Energy: Conservation
Energy and Climate Change

Caroline Lucas (Brighton, Pavilion, Green)

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change by what percentage he expects the (a) Green Deal and (b) Energy Companies Obligation to reduce the UK's energy consumption; what his policy is regarding the proposed EU Energy Efficiency Directive; and if he will make a statement.

Gregory Barker (Minister of State (Climate Change), Energy and Climate Change; Bexhill and Battle, Conservative)

An impact assessment of the Green Deal and ECO was published alongside the draft statutory instruments on 23 November 2011. This stated that, under the Government's preferred option, the policy would deliver 21 TWh of energy savings in 2020. This is approximately 1.3% of the UK's projected final energy consumption in 2020. The impact assessment can be found here:

http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/consultations/green_deal/green_deal.aspx

There is a considerable level of uncertainty around both the estimates of energy savings and final energy consumption. The actual levels of take-up of energy efficiency measures will be influenced by a wide range of factors including energy prices and consumer attitudes towards the Green Deal.

The Government support the aims and objectives of the proposed EU energy efficiency directive but believe that many of the proposed requirements are over-prescriptive with the potential to cut across the policy framework in the UK. We will therefore be seeking much greater flexibility for member states while at the same time securing directive that delivers energy savings across the EU.