New Year means new danger for home DIY-ers

The UK’s biggest electricity distributor is urging homeowners planning DIY jobs in and around the home to stay safe and be aware of the potential dangers. Many New Year resolutions may focus on getting more jobs done around the house, but anyone making that pledge needs to consider staying safe around electricity when tackling any overdue tasks. UK Power Networks wants to highlight the risk of coming into contact with power cables inside the home. The main risk comes from drilling inside a property. The key advice is always to use a cable detector when undertaking this task as electricity cables can be hidden in walls and below floors. Care also needs to be taken for outside jobs such as needing to look up and look out for any overhead power cables when using a ladder propped against the house or cleaning windows with extendable poles. Ros Forbes, a safety advisor at UK Power Networks, says, “If people are undertaking work, they do not have recent experience of they could easily forget what needs to be done to complete the work safely. “If you haven’t put up shelves for years, you could well reach for the drill and start work without a second thought. “Because we are more comfortable at home it is easier to become complacent or distracted. Accidents can happen if people are not mindful of the dangers around electricity cables and there could be serious consequences for any lapses in concentration. “We are urging people to take care and remember that power cables can be hidden out of sight. If we are talking New Year resolutions the first one to consider is staying safe at home for the sake of you and your family.” DIY dangers were highlighted in a recent Energy Networks Association campaign featuring former Big Brother winner Craig Phillips urging those doing any work around the house to ‘plan ahead’ and ‘if in doubt contact their local electricity network company’.

Newts feel at home in Halesworth

A group of electricity workers powered through a range of tasks to help great crested newts feel at home at a pond in Halesworth. Staff from UK Power Networks volunteered their time to do vital maintenance on a pond that has long been a place for the protected newts to breed. The Suffolk site around an electricity substation in the north of the town was first transformed into a wildlife haven by the company back in 2004 and since then regular work has taken place to ensure the habitat is preserved for newts including making the pond deeper. The latest tasks included a team of tree cutters removing selected trees to reduce the shading over the pond. The cut wood was used to create log piles and brash piles elsewhere in the woodland to provide much-needed shelter for the newts and other wildlife. UK Power Networks’ Environment Adviser, Heather Patrick, says, “We work with ecologists, including those at Suffolk Wildlife Trust, and follow their recommendations for enhancing biodiversity at this site including vital maintenance of the woodland to ensure the pond stays in good condition. Three trainees joined the work party, which was led by maintenance manager Martyn Elvin, who was involved back in 2004 so could tell them about the original project. “Great crested newts are a protected species and the aim of everyone at UK Power Networks involved in this successful project is to ensure that the pond continues to be suitable as a breeding ground for them long into the future.” Simone Bullion, Conservation Manager at the Suffolk Wildlife Trust, says, “We are pleased to have worked with UK Power Networks to advise on the restoration of this important pond. These management measures are essential to allow light to reach the pond surface and enable great crested newts and other wildlife to thrive.” The UK Power Networks team got involved through Donate a Day, a volunteer scheme which gives employees two paid days leave each year to work on voluntary projects with charities in their local community.

