Energy Efficient Countries The UK has been declared the fifth most energy efficient country in the world! It is refreshing to receive such positive news this week in comparison to recent news stories flooding the headlines. ACEEE also known as American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy created a report ranking 23 countries, 75% of all energy consumption is represented in these 23 countries. The report evaluated the energy efficiency in multiple sectors involving transportation, building and industry also, the national efforts calculated to control energy use. The UK received the honour of 5th place due to the changes such as abandoning the Green Deal, a 20% cut to future spending and a 33% cut to the countries energy efficiency obligations target. The report displayed that the nation has strong policies to improve fuel economy and advance vehicle technologies, much more can be done to help improve the overall efficiency of the freight and passenger transport systems. Germany, unsurprisingly won first place with Italy and Japan not far behind. Brazil, Saudi Arabia and South Africa ranked at the bottom of the list. Steven Nadel, the Executive Director at ACEEE spoke about how energy efficiency is underutilised throughout Governments, he said: “Energy efficiency is often the lowest cost means of meeting new demand for energy. Governments that encourage investment in energy efficiency and implement supporting policies save citizens money, reduce dependence on energy imports and reduce pollution. Yet energy efficiency remains massively underutilised globally despite its proven multiple benefits and its potential to become the single largest resource to meet growing energy demand worldwide.” More than £43 billion has been invested in the energy industry in the UK. Resulting in 54, 000 jobs being implemented into the economy. A £200 billion investment plan is in place to improve the energy industry in the UK by 2020. This will involve closing down old power stations, an upgrade of the powerlines which fuel our homes and also an improvement must be made regarding the use of low carbon energy.

Renewable energy can be composed in a wide variety of ways: wind, solar, hydro, tidal, and geothermal and also biomass. Renewable energy is something that is vastly growing throughout Europe therefore the European Union has lowered its dependence on imported fossil fuels and makes its energy production more sustainable. The 2020 package is a set of mandatory regulations to ensure the EU meets its climate and energy targets by 2020. Therefore the target is set to cut 20% in greenhouse gas emissions, to use 20% of EU energy from renewable sources and a 20% improvement in energy efficiency. The target in each country in the EU differs according to national wealth – from a 20% cut for the richest countries to a maximum 20% increase for the least wealthy. A target of 20% final energy consumption from renewable sources by 2020 has been set for the EU by the EU’s renewable energy directive. To achieve this, each country of the EU is required to have at least 10% of their transport fuels come from renewable sources by 2020. Also, the countries have devoted to embracing their own national renewables targets ranging from 10% in Malta to 49% in Sweden. Britain has set a target of 15%. Each EU country has adopted national renewable energy action plans showing what actions they intend to take to adhere to their renewable targets.   These plans have been split into sectors of: electricity, heating and cooling, transport, planned policy measures, the different mix of renewable technologies they expect to employ and the planned use of cooperation mechanisms. Following from this, Amber Rudd conceded the UK does not have the right policies in place to meet the EU 2020 targets of sourcing 15% of energy from renewable sources. Rudd told the MP’s that reaching the target would be difficult and went on further to say that the UK could end up having to buy renewable energy from its European neighbours if it fell short. “It’s my aim we should meet the 2020 target. I recognise we don’t have the right policies, particularly in transport and heat, but we have four to five years and I remain committed to making the target,” she told the energy and climate change committee. To find out more information on the 2020 targets, click here.

