The Green Deal is this government's cornerstone initiative to kickstart energy efficiency improvements to existing housing  and buildings used by small businesses. It is in development at the moment and is set for widespread introduction in autumn 2012.

There are some key points to The Green Deal :

• Finance for improvements comes in the form of a long term loan atttached to the building and  repayable through the electricity bill.

• The 'Golden Rule' requires that the repayments over the 25 year repayment period are matched or bettered by the savings in fuel bills

We are watching  the development of  the Green Deal closely. If you need to know anything and prepare yourselves for its introduction -  get in touch

The FITs scheme incentivises the production of electricity from renewable or low carbon sources by householders and communities, by requiring the bigger energy companies to make regular payments for the electricity generated.
The scheme covers the following electricity-generating technologies, up to an installation size of 5 Mega Watts:

• Solar electricity (PV)
  
• Wind turbines
  
• Hydroelectricity
• Anaerobic digestion

If you are eligible to receive the FIT then you will benefit from :

• Generation tariff – a set rate paid by the energy supplier for each unit (or kWh) of electricity you generate. This rate will change each year for new entrants to the scheme (except for the first 2 years), but once you join you will continue on the same tariff for 20 years, or 25 years in the case of solar electricity (PV).

• Export tariff - you will receive a further 3p/kWh from your energy supplier for each unit you export back to the electricity grid, that is when it isn’t used on site. The export rate is the same for all technologies.

•  Energy bill savings – you will be making savings on your electricity bills , because generating electricity to power your appliances means you don’t have to buy as much electricity from your energy supplier.
  

Further useful information can be found on a number of websites including  those from the Department of Energy and Climate Change  and the Energy Savings Trust

The Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) was originally conceived  to work in a similar way to the Feed in Tariff,  and to  provide long-term financial support to renewable heat installations, to encourage the uptake of renewable heat. It has been imminent for a while, but there have been ongoing  delays and uncertainties about its implementation. Phase 1  which delivers capital subsidies for renewable heat installations was introduced in March 2011, and Phase 2, providing for ongoing payments, is expected in 2012.
Further useful information is available from the Department of Energy and Climate Change  and from the Energy Savings Trust .

The Energy Company Obligation (ECO) will replace the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT) in 2012. Under CERT the Energy Suppliers were obliged to implement carbon reduction measures (including such as  supplying low energy lightbulbs, subsidies for energy efficiency etc.. ). The exact prescription for  ECO is not yet decided but it seems likely that it will be more targetted, at those with 'fuel poverty' and those living in  'Hard To Treat Homes', and that it will be used to supplement the Green Deal measures where the Golden Rule cannot be met.