Promoting renewable energies - RETS Project

Key Recommendations:
1. Stability of Market Mechanisms
Inconsistencies and constant change of economic
measures such as national feed-in-tariff mechanisms
destabilises progress with implementation of renewable
energy technology and interferes with projects and
developments. It was recommended that at a European
level stability of feed-in-tariff systems and other
market mechanisms needs to be addressed.
2. Finance - Green Loans
Local consortiums should be created to develop green
loan schemes supported with a guarantee from the local
authority so as to facilitate shared responsibility. It was
recommended that local authorities support schemes
to develop green loans and act as guarantors.
3. Retrofit of Buildings
One of the greatest areas of energy inefficiency was
identified to be in established and historic building stock,
particularly within the rental sector. Therefore, it was
recommended that partnerships involving local
authorities, social landlords, housing associations
and tenants be developed to focus on the retrofit of
existing housing stock.
4. Energy Bookkeeping Method &
Plans
There was an identified need to properly audit energy
efficiency in local areas and buildings. To fully explore
the applicability of the full range of renewable energy
technology available, it was necessary to carry out
baseline energy efficiency audits to facilitate assessment
of the energy demand and the measures necessary to
reduce required capacity on a house-to-house basis.
Following the completion of energy auditing and
bookkeeping, the results should be used to inform and
develop a detailed and localised energy plan with specific
long-term plans for local areas and municipalities.
Therefore, it was recommended that an energy
bookkeeping method be developed to train
individuals, particularly those out of work, to conduct
individual reviews adopting a house to house
approach.
5. Purchase Agreements
The cost of renewable energy technology can often be
prohibitive to individuals in local areas, whereas
considerable buying power can be achieved when groups
of individuals form social and co-operative arrangements
between themselves or with local authorities and other
stakeholders. It was recommended that local authorities
support and provide information to residents on
creating purchase agreements to enhance buying
power and achieve more competitive pricing.
6. Partnerships
Financial incentives through lower local taxes could be
applied to private sector and independent agency
stakeholders who develop energy efficient practices and
also create 'green' jobs. It was recommended that local
authorities develop local tax incentives to encourage
green growth and entrepreneurship.
7. Local Taxes
Municipal taxes should be assessed and displayed so as
to show the true environmental cost of energy wastage
and also the benefits accrued by implementation of
energy saving measures. It was recommended that local
authorities develop systems to show environmental
costs and potential savings on local taxation forms
and paperwork.
8. Promotion of Educational
Schemes
Many barriers to implementation of renewable energy
arise through lack of educational awareness about local
impacts of climate change, energy inefficiency and the
capacity and value of renewable energy technology. It
was recognised that there is often conflicting and
confusing advice in relation to energy efficiency
measures. Often such advice is provided by private
companies with a specific renewable energy agenda. It
was recommended that local authorities create a free,
unbiased local energy advice service to advise local
inhabitants as to the most appropriate measures to
be taken for energy efficiency and implementation of
renewable energy technology.
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RETS Compendium – © 2012 RETS Consortium