & Guilds Level 3 Award in
Energy Awareness: 2018 training dates
released
2018 training dates have been released for NEA's Level 3 Award: Energy
Awareness 6281-01.
This three-day course has been running for 25 years reaching more than
25,000 people. This remains NEA’s most popular course for energy
efficiency advisers
For more information on this and other training available, visit the NEA
website.
NEA is an independent charity, Registration No. 290511. Company limited by guarantee. Registered
in England No. 1853927.
West One, Forth Banks, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 3PA
www.nea.org.uk
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© 2017 National Energy Action
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