Government answers ECA and industry calls for 0% VAT on renewables
ECA has welcomed the announcement by Chancellor Rishi Sunak to cut VAT on energy efficiency and renewable technologies to 0%. In line with ECA’s recent calls for government to take urgent action against rising energy bills, the Chancellor today announced that, for the next five years, VAT will no longer be paid on domestic renewable […]
The EV charging landscape
A recent roundtable on electric vehicles (EVs) – hosted by Electrical Safety First and the Electrical Contractors Association, included the first-ever mapping of the UK’s EV charging landscape with a spotlight on safety. The event was the latest in a series of roundtables arising from the charity’s Future Homes report, which reviewed the key technologies […]
Are government initiatives helping or hindering EV rollout?
A recent survey of EV installers in the UK, carried out by charge point management platform Fuuse, found OZEV grant applications to be the biggest hurdle installers are facing, and may be hindering EV rollout despite the aim to incentivise it. Over half of respondents claimed that the complexity of applying for and reclaiming the […]
Minister declares UK is ‘hungry for skills’, urging employers to back apprenticeships
Apprenticeships and Skills Minister Alex Burghart MP declared the UK economy is “hungry for skills” at a construction and engineering conference during National Apprenticeship Week. Mr Burghart praised Capital City College Group (CCCG), which hosted the event, and employers for providing valuable careers and training opportunities when he spoke on 9 February. CCCG’s apprenticeship and […]
ECA calls on Government to ‘rebalance’, avoiding a cost-of-living crisis
ECA has responded to Ofgem’s announcement that the energy price cap will rise by 54% to £1,971. ECA welcomes Rishi Sunak’s action to help taper the price rise by supporting middle- and lower-income households, but this is simply not enough. Government must urgently address the inequalities between gas and electricity levies, and reduce our reliance […]
Employees in engineering and building industries want to upskill
Businesses across the construction sector are being urged to ‘Join the skills revolution’ as tens of millions of employees around England express desire to skill up in their jobs this year. New research has revealed that a huge 86% of workers in the architecture, engineering and building industries are interested in learning new work skills […]
What the end of the home charge grant means for consumers
The grant that allows UK residents to save £350 on an electric vehicle home charging points ends on 31st March 2022. With just one month left for consumers to make a claim, EV industry expert Pilgrim Beart (DevicePilot) provides comment below on the impact of the grant, the future of the UK EV industry and […]
ECA urges government to tackle EV charger point ‘postcode lottery’
The ECA is calling on the government and local authorities in Britain to urgently address the postcode lottery of public charging points, and for urgent investment in a nationwide charge point network to keep pace with the growing number of electric vehicles on our roads. Annual car sales data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers […]
Energy price crisis: ECA calls for energy levy reform
ECA is calling on the Government and industry to reform and rebalance the energy levy framework. To avoid the looming cost of living crisis, subsidies for fossil fuel energy must be abolished and taxes on electricity reduced. ECA’s Energy and Emerging Technologies Solutions Advisor Luke Osborne says in a recent video statement: “Because of several […]
Next step in plans for gigabit broadband in new-build homes
Digital Infrastructure Minister Julia Lopez has launched a consultation on proposals for changes to building regulations to ensure new homes have next-generation gigabit broadband installed in them as standard practice. Around one in ten new-build homes are still being built without gigabit connections, mostly in smaller developments, where the cost can be higher or broadband companies have […]