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A new report by the National Audit Office (NAO) examines the performance, implementation, procurement and management of the Green Homes Grant scheme. The government has identified decarbonising home heating as a key part of its plan to deliver net zero by 2050.In establishing the Green Homes Grant Voucher Scheme, the Department worked at an ambitious pace to deliver a scheme...

The new £270 million Green Heat Network Fund will open for applications from public, private and third sector applicants in England in April 2022. The Fun will only support low-carbon technologies like heat pumps, solar and geothermal energy in the roll-out of the next generation of heat networks, which is set to enable more towns and cities to take up...

A new consultation seeks views on the revised energy National Policy Statements that support decisions on major energy infrastructure. First designated and published in 2011, the energy National Policy Statements (NPS) set out the government’s policy for the delivery of energy infrastructure and provide the legal framework for planning decisions. The Energy white paper announced that the government would review the...

The UK’s biggest electricity distributor is inviting not-for-profit organisations, charities and community groups to apply for new funding, to help tackle the threat of fuel poverty. UK Power Networks, which distributes electricity across London, the South East and East of England, has already awarded more than £670,000 to 41 projects in four previous rounds of its Power Partners scheme. Grants of...

The second round of the Water Breakthrough Challenge will open at 9am on 11 October 2021, with two streams of funding available for innovative initiatives which 'deliver benefits for customers, society and the environment', Ofwat has announced. According to the water regulator, in response to feedback from the sector, 'Breakthrough 2' will bring together elements from the first rounds of...

Children in London are four times more likely to go to school in areas with high levels pollution levels that exceed World Health Organization (WHO) limits than children in the rest of England, according to new research. City Hall commissioned Imperial College London to assess the impact on health of the mayoral air quality policies, and air pollution in London,...

Scottish building regulations set minimum standards applicable to new buildings and to new work to existing buildings. A recent draft Heat in Buildings Strategy sets out the Scottish Government vision for decarbonising heat and reducing energy demand across all buildings in Scotland, setting out the scale of the investment opportunity and supporting green recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Following review in 2007,...

New round of Air Quality Grants for local authorities in England has opened to benefit communities and reduce the impact of polluted air on people's health. The grant helps councils develop and implement measures to benefit schools, businesses and communities and reduce the impact of polluted air on people’s health. Environment Minister Rebecca Pow commented on the announcement: “Air quality has...

A new £2.5million National Lottery-funded programme to support communities across the UK take action on climate change has opened for applications. The 'Together for Our Planet'-fund offers grants of between £1,000 and £10,000 to support local community projects, covering areas such as food, transport, energy, waste and consumption and the natural environment. It aims to create a legacy of ongoing climate...

45.4% of total electricity consumption in Northern Ireland was generated from renewable sources located in the country, a new report reveals. The ‘Electricity Consumption and Renewable Generation in Northern Ireland: Year Ending June 2021’-report details the percentage of electricity consumption in Northern Ireland generated from renewable sources and includes information on the type of renewable generation used. The report reflects performance...