Summer sunshine helps Hampshire resident build an ‘energy buffer’
Energy efficiency upgrades benefit residents in hundreds of homes across England
More than 1,100 homes across the country are now benefitting from warmer accommodation and lower energy bills thanks to upgrades funded through a government scheme and delivered by a consortium of local councils led by Portsmouth City Council.
The energy efficiency works provided insulation, solar panels, low carbon heating, such as air source heat pumps, and more to vulnerable residents living across 23 local authorities, including West Sussex to Hampshire.
Wendy, from Hampshire, who had solar panels installed at her property nearly two years ago, said: “The [solar panels] have provided excellent returns, so much that in summer months I am a net exporter.
“The energy tariff we’re on has allowed a 'buffer' for energy bills in the winter months.”
The energy tariff we’re on has allowed a 'buffer' for energy bills in the winter months.
A SEG, or ‘smart exporter guarantee’, tariff is a UK government scheme that pays people for surplus renewable electricity exported back to the national grid.
In Wendy’s case, this comes from the solar energy generated through via the panels installed on her roof.
Wendy’s favourite thing about her home is “the uninterrupted south facing views”. It is also these views that position her home optimally for the generation solar energy from the panels installed on her roof.
The upgrades at Wendy’s home, along with thousands of others, was enabled through funding via the government’s Home Upgrade Grant Phase 2.
The scheme is delivered on behalf of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, with funding awarded to the Warmer Homes programme, a 23-council consortium led by Portsmouth City Council.
We visited Portsmouth earlier in the year to discuss the project, which was providing retrofit upgrades and low-carbon heating to vulnerable households which are low income, off the gas grid and have a poor Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating.
EPC ratings show how energy efficient a property is, considering insulation, lighting and heating. EPCs are designed to help people to understand the energy performance of a home. The numerical scale uses bandings to rate from a ‘very efficient’ A to an ‘inefficient’ G.
Delivery for the project completed in time for the summer, with householders across the country, including Wendy, now able to benefit from installed measures.
When asked on what she has to say to anyone who may be offered similar opportunities for future works, Wendy said: “I would thoroughly recommend this scheme and its benefits, both financially and the environmental impact.”
I would thoroughly recommend this scheme and its benefits, both financially and the environmental impact.
Delivering through the Home Upgrade Grant scheme, Portsmouth City Council led the consortium on behalf of member councils Arun, Adur and Worthing, Basingstoke and Deane, Brighton and Hove, Chichester, Crawley, Croydon, East Hampshire, Eastleigh, Fareham, Gosport, Havant, Horsham, Isle of Wight, Mid Sussex, New Forest, Peterborough, Portsmouth, Rushmoor, Rutland, Southampton, Test Valley and Winchester councils.
Having consistently performed amongst top grant recipients, it is felt that this is due to collaborative relationship with retrofit delivery specialists at Agility Eco and with their consortium members. Top scheme performers are measured by homes completed against targets set in line with funding criteria.
With delivery through the Home Upgrade Grant now complete, the Council is continuing momentum towards net zero at benefit to residents by continuing to use government and internal funding sources to progress its retrofit and net zero agenda.
