Elmhurst Energy reacts to Green Deal funding announcement

Elmhurst Energy, the energy performance rating organisation, has expressed disappointment at the Government’s 23rd July announcement that its support for Green Deal funding will stop.

“It is very disappointing news for Elmhurst Energy and many of its members who have trained and invested time and resources in promoting an initiative which had the best of intentions,” explains Martyn Reed (pictured), Operations Director at Elmhurst Energy.

“The announcement was particularly disappointing because it arrived with no consultation with the stakeholders nor a clear plan to ensure the supply chain can remain intact until the next initiative is launched. Elmhurst Energy will be writing to Government with its opinions and offering assistance to the team who are charged with reviewing activity and recommending a future strategy.”

However, Elmhurst Energy are also keen to point out that Green Deal is not dead; it is the Government support to the funding of Green Deal plans that has stopped and energy efficiency is as important now as it has ever been and therefore the demand for our services will continue.

Although the announcement will obviously have a significant effect on the Providers and the Finance Company itself, in reality only 10,000 of the 576,000 Green Deal assessments resulted in Green Deal Plans and are therefore affected by this announcement. The drivers for the remaining 98% still exist.

“Whilst we can argue about the mechanism and bureaucracy of Green Deal, the concept of trained experts discussing with householders opportunities to reduce energy consumption, and then for that improvement to be funded through a “save as you go” mechanism remains totally sensible,” continues Martyn. “Green Deal Finance was always intended to be a freestanding operation, this route is still open to them.

“With 500,000 Green Deal Advice Reports issued by 1,000 energy advisors we have demonstrated we are both willing and able to raise awareness of energy efficiency matters and to deliver sound advice. We need Government to appreciate that our end of the process worked and build upon that resource going forward.”

Elmhurst Energy will be lobbying Government, as well as working with entrepreneurial private sector organisations that are already developing their own solutions.

www.elmhurstenergy.co.uk