Green Deal assessments build up momentum
With the Green Deal scheme just over two months old, the Department of Energy & Climate Change reported a total of 9268 assessments, a huge increase on the 1803 assessments in the first month. Energy & Climate Change Minister Greg Barker commented, ‘It is clearly very early days, but the latest figures on the Green Deal show that this market is gathering real momentum.
‘The number of businesses getting on board continues to rise steadily. 48 firms are now authorised as providers, with a further 831 registered to carry out installations and over a thousand individuals registered to offer assessments. Overall, this is a really promising start for the Green Deal.’
The news from DECC was preceded by news from the Green Deal Finance confirming that it had signed a package of financing agreements providing a total £244 million funding package for the set-up, financing and administration of Green Deal plans.
Mark Bayley, chief executive of the Green Deal Finance company, said, ‘We can now offer Green Deal providers a one-stop shop to set up, finance and administer Green Deal plans. This package will provide very long term and low-cost funding to enable householders across all parts of the country to finance energy-efficiency improvements to their homes.’
At the sharp end of the Green Deal, David Cowburn, director of standards with NAPIT (National Association of Professional Inspectors & Testers), said, ‘Although it’s still early days for the Green Deal, we’ve seen significant interest in the scheme and already had some real success among those who have gained accreditation. One of our members has reported receiving more than 40 enquiries in just under a month, 36 of which led directly to assessment work.
‘The domestic renewables and energy-efficiency markets have seen real long-term growth in the past few years, even without this incentive. As consumer awareness of the benefits on offer under the Green Deal grows, the amount of work this could generate, particularly for those who already have a background in related trades or the green economy, really is an exciting prospect.’