Octopus Energy drives solar power in Iberia with new partnership

Octopus Energy’s generation arm expands green power in Iberia by investing in renewables developer FF New Energy Ventures (FFNEV) to develop more cheap green power, reducing fossil fuels reliance. The Octopus Energy Development Partnership (OEDP) investment in Spanish-founded FFNEV will scale activity in Spain and Portugal and accelerate expansion into new European countries and Latin America in the future. This marks Octopus’ first entry into Portugal’s green generation market. FFNEV has 2.1GW of renewable projects in their pipeline already and is also participating in floating offshore wind development with a target of 5GW. With this latest funding they’re targeting 1.6GW new solar and storage sites in these markets by 2030. This could power nearly 1 million homes, avoiding 945,000t of CO2, the equivalent of removing nearly 520,000 petrol cars and planting over 4.6 million trees. Spain is one of Europe’s most active solar markets, with 15GW of solar capacity, and huge untapped potential to meet targets to increase its renewable electricity generation to 74% by 2030. Portugal has 2GW of solar power - and this year announced plans to generate 80% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2026 to replace gas-fired electricity generation. The €220m OEDP fund, which was launched in September this year and is managed by Octopus Energy’s generation arm, invests in early stages of new green energy generation. OEDP has so far invested in UK renewables developer Exagen to build one of Britain’s largest batteries and in Nexta to create 1.1GW of green energy in Italy. The partnership with FFNEV marks the fund’s third investment, with more coming up across Europe. Zoisa North-Bond, CEO of Octopus Energy Generation, comments, “Now more than ever before, we need to build more green power to help reduce gas reliance and bring down energy bills. Investments like this deal with FFNEV will help make a difference quickly. This latest news is only the beginning for us - as we’ve got big plans in this part of Europe.” Vicente Lopez-Ibor Mayor, Chairman of FFNEV, says, “We founded and started FFNEV in 2018 and have been busy developing a top-quality pipeline in Iberia, driven by our successful, recognised and experienced team. We’re delighted to be building on our longstanding relationship with Octopus and have no doubt this latest backing will accelerate FFNEV’s growth in Iberia and abroad.” Roberto Giner, CEO of Octopus Energy Spain, says, “We’ve always been driven by our commitment to transform the energy system to 100% renewables. This latest news is an exciting milestone in Octopus’ journey in Spain as we continue to grow our footprint.” This latest renewables deal is the next step in Octopus’ strategy in Spain. Octopus Energy Spain launched as a retail energy supplier in August 2021 after acquiring green energy start-up Umeme, offering customers 100% green energy tariffs. In August 2022, Octopus Energy Spain acquired the solar division of Valencian company Solger Energy. Solger Energy became part of Octopus Energy’s Services arm in Spain, with the target to complete more than 80,000 household solar installations in Spain in five years.

New CEF Melton Mowbray store offers better experience for customers

Once again, CEF has upgraded its customer experience, moving to new, larger premises in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire on 19 December. The new Melton Mowbray branch, located in Snow Hill, offers a whopping extra 60% storage space, compared to the previous location, meaning customers will be able to choose a wider range of electrical essentials in-store. Branch Manager, Kazimierz Dul says, “We now stock an incredible 5,500 stock lines and this is growing. The new store enables us to have the best stock locally and provide a better shopping experience for our customers. I'm hoping the branch will be a better working environment for my colleagues too.” With increased space and sales, Kazimierz is also hoping that the store will be able to recruit an additional member of staff as it grows. Meanwhile, it’s all go as the existing five CEF colleagues celebrate their move by sporting some festive jumpers as part of CEF’s annual Christmas jumper day charity fundraiser for Macmillan Cancer Support. They’ll also be inviting suppliers to visit the new store for breakfast and getting ready for a grand opening in January. The new store is located at: Unit 74 Snow Hill Industrial Estate Melton Mowbray Leicestershire LE13 1PH Opening Hours Monday               07:30 - 17:30 Tuesday               07:30 - 17:30 Wednesday         07:30 - 17:30 Thursday              07:30 - 17:30 Friday                   07:30 - 17:30 Saturday              08:30 - 12:00 Sunday                 Closed

