Improve your Energy Efficiency
It has never been easier to go green. The costs, time and effort involved are decreasing and the plethora of ways you can reduce your carbon footprint is increasing. The two main ways you can go about doing this are switching to more energy efficient products in your home and looking for alternative sources of power.
Energy efficiency As individuals, we contribute 40% to the UK’s total greenhouse gas emissions. This includes our use of cars, electrical products and food waste. But by far the biggest personal contribution comes from heating – 60% of all our CO2 emissions come from boilers.
New energy efficient boilers produce 875g less CO2 than regular ones and this could save you around £170 a year on your heating bills. If you add heating controls, such as timers and individual radiator thermostats, you could increase the saving to £275 and the country could save 1.4 million tonnes of CO2 a year.
Thanks to British Gas’ latest offer, installing these new boilers has never been easier and cheaper. If you buy a new or replacement boiler by 25 July you will save £852 off the cost of the boiler, servicing and installation. This mounts up to a saving of over £1000 this year, if you add the savings to your energy bill.
It’s also vital to make sure make sure you have the right insulation, as 50% off the heat in your home is lost through the walls and roof. British Gas estimates that on a standard 3-bed semi-detached house, you could save £365 annually. Plus if you install the correct insulation the government is offering a tax rebate of £125.
‘Green tariffs’ are now being offered by many energy companies. A good example, also from British Gas, is the Zero Carbon plan. This will make 100% of the gas and electricity you use carbon neutral. This is done by offsetting you gas usage, matching electricity consumption with that from renewable sources such as wind and water power and supporting investment into new renewable energy generation.
Alternative power sources Solar panels mean no pollution and 50% off your heating bills. So they are kind to your wallet and the environment.
In the UK, we have 40% of Europe’s total wind energy, so it makes sense to harness this power and use it to power products in our homes. Small turbines for personal use can produce enough energy to power the lights and electrical appliances in a standard-size home. So again, this equates to free electricity and no carbon footprint. If you’re connected to the National Grid, you can even store this energy in batteries and then use it on low-wind days.
British Gas is not just a gas supplier. They can also service all of your electric needs and provide security through their boiler cover services.