Market pushes for energy savings

Energy savings measures offered by energy companies accounted for the majority of target-beating energy savings, though customers seem increasingly interested, claims a regulator report.

The "market push", whereby firms offered measures such as insulation to households and businesses in a bid to cut energy consumption achieved more than consumers actively seeking the technology did, energy regulator Ofgem reported.

Eight energy firms taking part in the second phase of the government's Energy Efficiency Commitment (EEC) beat a 130TWh energy cut target, by achieving a 187TWh reduction in household energy use.

The report on the EEC submitted to environment secretary Hilary Benn claimed that most measures had been offered to customers for free as part of a "market push", rather than sought by customers.

While the report added that consumers "tended not to consider their energy demand and their effect on the environment", it also noted that rising fuel costs meant a "consumer pull" was beginning to be visible.

According to the regulator, 60 per cent of those cuts were achieved through the installation of insulation measures.

The EEC programme is to be followed by the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT), with the energy companies allowed to carry over their surplus from the previous scheme.