Energy act of 2011

[edit] Introduction

On Tuesday, 18 October 2011, the Energy Bill received Royal Assent and became the Energy Act 2011. The Energy Bill was first introduced into the House of Lords in December 2010 and completed its Commons stages on 14 September 2011. The Lords were content with Commons amendments, which allowed the Bill to receive Royal Assent.

The Energy Act provides for some of the key elements of the Coalition’s Programme for Government and its first Annual Energy Statement. It is a first step in the legislative programme, and further legislation has been sought, for example, the findings of the Electricity Market Reform Programme.

The Act provides for a step change in the provision of energy efficiency measures to homes and businesses, and makes improvements to enable and secure low-carbon energy supplies and fair competition in the energy markets.

The Act includes key provisions relating to:

• The Green Deal.
• The private rented sector.
• The Energy Company Obligation.

The Act also includes measures to:

• Improve energy efficiency and energy security.
• Enable low-carbon technologies.
• Extend the role of the Coal Authority.
• Repeal the Home Energy Conservation Act 1995 (HECA) in Scotland and Wales.

[edit] The Green Deal

The Act creates a new financing framework to enable the provision of fixed improvements to the energy efficiency of households and non-domestic properties. Improvements are funded by a charge on energy bills that avoids the need for consumers to pay upfront costs.

See Green Deal for more information.

[edit] The private rented sector

The Act includes provisions to ensure that from April 2016, private residential landlords will be unable to refuse a tenant's reasonable request for consent to carry out energy efficiency improvements where a finance package, such as the Green Deal or the Energy Company Obligation (ECO), is available.

The Act also provides for powers to ensure that from April 2018, it will be unlawful to rent out residential or business premises that do not reach a minimum energy efficiency standard. The intention is for this to be set at Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating 'E'.

[edit] The energy company obligation

The Act amends existing powers in the Gas Act 1986, Electricity Act 1989 and the Utilities Act 2000 to enable the Secretary of State to create a new Energy Company Obligation that will:

• Take over from existing obligations to reduce carbon emissions (the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT) and Community Energy Saving Programme (CESP)), which expire at the end of 2012.
• Work alongside the Green Deal finance offer by targeting appropriate measures at those households likely to need additional support – in particular those occupied by vulnerable people on low incomes and in hard-to-treat housing.

[edit] Find out more

[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki

• Climate Change Act.
• Climate Change Levy.
• CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme.
• Emission rates.
• Energy Performance Certificates.
• Energy Related Products Regulations.
• Energy storage.
• Energy targets.
• Environmental Protection Act.
• Green Deal.
• Sustainability.
• Sustainable development.
• The Carbon Plan: Delivering our low carbon future.
• Zero carbon homes.
• Zero carbon non-domestic buildings.

[edit] External references

• Annual Energy Statement.
• Carbon Emissions Reduction Target.
• Community Energy Saving Programme.
• Electricity Market Reform Programme.
• The Energy Act 2011.
• The Electricity Act 1989.
• The Gas Act 1986.
• The Home Energy Conservation Act 1995.
• The Utilities Act 2000.