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Heating Oil Customers Urged to Buy Early

Fri, 13 September 2013

Heating oil users are being urged to save money by stocking up early before winter in a new campaign backed by Rural Community Action Nottinghamshire (RCAN).

The Buy Oil Early Campaign has been launched by ACRE (Action with Communities in Rural England), Citizens Advice and FPS (Federation of Petroleum Suppliers), with the support of Energy Minister Michael Fallon.
RCAN, a member of the national ACRE Network of rural community councils, says stocking up early has a range of benefits. Prices and demand tend to be lower in September and delivery is not disrupted by increased demand and icy weather.
Chief Executive Rob Crowder said: “Research shows that there are thousands of homes in rural areas are off the gas grid, so many households rely on heating oil. In times of high demand, such as the cold snap of 2012/13, prices can increase rapidly, leaving the most vulnerable unable to afford to adequately heat their homes.
“We are urging households to buy their oil now so that they are prepared when the colder weather arrives and the time comes to switch on the heating. 
“One of the best ways to save money is to set up or join an oil buying group which can buy in bulk and negotiate the best price. More than 20 members of the ACRE Network have set up oil-buying groups. Last year, they bought more than seven million litres of oil between them, saving £385,000 on behalf of rural customers.”” 
RCAN runs an oil-buying scheme which buys more than 366,000 litres of oil per year on behalf of its members.
Rob Crowder said, “last year we saved our members a fantastic £18,971 which means that on average they saved 5.26 pence per litre.”
Energy Minister Michael Fallon said: “I welcome the launch of this campaign. The message is simple: stock up on heating oil before the winter leaves you out in the cold.
“Previous severe winters show it’s better to order early when suppliers have spare delivery capacity.
“Delaying risks longer delivery times especially if cold weather increases demand and disrupts deliveries, particularly in remote and rural parts of the country. 
“Consumers may also want to consider establishing or joining a community buying group.
“The new Code of Practice and Customer Charter by FPS (Federation of Petroleum Suppliers) is a welcome commitment from the industry to engage with consumers on a fair and consistent basis and implement best practice to raise standards. 
“I would also encourage households to save money on heating by using the Government’s Green Deal, which offers a way to pay for energy efficiency measures such as condensing oil boilers and insulation through savings on their energy bills. Customers on a low income or in a hard-to-insulate property may be able get additional support through the Energy Company Obligation.”
 

Fantastic Home Volunteering Opportunities

Mon, 9 September 2013

Our Fantastic Home vehicle tours Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire offering advice on domestic energy efficiency and renewable energy. We also give away free energy and water saving items and offer interactive elements – a bike people can pedal to see how much energy they can generate, a giant game of low carbon snakes and ladders, and samples of products such as insulation.

 
Usually the Fantastic Home is staffed by a member of staff from Marches Energy Agency, plus a member of staff from a local authority. We also look for volunteers who can work alongside us to ensure we can talk to as many people as possible.
 
This is where you come in. We’d love to have local people working alongside us on the exhibition. You don’t need any prior knowledge of domestic energy efficiency or renewable energy (you can learn on the job), although obviously this would be a benefit. You do need to be happy to talk to the public and to help us both set up and take down the exhibition.
 
This is a great opportunity to increase your knowledge of energy efficiency and help people to save energy at home.
 
If you’re interested in volunteering please drop us an email (ccan@mea.org.uk) with your name, email and phone number, plus a few sentences explain why you’d like to volunteer and any relevant experience you have.
 
We keep a list of volunteers and email out the dates and locations for our visits to this list. It’s then up to you to decide which ones you’re available for. Many are Saturdays and Sunday, but some are during the week. They’re almost always during the daytime. An event tends to last around six hours, including time to set up and pack away. We can cover reasonable travel costs to and from the event.
 
To apply, or if you have any questions, email: ccan@mea.org.uk

Visit a Superhome in September 2013

Mon, 2 September 2013

SuperHome Open Days this September let you get the inside story on some exceptional home improvement projects. Superhomes are older homes refurbished by their owners to be amongst the most energy efficient older homes in the UK. In every SuperHome you can learn about a range of installed technologies. Tours and Q&A sessions let you quiz the owners on specifics. You’ll discover what worked and get frank feedback on anything that didn’t. If your goal is increased home comfort, reduced energy bills or a smaller carbon footprint, a visit is sure to inspire.

Entry is free. Book now at: www.superhomes.org.uk

Nottinghamshire EcoHome Open Days in September

Fri, 30 August 2013
Preparing for a warmer winter?
Householders who are interested in ways to reduce energy use and improve comfort in their homes are invited to a series of ‘Open Homes’ days this autumn.
Tina Holt, the founder of Transition West Bridgford’s Eco House Group, is arranging visits to a number of low energy homes in the Nottingham area. It’s a great opportunity to see these houses and to talk to the owners about their experiences – and it is free!
Each home will be featured on the wbecohouses.co.uk blog over the coming weeks, and opening times through the autumn will be included as dates are finalised. Booking is simple – just email wbecohouses@gmail.com to receive the details.
Some featured homes are new builds, designed to be low energy from the outset. Others are existing homes that have undergone a low energy refurbishment, for example:
On Saturday 28th September, Roger Bell will open up his home near Southwell. This is a new build which was designed to follow Passive House principles while at the same time using many elements of standard UK construction (e.g. cavity walls). The home owners moved in at the start of winter 2012-13 so are able to share their first impressions on how the house is performing thermally – and the build itself is of course still fresh in their minds!
On Sunday 29th September, Tina will open up her own house to visitors. This is a typical 1950’s solid wall house in West Bridgford which has undergone a whole house low energy refurbishment. How did the newly insulated house stand up to its first year, including a cold winter and the hot weather in July? What was the energy use before and after? Come along and find out.
Although these two homes differ greatly in many ways, both include renewable energy technologies, ventilation systems with heat recovery and high levels of air tightness and insulation.
Now that the UK government has a scheme to reduce the cost of insulating solid wall homes (that can also be used in conjunction with savings, a Green Deal loan or other finance options) it’s a very good time to find out more!

 

 

 

 

Fantastic Home Delivers Energy Advice Across Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire

Mon, 12 August 2013

The Fantastic Home, a mobile exhibition offering energy efficiency and domestic ren

ewable advice, has visited a number of very sunny events across Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire over the last fortnight.

Beginning at a Family Fun Day in Derby, the exhibition moved on to Gunthorpe Summer Fayre, West Bridgford’s Lark in the Park and finally a summer event in Chesterfield’s Queen’s Park.

Hundreds of children (and some children-at-heart!) got a chance to have a go on our energy bike and play a game of Low Carbon Snakes and Ladders. Adults received advice on solid wall insulation, boilers, double and secondary glazing, loft and cavity wall insulation, domestic renewables, the Green Deal, ECO and more.

Over the next six weeks the exhibition will be visiting more venues across the two counties:

  • 23rd August: Swadlincote town centre
  • 1st September: Rush for Health, Rushcliffe Country Park and The Gedling Show
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