Leeds households benefitting from cheaper bills this winter

More than 900 low-income households in Leeds are benefiting from cheaper energy bills and comfier homes this winter, thanks to around £9.5 million of green upgrades installed free-of-charge through a Leeds City Council scheme. Through the Better Homes Yorkshire project, the council and its partner Equans have installed energy-saving and energy-generating measures in 930 of the city's oldest and coldest privately-owned homes over the last two years. By upgrading some of the district’s least energy efficient properties owned or rented by households on low incomes, the local authority scheme will alleviate fuel poverty whilst also reducing Leeds's contribution to climate change. One-in-six (16.8%) of the city’s households were classed as living in fuel poverty in 2019. However, even more families are expected to be experiencing fuel poverty this winter as household energy prices have risen by more than 80% over the last three years. Thanks to the latest council project, 558 homes have been fitted with 1.7MW of brand-new rooftop solar panels. Solar panels produce free electricity during daylight hours that can be used to power homes or even sold back to the grid, helping to reduce electricity bills. External wall insulation was the second most popular upgrade installed with 238 households now benefitting from the technology. It is designed to mimic a building’s façade and, once fitted to the outside of a building, helps lock in heat without sacrificing indoor space Hundreds more homeowners and private landlords across Leeds were able to install other types of insulation thanks to the green scheme including room-in-roof, loft, cavity wall, roof, underfloor, and internal wall insulation. Studies have shown that British homes are among the least energy efficient in Europe, making them colder and more expensive to keep warm. Leeds’ homes are so leaky that heating and powering them is responsible for roughly a quarter of the city’s entire carbon footprint. Insulating a property addresses this heat leakage. Residents were eligible for funded property improvements if they owned their home and the total income of their entire household was less than £30,000 per year - or if they received certain benefits. Applicants also had to live in a relatively inefficient home (EPC rating D or below) that was of suitable construction to qualify. Landlords could also apply for heavily subsidised installation of the same upgrades if their tenants collectively earned less than £30,000. Seventy privately rented properties benefited from the scheme. Better Homes Yorkshire received nearly three thousand applications for the free green home upgrades between May 2021 and March 2022 - highlighting the significant public interest in home retrofit measures. Leeds City Council secured funding to deliver the scheme from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy as part of the Green Homes Grant Local Authority Delivery initiative, announced in 2021. Councillor Helen Hayden, executive member for infrastructure and climate, says, “With Leeds households facing unprecedented energy costs, I am proud of council schemes like this one for having a real impact and making things easier for nearly a thousand local families who were living in some of our coldest homes this winter. “As well as helping residents save money and stay warm, these green upgrades will help cut carbon and prevent cold-related illness - another reminder of the immediate benefits that result from our long-term actions to tackle climate change. “While government funding conditions mean that this scheme has to come to an end, we stand ready and look forward to helping many more Leeds families save energy when further funding becomes available.” Equans’s Director of Sustainability for the Better Homes Yorkshire project, Steve Batty, says, “Funding like this is vital when it comes to reducing the carbon emissions of ordinary homes and I am pleased that we have been able to bring our energy and regeneration expertise to this scheme. “The Better Homes Yorkshire project has enabled us to work directly with Leeds City Council to make sure this funding reached the least energy efficient households and it demonstrates that a city-wide approach can achieve remarkable results. The project has paved the way for more like it as and when future funding schemes are announced.”

Octopus Energy completes acquisition of Bulb

The completion of the deal to transfer Bulb customers to Octopus Energy took place last night, bringing vital reassurance to Bulb’s 1.5 million customers following a year of uncertainty. Customers will remain on Bulb systems for a while, and will continue to be looked after by the same Bulb team. The agreement, implemented via a new process known as the Energy Transfer Scheme (ETS), will save taxpayers millions of pounds as Bulb moves back into private ownership and the government is no longer directly exposed to the volatility of the wholesale energy market. The taxpayer will also benefit from a profit share agreement that forms part of the deal. The ETS was approved by the Business and Energy Secretary on 7 November and the High Court ruled that the transfer can go ahead, setting a commencement date for the ETS to take place at 23:58 on 20 December. Greg Jackson, CEO and Founder of Octopus Energy, comments, “This starts to bring an end to the huge financial exposures for taxpayers and paves the way for a better and more certain future for Bulb's staff and customers. “For now, we'd ask Bulb customers to sit tight - they will still be looked after by the Bulb team. We'll be in touch with customers as and when their account is ready to move to Octopus' award-winning systems.” Judicial Reviews have been received against the Business and Energy Secretary’s decision to approve the sale of Bulb Energy, with court dates for the reviews set for next year. Octopus has a strong track record in large scale customer migrations, having completed over 10 acquisitions of energy supply companies and their customers. Most recently Octopus moved over 580,000 Avro Energy customers to its Kraken platform - the largest customer migration ever conducted under the supplier of last resort (SOLR) process.

