A new offensive on cutting energy waste was launched by Edward Davey today, with the creation of a dedicated team within DECC assembled to spearhead energy efficiency policy and make it more relevant to people’s everyday lives.
The Energy and Climate Change Secretary today unveiled details of the new Energy Efficiency Deployment Office (EEDO) at a meeting with industry leaders at The John Lewis Partnerships’ Peter Jones store on Sloane Square, London.
In his first speech as Secretary of State, Mr Davey said:
“I’m hugely enthusiastic about energy efficiency. It’s the cheapest way of cutting carbon – and cutting bills for consumers. It has to be right at the heart of what we do.
“EEDO will be a centre of expertise, challenging our work and making energy efficiency real and relevant to people’s everyday lives. Two out of three consumers think their home is wasting energy, but only one in three is going to do anything about it. That has to change. We need to get out there and show people what energy efficiency can really do for them.
“The Green Deal will play a huge part in this work and will also support jobs in the insulation and construction industries– as many as 65,000 right across the country by 2015. It can help us deliver a fairer, greener economy. And help us get young people back into work – or into work for the first time.
“The UK has some of the most inefficient housing stock in the EU. But getting this right means as a nation we make energy savings over the next decade equivalent to two nuclear power stations while making everyone’s homes warmer and cheaper to run.
The 50-strong team, which will be based at DECC’s headquarters in London, will pull together expertise from across the Department. EEDO staff will continue to support the delivery of the Green Deal, the rollout of smart meters and the increase in renewable heat as well as developing a new energy efficiency strategy to identify the potential for further energy efficiency across the economy.
As well as having its own expertise, EEDO will work with leading industry experts to ensure we have the best possible evidence, analysis and policy response to this challenging agenda.
Today DECC is launching a call for evidence to help underpin the energy efficiency strategy.