eg magazine sustainability, resource efficiency & climate change

Plans for a new Green Deal for households and businesses have been outlined  by Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, as he spoke of the Government's "quiet green revolution" to create jobs and protect the environment.

The Deputy Prime Minister was speaking at the launch of a new project to provide support for new and rapidly growing businesses in renewable energy and related low carbon markets. The project is being led by TEDCO, a successful Enterprise Agency based in South Tyneside. The project aims to support the creation of 1,000 new businesses and 10,000 new jobs.

The Green Deal will combine growth in the economy with a greener and more efficient way of using energy. It aims to reduce energy demand and carbon emissions while making homes warmer, saving consumers money and stimulating green recovery in jobs.

Up to 14 million homes could benefit from the Green Deal through insulation. Payments will be collected through energy bills and the most energy inefficient homes could save, on average, around £550 a year.

The Government will begin legislating for these proposals in the Autumn and they are expected to take effect in 2012.

The Green Deal will allow householders to enjoy the benefits of efficiency measures and the energy bill savings they can bring, without the need for providing their own up-front finance. Green Deal customers will be entitled to an independent assessment of their home’s energy efficiency, and improvements will be carried out by kite-marked installers. Detailed proposals will be laid out in a Bill in the autumn, and we expect this to be available from 2012.

The Government also plans to create a Green Investment Bank to deliver financial interventions to deal with market failures specific to green investment, stimulating growth while supporting environmental objectives.

http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/newsroom/news_releases/2010/100819-green.aspx