Chapter Summary

The progress we have made on energy efficiency represents a significant advance. However, we are now moving into a new phase. We need to deliver energy efficiency measures to all types of building. Alongside this we also need to roll out low carbon heat infrastructure. We need to deliver at a larger scale in a predictable way, so that industry can plan. As we start to roll out bigger and more costly measures, it becomes even more important that we focus on the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable, to ensure a fair outcome.

Moving to a focus on whole houses and communities, rather than individual measures, presents a new set of challenges. Therefore, it is time to consider afresh our longer-term approach to delivering household energy efficiency, and how this fits with the policies in place for businesses and for heat infrastructure.

The Government recognises the importance of certainty for industry, and, with regard to household energy efficiency, has already set out the structure of CERT up to March 2011, to provide this assurance in the short to medium term. We propose extending CERT to December 2012. However, for longer-term and increasingly ambitious delivery challenges, we need to assess whether the current model for delivering household energy efficiency will be fit for purpose, or whether alternative frameworks could better meet these changing needs, including coordinating delivery through a central body.