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10/04/25 Ofgem green lights round the clock support for customers cut off due to meter faults  | Ofgem

Government opens Warm Homes Grant application https://www.gov.uk/apply-warm-homes-local-grant and guidance for LAs https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66f1573cbd3aced9da489bcf/Warm-Homes-Local-Grant-guidance.pdf

Thursday 3 April 2025

Ofgem Energy Redress Scheme distributes £2.3 million to support community renewable energy projects 

Funds from the first round of the Just Transition Fund will be distributed to thirteen organisations across England, Scotland and Wales through the Ofgem Energy Industry Voluntary Redress Scheme (Energy Redress Scheme)

The Ofgem Energy Industry Voluntary Redress Scheme (Energy Redress Scheme) has announced how the latest round of funding is being awarded. A total of £2.3 million in grants is being distributed to thirteen organisations across England, Scotland and Wales, to support the development of community renewable energy projects. These projects aim to benefit vulnerable residents by reducing energy bills and promoting carbon reduction initiatives.

The fund will also build the capacity of the community energy sector to deliver impactful renewable energy projects and demonstrate how a just transition to net zero can benefit everyone.

Wales based developer of community-owned clean energy infrastructure, YnNi Teg, will receive £247,003 in funding for its Bangala Community Power Plant. The project aims to enable urban communities to be part of a community-owned ‘virtual power plant’, generating, storing and controlling their own renewable power. This initiative will directly reduce energy costs and carbon emissions for approximately 300 households.

Jonathan Townend, Executive Director at YnNi Teg, said:

“The funding will enable us to develop ambitious plans for a community-owned ‘virtual power plant’, integrating the operation of solar PV and battery storage installations across hundreds of households for optimum shared benefit.

“As well as helping vulnerable households reduce their bills, the project aims to create a replicable and scalable model for communities to participate in a sustainable transition to Net Zero.”

Community Energy Scotland will receive £185,750 to support their Cowal Peninsula Community Wind Pioneers project. The project will explore the best routes to community ownership, ensuring that local people can benefit from a long term, sustainable income from local natural resources.

Darragh Keenaghan, Project Manager at Community Energy Scotland, said:

“This funding allows us to provide support and expertise to Cowal’s communities to harness the potential of community-owned renewable energy. By mapping out viable options, including repowering, shared ownership, and new community-led projects, we hope to create a long-term income stream that will help tackle fuel poverty and support just transition initiatives.

“This project is about local people having a real say in their energy future and ensuring the benefits of renewables stay within the community.”

Southern Staffordshire Community Energy will also receive £52,280 in funding for their Solar for Social Impact Expansion project. This initiative will scale the portfolio of fourteen sites across five NHS Trusts and Primary Care Networks. Additionally, the project aims to generate funding for fuel poverty initiatives through solar energy sales, enabling a proactive model that benefits patients and shifts from reactive to preventive care.

Neil O’Brien, Chair of Staffordshire Community Energy (SCE) said:

“This is vital funding to enable us to complete the development work on a range of solar PV projects, which we plan to install on the roofs of several hospitals and other NHS buildings. This will help NHS bodies save on electricity bills and reduce their carbon emissions.

“Crucially, this project will also allow SCE to provide up to £2 million to the local charity, Beat the Cold, over the next 25 years. This funding will offer advice and support to NHS patients in fuel poverty, reducing demand on hospital services during critical winter periods.”

Since 2018, the Energy Redress Scheme has supported 660 projects in England, Scotland and Wales. The funding is collected through Ofgem’s enforcement and compliance activities, where companies that have breached energy rules agree to make a voluntary payment into the Energy Redress Scheme. Energy Saving Trust manages the allocation of payments for the scheme

Graham Ayling, senior project manager at Energy Saving Trust, said: “This funding will support the development of community-owned renewable energy at a crucial time, enabling such projects to play a larger role in the transition to a net zero energy system.

“These projects demonstrate how a future energy system can be fairer through greater citizen ownership, where residents see direct benefits. We’re pleased to be able to work towards this by recycling the profits from energy generation to help people struggling to heat and power their homes.”

Cathryn Scott, Regulatory Director of Market Oversight and Enforcement at Ofgem, said: “As the energy regulator, we are committed to protecting consumers while helping pave the way towards net zero, and the Energy Redress fund is key to this. With another £2million from the fund going to community energy projects across England, Scotland, and Wales, it’s rewarding to see our compliance and enforcement efforts paying off.

 “Community-led projects like those receiving funds ensure that local people benefit from the development of community renewable energy projects, which will ultimately help reduce bills and further our progress towards net zero.”

Read more about all the funded projects here.