Electricity bill free for 20 years!   The loss for her supplier would equate to a whopping £10 000 after somehow ‘slipping through the system’ in the 1990’s when her house was incorrectly marked down as having been disconnected. Carol Kellar sent her confusion across in an email to The Guardian, which left them intrigued and interested to find out more. It is promising that she would have been supplied by Norweb, the company was bought by North West Water in 1995 – the two companies came together to become United Utilities as we know it today. The customer base was sold to E.ON in 2002, Powergen at the time, while a company called Electricity North West owns and operates the regions electricity distribution network after buying it from United Utilities in 2007. After further investigation, it was found that Kellar’s MPAN had been disconnected in 2003. This seems to be apparent because information was received from the supplier stating that there was no activity on the meter meaning, it wasn’t being used. source: The Guardian If, like Carol, you haven’t received an electricity bill in a while then the below applies to you. If you are in this minority, there’s a chance you won’t have to pay for all the energy you/your business has consumed. By rights, your supplier is only obliged to charge you for a maximum of 12 months of energy us, if it has been over  tear since you last received an electricity bill – this information is found under the ‘back billing code’. However, life as we know isn’t all plain sailing… for the above to apply to you then the following is important: You must have already contacted your supplier and asked for a bill to be sent Co-operated with any requests from your supplier e.g. letting them visit your home to read your meter. In other words: You haven’t received an electricity bill in over 2 years, you call your supplier and ask them to send you a bill. You give them a meter reading. Next, await the arrival of your requested bill, you receive this to find they have charged you for 2 years’ worth of energy use. You respond with a letter stating that you are aware of the ‘back billing code’ and that you need only to pay for 1 year of energy use. Your supplier sends you a new bill – this time with the correct figures. It may be apparent that you can’t afford you pay your sky high bill which you have not been charged for over the previous months then you can request a payment plan from your supplier. For example, if it has been 13 months since your last payment/bill then your supplier could split your payment to be paid over a 13 month period. Source: Citizen’s Advice

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman report hit the headlines when it raised the spectre of vulnerable patients being sent home from hospital, alone and helpless, with many unprepared to fend for themselves again following injury or illness. The report pulled no punches.  It said some families had been left ‘devastated’ by the treatment of their relatives.  It found distressing numbers of people were being discharged too soon – or being forced to stay in hospital because there was nowhere else for them to go.  The report blamed poor planning and inadequate communication in terms of admissions, transfers and discharge policies. It’s a scenario being played out across the country, and for many people the picture of their overall care is like a jigsaw puzzle with several significant pieces missing.   Enham Trust is one of the charities attempting to restore some of those missing pieces of the jigsaw.  One chief concern raised by the Ombudsman report was the issue of ‘delayed transfer of care’, or bed blocking.  When patients cannot be discharged from hospital because there is no suitable environment, with the necessary care, rehabilitation and therapy, for them to retreat to. Enham Trust, a disabled charity based in Hampshire, has just opened ten new residences designed for exactly this purpose.  Each of the new Cedar Park Apartments is furnished, has a wet room, kitchenette with fridge and microwave, a private patio with rural views and storage facilities. The apartments offer somewhere for patients to go, with short-term care packages structured around each individual.  Three meals a day can be provided, as well as a range of therapies, support and activities.  Care provision is available on site 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. The Cedar Park Apartments are available to people leaving hospital and needing a place to stay, while longer-term health and social care plans are put in place or necessary alterations are made to their homes so they can eventually move back.  They can be paid for privately or with funding from the local authority. But the shortcomings in care aren’t just affecting individuals; they’re having a huge impact on the NHS as a whole.  In February, Lord Carter’s review of English acute hospitals revealed that 8,500 hospital beds were taken each year by medically-fit patients.  This has a tangible knock on effect on the entire NHS, in terms of admissions and elective procedure rates.  Bed blocking is threatening to bring some aspects of hospital care to a grinding halt. Furthermore, this effect is compounded by pressure from an ageing population plus a confusing array of local medical services, which are often perceived as inaccessible, and Enham Trust’s Chairman Khalid Aziz believes it’s time to rethink the system.  “The Carter Review estimates delays in discharging patients costs the NHS £900 million every year,” he said.  “But that doesn’t alter the fact that these vulnerable people who are taking up the beds still need some form of treatment, constant care or support.  You can’t free up the beds until an alternative form of care is in place.” Chief Executive Peta Wilkinson added:  “Everything is pointing to the fact that changes in the way we offer and deliver care are inevitable.  At a time when there is clamour for change, third sector organisations like Enham Trust are in a unique position.  They are at liberty to offer innovative and collaborate solutions for truly integrated care.  They can maintain a vision whilst operating with agility and flexibility. “Our specialist units offer a blueprint for other organisations.  They offer a way for patients to have space, time and facilities to recover and return to independence in a safe, supportive environment.  They give the patient’s family the confidence to know their loved one is receiving the support they need.  A solution like this seems to me to be the logical way forward.  We think we are offering one of the essential missing pieces of the jigsaw.”