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Energy efficiency at the heart of the UK’s new climate and energy plan 13 October 2017

The UK Government’s ambitious new Clean Growth Strategy highlights the huge potential for energy efficiency and other smart demand side solutions to solve Australia’s energy crisis, the Energy Efficiency Council says.

Council CEO Luke Menzel called for state and federal governments to study the UK’s plans, which put building a more energy efficient economy at the heart of its carbon reduction plan.

“The UK Government’s new Clean Growth Strategy is built on a simple insight: the quickest and cheapest way to bring down both energy bills and carbon emissions is energy efficiency,” Luke Menzel said.

“The Australian energy debate is bogged down in a never-ending argument about the relative merits of coal and renewables. Meanwhile, the UK Government is cracking on, working with households and businesses to cut their energy bills through smarter energy use."

The new Clean Growth Strategy sets out plans to:

  • Establish an industrial energy efficiency scheme to help manufacturers slash their energy bills.
  • Upgrade the energy performance of a million homes and put minimum energy performance standards in place for rental properties.
  • Support small to medium enterprises to improve their energy efficiency.
  • Lead by example by reducing carbon emissions from government facilities.

The Energy Efficiency Council recently released it 'top ten' priority actions for state and federal governments to slash the energy bills of households and businesses and help solve Australia's energy crisis. The new UK plan is consistent with many of the Council's recommended actions.

“The UK’s new Strategy sets the benchmark for what a sensible, comprehensive energy efficiency strategy looks like. With the Australian Government is currently reviewing its climate change and energy efficiency policies, and similar processes underway in a number of states, it couldn’t have come at a better time.

Media contact
Luke Menzel
M: 0433 237 293
E: luke.menzel@eec.org.au