RENEWABLE TECHNOLOGY
FLAWS IN THE GOVERNMENT’S GREEN HOMES GRANT The Government’s Green Homes Grant, introduced on 30th September 2020, was meant to encourage homeowners to make their properties more energy efficient. Instead, the scheme has been beset by criticism from consumers and installers alike. Here, Ian Rippin, CEO at MCS – the national standards organisation for renewables – discusses what he views as flaws in the scheme, and what can be done to ensure low-carbon technologies become a staple solution for new-build properties of the future. MCS
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n the wake of a global pandemic, which has seen increased pressure placed on the Government to support Britain’s tradespeople, you could be forgiven for thinking that Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s Green Homes Grant arrived at just the right time for the renewables sector. A £2bn investment designed to support more than 100,000 jobs in green construction and, in turn, allow for home improvements in an estimated 600,000 properties across England, it was sold as a means of economic recovery with the environment at its heart. Consumers were to be given vouchers of up to £5000 to spend on energy-saving home improvements – with lowincome households eligible for up to £10,000 – covering insulation, heat pumps, solar thermal and more, and creating an estimated saving of up to £600 per year on home energy bills. To complete lowcarbon heating installations, tradespeople must be certified by the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) and be TrustMark registered. FC&A – NOVEMBER – 2020
However, since its launch, homeowners and installers alike have shone a light on numerous flaws that have called the efficiency and effectiveness of the scheme into question. At MCS, we have fielded calls on a daily basis from installers seeking clarity and expressing their concerns. Having had something of a turbulent year due to the pandemic and subsequent lockdown, they have returned to work and are busy delivering on existing projects that had been paused. As such, they now find themselves without the capacity to fulfil new projects under the Green Homes Grant; much less to recruit and train the requisite number of installers. Homeowners have also queried the process. The eligibility assessment alone has proven challenging, as it asks specific questions about property infrastructure that your average homeowner is unlikely to know. Subsequently, a great deal more work is needed to help consumers understand the best options for making their home more energy efficient.
Decarbonising heat is our biggest challenge when it comes to achieving net-zero emissions, with the built environment contributing around 40% of the country’s total carbon footprint. Heating alone accounts for 10% of carbon emissions, with homes having a more significant impact than any other form of construction. To date, meeting this target has meant a focus on retrofit: installing green energy in existing properties to save money on energy bills in the long-term and reduce carbon emissions. Undoubtedly, the right approach at this point in time, as existing properties certainly present the biggest challenge. The dilemma is that essential carbon savings ultimately come at a cost to the homeowner. A heat pump, for example, is not a like-for-like replacement for a gas boiler, many of which are distress purchases with consumers only choosing to ‘upgrade’ when their existing boiler breaks down. The installation of a heat pump delivers immediate carbon emission savings which, dependent on the type of heat pump installed and the system it is replacing, can lead to reductions of up to 70%*. Still, to work well, they require a comprehensive system created by a skilled designer and, for some properties, new pipework and radiators, all of which adds to the cost of installation.
A national commitment to green energy
In our view and that of our installers, the Green Homes Grant is the very definition of short-termism. While the scheme has clearly stimulated consumer interest in green energy, which has translated into demand, with just five months (up until March 2021) to fulfil a £2bn commitment by the Treasury, it is not surprising that the sector is struggling to keep up.
In 2019, the UK became the first major economy in the world to commit to ending its contribution to global warming by 2050, bringing all greenhouse gas emissions to net-zero. 34
Looking to the future
