Providers Revealed for Government-Backed Commercial Efficiency Projects

by | Apr 5, 2012

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British Gas, E.ON and Kingfisher, owner of home improvement chain B&Q, are among 22 initial providers under the Green Deal, the U.K.. government’s program to finance energy efficiency improvements to commercial and residential buildings at no upfront cost to owners.

The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) list of initial providers also includes Ampere GDP, Anglian Home Improvements, BritishEco, CarbonLow Group, Carillion, Empower Community, Enact Energy, Gentoo Group, Grafton Group, Insta Group, Keepmoat, Mark Group, ReEnergise Finance, SIG, SSE, Stroma, Toriga Energy, Willmott Dixon Energy Services, and Yorkshire Energy Services.

Initial Green Deal providers include big, medium-sized and small businesses, and a community group, DECC said. But while the list was expected to include leading supermarkets such as Marks & Spencer, Tesco, Asda and Sainsbury’s, these have not been included, the Guardian reports.

Only three of Britian’s Big Six energy companies are on the list, and B&Q is the only “high street” retailer, the Guardian said. According to the paper, the government anticipated that the participation of  large retailers would attract customers to the program, and fears of low take-up prompted the treasury to release £200 ($318) million in homeowner incentives to increase interest in the program.

But the DECC emphasized that the list published this week is only the first tranche of providers, and there is no limit to the number of companies that could sign up to the program.

A Tesco spokesperson told the Guardian that the company is supportive of the plan, and is in discussions with its supplier, Enact, as well as with the government, to look at ways it may expand its energy efficiency services offering. Enact is on the DECC list of Green Deal providers.

The DECC said that it expects high interest from non-domestic customers. The department said it is in discussions with the finance sector to secure the flow of low-cost Green Deal finance, and there is likely to be a single list of qualifying improvements for both domestic and non-domestic buildings.

According to a providers’ guide supplied by DECC, the fundamental elements of project quotes under the program will include the costs of the efficiency measures, installation and finance. Green Deal providers must also estimate the expected energy savings for the property, and the period of time in which the savings are likely to be made.

Photo: DECC

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