From April 2010, large non-intensive energy consumers will have to buy allowances to cover the carbon they emit. But inclusion in the scheme depends on energy use in 2008, as Simon Napper explains.

October’s Energy Expo at London Olympia showed that various technologies are becoming embedded in the mainstream. Ian Grant reports on the new trends.

Crucial new methodologies and an accompanying Notice of Approval for implementation of the Energy Performance in Buildings Directive covering Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) and Display Energy Certificates (DECs) have been published by DCLG this month. Dr Paul K Hatchwell reports.

At this month’s EU Energy Council were both Geoff Hoon, Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury, and Ed Miliband, the new Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change – although credited in the Council minutes as Minister for the Cabinet Office and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

At the Ecodesign Regulatory Committee on 26 September, EU Member States endorsed the European Commission’s proposals for two Regulations aimed at reducing electricity consumption in Europe.

In his final move before losing the energy efficiency mandate to the new Department for Climate and Energy, the then environment secretary Hilary Benn held  several meetings with energy suppliers (in London) and the home insulation industry (in Coventy)  to discuss how to speed up work on increasing energy efficiency in the UK’s homes, following the unveiling of the energy package by prime minister Gordon Brown last month.

DCLG has formally approved the methodology for calculating the energy performance of buildings including target emission rates, building emission rates, asset ratings and operational ratings of buildings.

The Government is considering extending smart metering to small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) following its decision to require energy suppliers to provide them to larger companies.

Refurbishing around 25m homes to achieve an 80% cut in their carbon emissions by 80% by 2050 can be done, but the significant market failure in delivery will have to be addressed by fiscal and regulatory measures from Government, concludes the UK Green Building Council’s Low Carbon Existing Homes report.

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors has dismayed sustainability circles with a report which points out how long it can take to repay the cost of some home energy saving devices.