In an open letter to Energy Secretary Ed Davey, the Insulation Industry Forum, which represents 70pc of the UK’s insulation industry, warned that it is “extremely concerned about the Government’s plans for its implementation” because of the gap between the ending of the existing schemes for cavity wall and loft insulation and the Green Deal and the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) becoming fully operational.
It argued that the gap between existing schemes ending and the new schemes becoming fully operational will “put 16,000 people out of work in the industry over the next year – with many jobs going before Christmas”. The Green Deal and the ECO are planned to replace energy efficiency schemes that finish this year.
The groups said the Government’s own impact assessment “shows that the insulation installation industry will fall off a cliff in 2013”.
Creating jobs is such a high priority for the Government during these financial difficulties. Even if some in Government are sceptical that it should be supporting such sustainable energy initiatives, it is hard to believe that it isn’t giving every effort to ensure those employment possibilities are realised.
The press release from the Insulation Industry Forum is available here.
Energy in Demand - Sustainable Energy - Rod Janssen 