Energy Update
Market update
With energy prices a key driver of economic performance, there were a lot of energy related elements in the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement.
On the domestic side, it was confirmed that ther additional cost of living payments for the most vulnerable, including low-income households, pensioners and those on disability benefits. There was also an additional £1billion allocated to councils to support those not covered by other measures. Some of the funding for this will come from additional taxes on oil and gas company profits, but there will also be increased taxes on electric vehicles from 2025. The government have also confirmed their commitment to build the Sizewell C nuclear power plant.
There was no confirmation in the Autumn Statement that the government’s Energy Bill Relief Scheme for non-domestic energy users will continue beyond the end of March 2023, but an update on this is anticipated in January. It is likely support will be more targeted at certain sectors this time. Recently, the government have announced they are investing £500million to help state schools and colleges with energy efficiency upgrades. The intention is to allow schools to choose how they will invest this funding so it can be specific to their needs. There is also expected to be new guidance published shortly to advise schools and colleges on reducing energy usage and improving energy efficiency.
At ESPO we have a number of frameworks in place that can support schools with their energy efficiency aspirations including consultancy services, low energy light fittings and energy performance of buildings services. Further information is available at espo.org/frameworks.
Christmas hours
Closed 23 December 2022 – 2 January 2023. Our office will reopen on 3 January.
Closed 26 and 27 December 2022 and 2 January 2023
We would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Energy Performance of Buildings framework (343)
With energy costs at an unprecedented high, and forecasted to increase further over the coming months, and the drive to achieve net-zero by 2050 still at the forefront of people’s minds, what can organisations do to reduce their energy consumption and emissions and save money?
A good starting point is to conduct an energy audit.
An energy audit is a good way to clarify your organisation’s energy use and identify potential areas for savings. It can also identify ways to reduce energy usage, reduce emissions, and save money at the same time.
Whilst energy audits can be conducted in-house, many organisations do not possess the skills to perform these effectively, so external experts or energy services companies can be appointed to conduct all or part of the process.
Lot 3 of ESPO’s Energy Performance of Buildings framework (343), Other Energy Related Services, includes energy audits, related surveys, inspections and assessments. This Lot has a number of suppliers appointed to it, who are all experts in energy related services designed to reduce your organisation’s energy usage and save you money.
For more information, please contact energy@espo.org.
unprecedented early response. Having utilised Docusign for the first time, the team at ESPO are extremely happy with the streamlined and userfriendly format. We have some learnings to take from this first time so will further improve the process for the next renewal cycle. More importantly, we are receiving really positive feedback from customers who are finding it much easier to use and are happy that it provides them directly with a returned signed copy for their records.
Due to the market conditions and the cost of utilities, energy is a hot topic and our team is being involved in more conversations with key decision makers and providing supporting documentation for reports than ever before.
Taking no action to the renewal and waiting to see what the markets will do is not a conducive strategy; we advise even if you are unsure what course of action to take, keep the communication open as we can offer invaluable insight and support into the markets that will support your decision making process.
If you require any support or have any questions please get in touch with Rowena Reid on r.reid@espo.org