The Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT), which came into effect on April 1, 2008 and is due to run until 2011, is an obligation on energy suppliers to achieve targets for promoting reductions in carbon emissions in homes across the UK.
In September 2008, ScottishPower, together with the other five UK major energy suppliers, agreed to the government’s plans to increase the initial investment in the CERT program by 20% between 2008 and 2011. This amounted to an extra investment of GBP560 million across the industry, leading to total energy efficiency spend of almost GBP4 billion over three years.
The work carried out by ScottishPower includes loft and cavity wall insulations as well as the distribution of low energy light bulbs. It is estimated that a household can save GBP220 per year in energy consumption by having loft and cavity wall insulation.
The early delivery has been made possible through developing strategic partnerships with local authorities via regional-based schemes such as Warm Zones, and by a concerted program with key contractors and partners to secure resources and materials.
ScottishPower has also confirmed that it is on course to meet the additional CERT target, an increase of 20%, having carried out energy saving measures equivalent to insulating an extra 40,000 homes.
