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‘Bristol is leading the way’ on renewables, says energy minister
The UK’s minister for energy consumers, Martin McCluskey, praised Bristol’s action on renewable energy in a visit to a house in Bishopsworth.
The MP, part of the department for Energy Security and Net Zero, visited resident Jason Stephenson who received Bristol City Leap funding via the government’s Home Upgrade Grant – now the Warm Homes: Local Grant – to install a heat pump and solar panels.
McCluskey announced the government’s Warm Homes plan at the visit on January 20 which, he said, will lift one million homes out of fuel poverty while helping to reduce climate damaging emissions.
“Warm Homes is a £15bn plan to help people with insulation, solar panels, batteries, heat pumps. Bristol is one of the parts of the country that’s leading the way on this one,” he told Bristol24/7.
“The local authority has really been pushing ahead with these area-based retrofit programmes, doing what we aim to do with this government which is to get bills down and tackle the affordability crisis.”
The Bishopsworth retrofit demonstrated the possibilities even for older houses, said McCluskey.
“Alot of people think it’s only modern houses that can access this type of technology, but this is an older home that’s been retrofitted with a heat pump and solar,” he said.
“There’s a reason to do this in terms of affordability, and there’s also a big impact on the climate in terms of moving away from gas and towards electrically powered homes. Bristol is really leading the way in that.”
Bishopsworth resident Jason Stephenson contacted Bristol City Leap in November and had a working heat pump and solar-powered heating system by March. It has dramatically cut his energy bills – photo: Ursula Billington
Stephenson, who applied for the retrofit after his boiler broke down, said the cost of replacement was too high and that he was keen to transition away from oil.
“The fact that there was funding available for us was absolutely fantastic,” he told Bristol24/7. “The process was easy, from first contact with Bristol City Leap to having surveys done, then a plan and install. It took five months from start to finish – alot quicker than I anticipated.
“We’ve got a warm house for a change, and the savings are quite huge. I’ve done a comparison with what it was like in our previous house with gas and we’re saving about £1000 per year on energy bills which is huge.
“People are living with cold at the minute, whereas we should have warm homes just as a given, a human right.”
The Warm Homes plan intends to improve living conditions for people, including the 30 per cent of renters, currently living in fuel poverty, with targeted support for those on low incomes.
Bishopsworth resident Jason Stephenson is very happy with his fully funded solar panels, heat pump and insulation which has given him a warm home and drastically reduced bills he says – photo: Bristol City Council/Bristol City Leap
“Noone’s saying people have to do this, we’re not compelling people to do it, but it’s about giving people the choice when the boiler’s at the end of its life, or it breaks down, or maybe they’re moving or deciding to refurbish their home,” McCluskey said.
“Previously only people who are more well off would have had access to these technologies, but we’re making sure anyone will be able to take advantage through a combination of grants, loans and other support.”
He also emphasised the impact the importance of the plan in tackling the climate emergency, saying the issue is under “political attack” with counter-environmental narratives being pushed by Reform and the Conservative Party.
The plan to retrofit one million homes, including tripling the number of homes with solar panels, is “absolutely integral” to achieve government targets of clean power by 2030 and net zero by 2050.
“We think it’s important for the sake of the climate to carry on supporting this and that’s why we’re doing it,” he said of the drive to transition to renewable energy.
“But it’s also really important for the long term future for our country, both to get our energy bills down, to be less dependent on foreign owned oil and gas, and establish a much more secure future with our own energy, but also to ensure we maintain our role in climate leadership not just nationally but internationally.”
Find out more about accessing Bristol City Leap retrofit funding at bristolcityleap.co.uk/domestic/bright-green-homes
Main image: Bristol City Leap
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