March 2025 News

Warm Homes: Local Grant – successful local authorities https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/warm-homes-local-grant-successful-local-authorities

The lure of the fireside Heat pumps have a cosiness problem – article by Aimee Ambrose Professor of Energy Policy Sheffield Hallam University

February 2025 News

20 February 2025, Ofgem has launched a consultation on introducing a zero standing charge energy price cap variant. The linked factsheet sets out initial thoughts, the options and design features as well as guidance on how organisations can respond. https://aleo.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/OFGEM-Standing-Charges-Factsheet.pdf

Latest from Cornwall Insight – https://www.cornwall-insight.com/press-and-media/press-release/cornwall-insight-release-final-april-price-cap-forecast/

Gov announces its Plan for Change consultation https://www.gov.uk/government/news/warm-homes-and-cheaper-bills-as-government-accelerates-plan-for-change with a plan to uprate to at least EPC C for rentals by 2030. NEA’s response here https://www.nea.org.uk/news/fuel-poverty-strategy-and-mees/

January 2025 News

The following businesses registered with TrustMark have had all trade codes suspended for any measures relating to Solid Wall Insulation which includes External Wall, Hybrid and Internal Wall Insulation. See a full list here: Notice Regarding Businesses and Solid Wall Trades • TrustMark – the list will be updated on a regular basis.

28/01/25 Notice from OFGEM: The parliamentary statement provided last week by Minister Miatta Fahnbulleh, which outlines cases of poor-quality solid wall insulation under ECO4 and GBIS identified by routine checks.

The following resources provide an overview of the announcement and the issue at hand, as well as information for any consumers that may be affected:

We are unable to provide any further information beyond that shared by the Government at this time. We will, however, continue to share any information we can as and when it becomes available. OFGEM

New skills investment announced https://www.gov.uk/government/news/support-for-workers-to-benefit-from-thousands-of-clean-power-jobs

EPC – Government consultation – give your views https://consult.communities.gov.uk/energy-performance-of-buildings/consultation-on-reforms-to-epb – deadline for submissions February 26th 2025.

Proposed reforms to enhance the regime in 5 critical areas:

Strengthening the quality of air conditioning inspection reports

Updating what EPCs measure through additional metrics

Updating when energy certificates are required by refining the rules for obtaining EPCs and DECs

Managing energy certificate quality

Improving the accessibility of building performance data

Call for evidence for potential new energy data scheme https://www.gov.uk/government/news/potential-new-smart-data-scheme-to-drive-innovation-and-support-consumers-in-the-energy-market and  https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/developing-an-energy-smart-data-scheme Closes March 10th 2025

Devolution: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/english-devolution-white-paper-power-and-partnership-foundations-for-growth/english-devolution-white-paper

UK electricity 2024: cleanest ever Analysis: UK’s electricity was cleanest ever in 2024 – Carbon Brief

And here is the response from EST https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/our-response-to-the-uk-governments-clean-power-action-plan/

Our Debt Strategy which contains two consultations:

Cornwall Insight predicting a 3% jump in the price cap from April https://www.cornwall-insight.com/press-and-media/press-release/price-cap-forecasts-rise-amid-wholesale-market-volatility/

OFGEM News: Good Energy has now met Ofgem’s strict criteria to be able to restart involuntary installations of pre-payment meters (PPMs). This supplier has been added to our website, so customers are clear which suppliers have met the restart conditions. The website and attached poster also contains information for customers on their rights. The Stakeholder Team

For any questions please do get in touch with stakeholders@ofgem.gov.uk.

DECEMBER NEWS December News

Open consultation on reform of EPC https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/reforms-to-the-energy-performance-of-buildings-regime (closes 26 Feb)

Warm Homes Schemes Spending Review announcement 21/11/24 Warm Homes Schemes SR announcement

DESNZ Warm Homes Plan Announcement 21/12/24 Warm Homes Plan Announcement

£9.3 million awarded to 28 organisations through Ofgem Energy Redress Scheme supporting those most in need and carbon reduction initiatives

The Radio Teleswitch Service. The radio signal will be shut down and the service it supports will end on 30 June 2025. The service uses radio signals to tell some electricity meters to switch between peak and off-peak rates.  End of the Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS): what we’re doing to help | Ofgem.

AirEx Technologies partnership with Warmworks – Case study Warmer Homes Scotland programme Retrofit at Scale – Warmworks and the AirEx Floorvent System — Airex

WHD support for park home residents via Charis https://charisgrants.com/partners/park-homes/

Ofwat consulting on new PSR standards https://www.ofwat.gov.uk/ofwat-launches-new-standards-to-improve-services-for-customers-who-need-extra-help/

CSE’s response to Ofgem’s Vulnerability Strategy consultation  https://www.cse.org.uk/news/ofgems-consumer-vulnerability-strategy-refresh/

Fuel Bank Foundation’s latest research findings  https://www.fuelbankfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/FBF-Fuel-Crisis-Report-2024_Digital.pdf

New research on fall out from WFP https://www.endfuelpoverty.org.uk/winter-fuel-payment-cuts-set-to-hit-84-of-disabled-pensioners/

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