NICEIC provides support to Electrical Industries Charity

NICEIC has made a charitable donation of over £10,000 to the Electrical Industries Charity (EIC). The sizeable sum, confirmed just in time for Christmas, was raised through several activities, including NICEIC quiz nights and the company's customer satisfaction survey. “We are delighted to have been able to provide this much-needed support to such a worthy cause,” says NICEIC’s Head of Marketing, James Ellis. “I would like to say a special thank you to the many NICEIC businesses who took part in the quizzes and completed our survey. The amount raised is a direct result of your actions, with £1 being donated by NICEIC for every completed survey. “Added to that, your generous donations from the quiz nights were also match funded by NICEIC, making this a true team effort.” Offering a broad range of services, including but not limited to, mental health support, debt advice and financial relief in immediate need, the EIC exist to protect everyone associated with the electrical and energy industries. “We would like to say a huge thank you to everyone at NICEIC,” says Tessa Ogle, Electrical Industries Charity, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director “Donations such as this are vital and enable us to carry out the important work, we undertake to ensure everyone in our industry has somewhere to turn should they need support.”

As electrical industry attracts record numbers, SELECT makes appeal for funding

SELECT has issued an urgent appeal to Deputy First Minister John Swinney, asking him to allocate additional funding for apprenticeships to prevent a shortfall in essential training. Scotland’s voice of the electrical industry is calling on John to use some of the £46 million of extra money announced for colleges and universities in this month’s Scottish budget for apprenticeship training. In a letter to the Cabinet Secretary for COVID Recovery, Alan Wilson, Managing Director of SELECT, said that more funding would be essential to prevent a shortfall in essential training of apprentices, who he says are vital to the nation’s transition a net zero future. His appeal comes at a time when the electrotechnical industry has achieved record numbers of apprentices for the second year in a row, from just over 800 last year to just under 1,000 this year, which he described as a ‘true vote of confidence in what is on offer’. Alan said, “Over the past 15 years, despite facing the worst economic recession for a generation and a global pandemic, our industry has recruited more than 11,000 apprentices, averaging more than 700 young people and adult entrants each year. “The majority of those who have qualified remain working in our sector, which means that they alone are, on average, already contributing tax on income approaching £42 million each year. “Recruitment has far outstripped expectations, and most of the businesses which recruit apprentices are either micro- or small-sized and are based all over Scotland - the very businesses which the Scottish Government is keen to help and assist to grow. “In your recent budget you announced that you propose to allocate an additional £46 million to colleges and universities, but you seem to have forgotten about the vital role apprenticeship training plays and therefore, I would ask that you take immediate steps to ensure that a proportion of this extra income is allocated to apprenticeship training. “You will also appreciate that not only do apprentices earn while they learn, but they also pay tax, thereby adding to the government’s total tax income.” Alan highlighted the work undertaken by the Scottish Electrical Charitable Trust (SECTT) on behalf of the Scottish Joint Industry Board (SJIB) to deliver the electrical installation apprenticeship. He said that the cap of 660 places in SECTT’s contract with Skills Development Scotland (SDS) originally meant that 300 places would be unfunded, placing a huge strain on businesses which wanted to give young people an opportunity. A further 116 places were subsequently allocated, but that still left a shortfall of 184 places which meant that the sector still faced a financial gap of £1.6 million to fund these additional apprentices. Alan said that, to ensure that electrical employers continue to invest in their workforce, SELECT would welcome immediate government intervention so that SECTT can continue to offer additional places to the workforce of tomorrow, who will deliver net zero ambitions. He says, “If the small amount of additional funds cannot be found it will have huge implications for the colleges with which SECTT contracts to deliver the offsite training, over 150 employers and the 180 young people themselves.” “Without apprentices coming through the ranks and being comprehensively trained, there simply would be no electrical industry in the future, with all the implications that would have for our wider society. "We need professionally-minded people who are dedicated to the highest possible standards in the electrotechnical sector and who will, in their turn, help to bring on the skill base of the future.”

