Cornwall Gets Fuel-Efficiency Bonanza

Some of the poorest households in Cornwall will be benefitting from a new £50 million fund to install power saving measures in their homes.

And others will be able to dip into a further £50 million as part of the Green Deal schemes in Cornwall.

That's £100 million for the two schemes which have been  set up following negotiations  between Cornwall Council's Green Cornwall team and British Gas to deliver the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) and Green Deal schemes in Cornwall. 

The scale of the available funding from British Gas  makes it one of the single largest energy efficiency investments in European history.

The deal that has been struck with British Gas will  also have significant economic benefits for Cornwall, with around 140 jobs being created to carry out the works, and a commitment that around half of these should come from people who are either not currently employed or undertaking training.

The company has also committed to ensuring that 60% of the work will be undertaken by local small and medium sized companies, setting the foundations to provide further stimulus to the local economy.
      

Andrew Bacon, Director at British Gas, said:'British Gas were determined to build a partnership with Cornwall Council to meet their very ambitious goals to reduce fuel poverty and tackle the wide-range of energy challenges that local residents and businesses face across Cornwall.

'This partnership will bring real local economic benefits including new jobs and new green skills, but also will help local communities take more control over their energy management and cost.'

British Gas will be working with local organisations to ensure that take up of this offer is made as simple as possible, and that the most vulnerable residents have access to the grant funding element of this investment.

The Green Deal will take the form of a loan that will be secured against the property and repaid by the savings on energy bills.

The Energy Company Obligation can be targeted at the most vulnerable residents and the work can be carried out for free.

The government hopes that the Green Deal will make a significant contribution to its CO2 and fuel poverty targets.