Thread by @e3g

UK PM @BorisJohnson will soon set out an energy security strategy. The biggest, quickest action 🇬🇧 can take to wean itself off Russian gas and expensive #FossilFuels is to invest in home #EnergyEfficiency and renewables. AN ENERGY SECURITY STARTS AT HOME TOP 10 FACTS THREAD 🧵

Fact 1/ Nearly 90% of the increase in bills over the last year is due to the rising price of gas, which has more than tripled over the same period. Most of the remaining increase is the cost of suppliers going bust. ofgem.gov.uk/energy-data-an…

Fact 2/ The UK has the oldest, most poorly insulated housing stock in western Europe, and over 85% of our homes are connected to the gas grid – leaving UK families sharply exposed to the volatility of international gas markets.
reuters.com/markets/commod…

Fact 3/ UK homes “leak” heat up to three times more quickly than more energy-efficient homes on the continent.
inews.co.uk/inews-lifestyl…

Fact 4a/ After cuts to energy efficiency programmes in 2013, following a call by David Cameron to ‘cut the green crap’, the number of homes getting their lofts or cavity walls insulated each year plummeted by 92% and 74% respectively – and has not recovered.

Fact 4b/ By the end of 2021, a running total of 9 million homes have missed out on 18 million installations. #EnergyBills in the UK are as a result £2.5bn higher than they would have been, costing the average household at least £60 a year. eciu.net/analysis/brief…

Fact 5a/ By 2017, #EnergyEfficiency measures installed in UK homes since 2004 were already saving the average household £500 in annual energy costs.

👉theccc.org.uk/wp-content/upl…

Fact 5b/ By 2020, #gas consumption in homes was down 25% compared with 2004 and electricity consumption was down by 13%. This shows the massive potential of energy efficiency.

👉assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/upl…

Fact 5c/ Given prices, savings from energy efficiency measures to date are far higher. Improving inefficient homes to EPC rating C would save average households at least £500 more after April's price cap increase – up to £750 if energy bills rise to £3000 e3g.org/publications/r…

Fact 6/ #EnergyEfficiency is responsible for 25% of pre-pandemic UK economic growth since 1971. ukerc.ac.uk/news/energy-ef…

Fact 7/ When prices were low, #energy demand in UK homes could still be cut by 25% cost-effectively. There is potential to reduce energy demand by half. With the typical energy bill £2,000 from April, it is now highly cost-effective to adopt these measures ukerc.ac.uk/publications/u…

Fact 8/ A national #retrofit programme would sustain a GDP increase of 0.75% to 2040, support 190,000 jobs in energy efficiency and clean heat, and result in over 100,000 net additional jobs when the programme is complete. Almost 300,000 jobs in total.

👉theeeig.co.uk/media/1099/eei…

Fact 9/ 4% of UK #gas comes from Russia.

#EnergyEfficiency, clean heat and renewables investment could eliminate all Russian gas in a year. By 2025 they could replace four times the gas we currently import from Russia, enabling the UK🇬🇧 to help the EU🇪🇺
e3g.org/publications/a…

Fact 10/ Even if production of oil and gas in the UK is ramped up, it will take years to come through and do almost nothing to reduce prices for UK households because the price is set in global markets. theccc.org.uk/publication/le…

The solution is a Home Energy Security programme across this decade to bring the UK housing stock up to the highest energy efficiency standard possible, leaving no home behind 🏘️ e3g.org/news/dash-from…

This should include long term policies and public investment to help everyone insulate their homes and where possible, install a #HeatPump.

There is no greater action the UK Government can take to help everyone to cut their energy bills and rapidly wean the UK off Russian gas. The quest for energy independence starts at home.
e3g.org/publications/t…