Lower energy bills for Norwich households — 24/08/2010 GPN
The Green Party in Norwich is setting out ambitious plans to make it affordable for more households to opt for renewable energy and insulation to save money on their fuel bills.
If the Greens become the largest party on Norwich City Council after the local elections on September 9th, they plan to introduce the scheme even at a time when the coalition government is cutting funding for local councils.
Tomorrow (Wednesday 25th August), Darren Johnson, the party's trade and industry spokesperson, will be visiting Norwich to give his backing to the local plan. Darren Johnson was elected to the London Assembly ten years ago, and he was the chair of the assembly in 2009/2010.
Darren Johnson said: "I am very excited by the Norwich Green Party's plans to make life in the city greener and fairer. Practical plans to make the city's homes more energy efficient will help the environment and cut fuel bills for everyone. It's time to turn Norwich Green by voting Green on September 9th "
Johnson will visit the home of Robert and Clare Prowse and their two children at 17 Gould Road, Norwich, a house which offers an example of what the Green Party would like to provide.
The three bedroom semi was built three years ago by the Broadland Housing Association. It has modern standards of insulation and its electricity is provided by a solar panel array on the roof. The Prowses have been pleased with bills of £20 a month for all their electricity needs. Surplus electricity from the solar panels is sold to the national grid and the family receives a cheque every six months, typically for £70.
Crucially, Mrs Prowse believes the family would have been unable to afford the cost of fitting the system had it not already been built in.
The Greens' plan would provide the opportunity for retro-fitting homes where renewable energy and upgraded insulation might not have been affordable. By investing in partnership with energy companies, or by setting up the council's own Energy Services Company (or ‘ESCO'), the aim would be to make solar panels available for generating domestic electricity and to roll out a programme of providing high-grade home insulation. These services would be provided free to householders where possible.
Something similar has already happened in Kirklees, west Yorkshire. In 2007, Green councillors in Kirklees were instrumental in launching a scheme to offer all households in their area free loft and cavity wall insulation. By October last year, 32 000 households were making an average saving of £200 a year on their fuel bills. The scheme created more than 100 jobs and is estimated to have cut the area's carbon emissions by 28 000 tonnes a year.
The long term benefits mean Kirklees Council is saving people £4.5 million a year.
The Green Party candidate for Lakenham ward is Kit Jones, who has worked with the Buildings Research Establishment on sustainable housing. He said: "The Kirklees scheme has been inspirational for us and the Green Party would like Norwich to follow suit. Money will be very tight at City Hall for the next few years but renewable energy is increasingly seen as a safe haven for investment. In the case of solar panels, electricity can be sold back to the grid with the proceeds used to repay the cost of installation and, in time, generate a profit. The scheme would also fight the recession by creating jobs."
Notes
1) A key part of the Green/Labour informal pact in Leeds recently was a £30 million project on free cavity wall and loft insulation for all private households in the Leeds council area. - http://www.guardian.co.uk/leeds/2010/may/28/leeds-green-party-house-insulation
2) An ‘election special' edition of Norwich Green Party's Greenview newspaper is available online at: norwichgreenparty.org
3) If you want to help out the campaign in Norwich, or want more information, call 01603 611909.
Source: http://www.greenparty.org.uk/News/24-08-2010-norwich-visit-darren-johnson.html