Mayor of London launches £34 million energy efficiency and solar schemes

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has today launched new measures to tackle fuel poverty and improve energy efficiency in the UK’s capital.

Homeowners in London who are struggling to pay energy bills will be able to access £2.5 million of funding under a new Warmer Homes scheme, aimed at replacing old boilers and providing upgraded insulation.

A new £10 million boiler scrappage project will also be introduced in the spring to offer small businesses the chance to replace inefficient and polluting boilers with new, cleaner ones. The commercial scheme is thought to be the first such project ever launched in the UK.

Mr. Khan commented: “It’s a sad fact that for many Londoners keeping their homes warm during the cold winter months is a luxury they simply cannot afford”.

City Hall also has ambitious plans to increase the amount of solar power in London to 1 gigawatt by 2030, and Transport for London (TfL) has already started to install solar panels on its bus stations and office buildings. A new £4.5 million project intends to expand this refurbishment project to provide 1.1 megawatts of capacity across TfL buildings, reducing carbon emissions by an estimated 480 tonnes a year.

The schemes form part of an overall £34 million Energy for Londoners programme, which intends to make the capital’s homes and workplaces cheaper, cleaner and more efficient.

The Mayor added: “My Energy for Londoners scheme aims to help those most in need with grants for new boilers, windows and home insulation to help cut fuel bills. I’m also working on a number of ambitious projects to generate more local clean energy to power our homes, businesses and communities.”

Adam Scorer, Chief Executive of National Energy Action, a fuel poverty charity, said: “It is vital that we invest in prevention as well as treatment and so we are delighted to welcome the Mayor’s new Warmer Homes scheme.”

 

Image Credit: dunktanktechnician/CC