Octopus Energy and Stellantis partner to accelerate electric car uptake

Octopus Energy has announced a strategic partnership with Stellantis, one of the world’s largest car manufacturers. The deal encourages customers of Stellantis’ brands to make the switch to an EV, benefiting from lower running costs by switching to the UK’s fastest growing green energy provider. Six of the brands under the Stellantis umbrella - Peugeot, Citroen, Fiat, DS, Jeep and Alfa Romeo - will offer customers access to the Octopus EV bundle. This includes the innovative smart charging tariff, Intelligent Octopus, which allows access to cheaper, greener charging overnight - optimised with the Ohme wallbox home charger, which is also part of the package. New customers will have the additional perk of an initial £25 off their bill. Drivers will also have access to more than 330,000 chargers across Europe through Octopus’ charging roaming network, Electric Universe - making public charging easy with just one card, one bill and a straightforward app. The offer will also be available to existing Octopus Energy customers who have already purchased an EV from one of the participating Stellantis brands. The partnership builds on Octopus’ recent partnership with Vauxhall, amongst other brands, as Octopus continues to build on its position as the energy supplier of choice for electric car manufacturers. Rebecca Dibb-Simkin, Chief Product Officer at Octopus Energy, comments, “Transport still accounts for a massive chunk of global emissions, so switching away from old school petrol and diesel cars will be crucial for reaching net zero. “Going electric is a win-win-win: cleaning up the air we breathe, decarbonising our roads and putting money back in people’s pockets. We are over the moon to be partnering with Stellantis to help make the process of going green as smooth as possible for their customers.” Paul Willcox, Managing Director, Stellantis UK, says, “Our partnership with Octopus Energy allows us to offer electric vehicle customers greater support and services to enjoy the freedom of driving an EV at home and on the road. We’re pleased to be continuing to provide drivers with access to charging in an affordable, efficient, and environmentally beneficial way with added ease.” The partnership begins with Stellantis’ participating brands on 9 December 2022. ‘Intelligent Octopus’ builds on the success of ‘Octopus Go’, extending the cheaper night time rate to six hours while introducing the UK’s first smart charging solution for EVs, which optimises the car’s charging schedule to the very greenest and cheapest times.

Looking back on a successful year: ESR 2022 round up

It has been a busy year for the Electrical Safety Roundtable (ESR), and as 2022 comes to an end, it takes time to reflect on its achievements and look ahead to what is to come in 2023. The ESR's biggest event of the year was its parliamentary reception, which was sponsored by Mark Fletcher MP, and took place on the 16 November in celebration of the roundtable’s 10th anniversary. Over 70 participants made their way to the House of Commons to discuss enhancing standards of electrical safety across the UK. Guests heard from prominent safety campaigner Louise Adamson, and political representation from Lord Don Foster of Bath and Clive Betts MP. The ESR: Electrical Safety in the Home group launched a tool to report unsafe electrical installations found in homes across Great Britain in collaboration with TrustMark, to help fill a data gap on the quality of electrical installations in homes. The group also published bilingual guidance for landlords in Wales on The Renting Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) (Wales) Regulations 2022 and provided support for the Domestic Premises (Electrical Safety Certificate) Bill. The ESR: Electrical Safety in the Workplace group has also had a busy year, with the launch of the Above and Beyond Awards which provide the chance to recognise and celebrate those individuals and organisations who go above and beyond their legal obligations to enhance and improve electrical safety within the workplace. The group also published two technical leaflets explaining aspects of the Electricity at Work Regulations. Finally, the Electrical Safety Roundtable Social Housing subgroup saw significant growth this year, contributed to the government consultation and call for evidence on electrical safety in social housing and updated two guidance documents; the ‘Code of Practice for the Management of Electrotechnical systems in Social Housing’ and ‘How to Manage Electrical Systems within Higher Risk Buildings’ which was shortlisted for two awards. On reflection, 2022 has been a successful and busy year for the roundtable. As it looks ahead to 2023, the ESR awaits the government’s response to the electrical safety in social housing: consultation and call for evidence and looks forward to announcing the first winners of the Above and Beyond Awards. Its commitment to working to enhance the standards of electrical safety remains steadfast, and it looks forward to continuing to work collectively to achieve this.