Following on from Nottingham City Council’s announcement that the city aims to be carbon neutral by 2028 the council is aiming to ensure that meeting this target will have a lasting positive impact upon tackling fuel poverty and helping citizens afford the energy they need to heat and power their homes.
Fuel Poverty Awareness Day takes place on Friday this week and whilst there is a national focus is on how to tackle this issue, the council is taking the opportunity to reiterate that a low-carbon future should include everyone and benefit all.
The Council’s recently launched Fuel Poverty strategy brings together all the efforts of different organisations across the city to tackle cold homes and high-energy bills for local people. The Strategy approaches tackling fuel poverty in three key ways – maximising income, reducing bills and increasing energy efficiency. Improving the energy efficiency of Nottingham’s homes so they require less energy to keep warm is a key part of the strategy. The latest innovations will be harnessed to do this, achieving warmer homes, cheaper bills and reducing carbon emissions at the same time. The Council is exploring how to utilise the latest renewable energy generation and storage technologies, and new types of energy services, to maximise the ability of low-carbon generation to reduce home energy bills.
The city has already seen significant carbon reductions through its Greener HousiNG scheme delivered with Nottingham City Homes and Nottingham Energy Partnership. Over 7,000 hard-to-heat private and social houses have had external wall insulation in the city, as well as fitting solar panels to provide free electricity to 4,000 NCH tenants. Recent years have seen the city’s carbon emissions and energy consumption drop and Robin Hood Energy, a not-for-profit company, has also set up by the City Council in 2015 to help tackle fuel poverty.
Councillor Sally Longford, Portfolio Holder for Energy and Environment, said: “We have been making good progress for a long time in tackling both fuel poverty and reducing carbon emissions, but we need to do more. Through combining our carbon neutral ambitions with tackling fuel poverty, Nottingham City Council will continue to create a city that is fair for everyone and where we all have an equal and positive chance to success, now, and for future generations.”
Free Energy Advice Event
To raise awareness and help staff and citizens save money on their energy bills there will be an energy advice event in Loxley House ground floor on Friday 15th February between 10:00am and 2:00 pm. Marches Energy and their specialist staff will be there to advise people about making their home energy efficient and getting the best energy deal.
More information on the strategy and the council’s work to tackle fuel poverty can be found here www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/warmhomes