By Isle of Wight Observer
Eligible Island residents can now get free upgrades to make their homes more energy efficient.
Upgrades can be worth up to £38,000 per household and could include insulation, air source heat pumps and solar PV panels.
Last year the Isle of Wight Council was among a group of 23 local authorities to successfully bid for £41.4 million from the Home Upgrade Grant, which aims to help lower income households whose home is not very energy efficient and not heated by mains gas.
Energy-saving measures could include solar panels, solidk-wall insulation and air source heat pumps, which can usually cost thousands to install. These measures can save households thousands of pounds in the future.
Council leader, Phil Jordan, said: “Improving energy efficiency in homes is a vital issue, with energy bills a major concern for so many households, while at the same time being a key way of reducing carbon emissions on the Island.”
John Moores, from Warmer Homes, said: “We’ve already helped many households keep warm and healthy while reducing their energy bills and improving the energy efficiency of their home.
“In the last year alone, the Warmer Homes programme has installed fully funded heat pumps, solar panels and insulation that will deliver £10m in lifetime bill savings, an average annual saving of £251 per household and has abated over 50,000 tonnes of CO2.”
The scheme is first come, first served. Apply by visiting iow.life/warmerhomes, call 0800 038 5737 or email retrofit@warmerhomes.org.uk.
Mal Butler