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Recent reports
The Energy Saving Trust's annual review for 2011–12
Our annual review for 2011–12, 'Reassuring consumers & businesses across the UK', is now available to download and read.
Download the Energy Saving Trust annual review 2011–12.
Powering the nation: household electricity-using habits revealed
Powering the nation is a ground-breaking report produced by the Energy Saving Trust, the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).
The report highlights the actual day-to-day use of electricity across the nation and allows us to see what is actually happening in people’s homes.
The findings reveal some unpleasant surprises, including more than a hour more spent watching television than was previously assumed, large energy demands in single-person households, and much higher figures than expected for the electricity consumed by appliances on standby.
Live-stream event
You can also watch a recorded live-stream event, for first-hand, expert insight into Powering the nation. The event is presented by Philip Sellwood, CEO Energy Saving Trust, and Lord Taylor of Holbeach, Environment minister.
View the live stream of Powering the nation.
Read our press release about Powering the nation.
Find out more about the report Powering the nation.
Download and read the report Powering the nation: household electricity-using habits revealed.
In from the cold: working in partnership to tackle fuel poverty
In from the cold is the Energy Saving Trust's new report on fuel poverty.
It says that fuel poverty is best tackled through effective partnerships and by targeting those who are most in need. Eleven per cent of callers to the Energy Saving Trust advice service say that they spend more than a fifth of their income on fuel.
The report calls for a more active role for local authorities, guided by the government through the reinvigorated Home Energy Conservation Act, in developing financing strategies for large-scale energy efficiency retrofit, targeting action to reach the most in need, and working with landlords in their area - particularly those who have F and G rated homes.
It also calls on energy suppliers, government and Green Deal providers to collaborate to make the best use of data to reach customers who can benefit from the Green Deal and ECO, and to ensure that vulnerable customers are given effective advice and support alongside the smart meter rollout.
Read the press release about In from the Cold.
Download the report In from the cold.
Plugged-in fleets: a guide to deploying electric vehicles in fleets
Plugged-in fleets is a new report on the benefits to businesses of electric vehicles.
In the right application, electric vehicles can save £700 per vehicle per year compared with diesel.
The new report shows the economic and environmental benefits of using electric vehicles in fleets. It gives practical guidance for fleet managers who are thinking about using them.
The report highlights:
- the complete range of financial and operational incentives for fleet electric vehicle uptake
- the "sweet spots" that help electric vehicles to bring commercial advantage and future-proofing
- the steps needed to asess the electric vehicle business case, company to company.
Plugged-in fleets is a collaborative report with the Climate Group and Cenex, with support from TFL and TNT's "Planet Me" division.
Read our press release on Plugged-in fleets.
Lit up: an LED lighting field trial
Lit up is the Energy Saving Trust's field report on LED lighting, in which more than 4,000 light fittings were tested in communal areas of social housing.
It shows that LEDs can bring better light brightness, colour and distribution, and can bring about significant reductions in energy and maintenance costs, particularly in areas where lighting is on for 24 hours a day.
The report has a remarkable set of before and after photographs, showing the striking transformation of buildings.
Read our press release about Lit up.
Download and read the report Lit up: an LED lighting field trial.
Our work and our services
The Energy Saving Trust is at the forefront of the domestic green economy. We know where the opportunities are and we know when they will come. Because we work on the ground in communities and with households, and because we run UK-wide trials on new and emerging technologies, we are the linchpin between national and local governments, industry and millions of consumers. With years of data-gathering, knowledge, insight and expertise, we have a wealth of information at our fingertips.
This booklet explains our work and our services.
Read Independent and impartial advice based on evidence and experience.
The Energy Saving Trust Annual Review for 2010-11
Our Annual Review for 2010-11 is now available to download and read.
Read the Energy Saving Trust's Annual Review 2010-11.
SHIMMER: Smart Homes Integrating Meters Money Energy Research
Smart technologies prove to be a key weapon in the fight against fuel poverty and exclusion
Smart home energy management and income maximisation services – such as debt, tax and benefits advice – can help vulnerable households to make financial savings that can run into the thousands, according to a report on SHIMMER, a London fuel-poverty pilot by a consortium of partners and funded by the Technology Strategy Board.
SHIMMER will help registered landlords and local authorities to fulfil their statutory duties to fuel-poor and vulnerable households, and to meet reporting and monitoring requirements on carbon usage, and will help their tenants to increase their income and so minimize the likelihood of debt and rent arrears.
Read our press release about the SHIMMER project report.
Read the report SHIMMER: Smart Homes Integrating Meters Money Energy Research.
Here comes the sun: report on a field trial of solar water heating systems
Solar water heating systems are typically designed to provide half of the average home’s hot water needs. But our study of 88 sites found systems providing as much as 60 per cent of homes’ hot water – as well as one example providing 9 per cent.
The field trial ran for a year from April 2010, and measured the energy delivered by the collector to heat the household’s water, the electrical energy required to operate the system pump and control system, and the energy delivered by the back-up heat source.
The Energy Saving Trust are calling for a thorough review of industry guidelines and standards to ensure that all issues uncovered in the trial are fully addressed.
Read our press release about the report Here comes the sun.
Read the report Here comes the sun: a field trial of solar water heating systems.
The elephant in the living room: how our appliances and gadgets are trampling the green dream
Our new report finds that UK households own three-and-a-half times as many home appliances and gadgets as 20 years ago. The UK will miss its 2020 target of 34% reduction in domestic appliance electricity carbon emissions by up to seven million tonnes unless we take further action now.
Despite householders’ best efforts to switch to energy-efficient products, we are actually consuming more energy than five years ago. Report author Dr Paula Owen said: “Although the findings of our study do make for stark reading, our message is that our domestic choices and behaviour in our homes can make a bigger impact than people think. Our love affair with domestic gadgets and gizmos has to change."
Read our press release about the report The elephant in the living room.
Read the report The elephant in the living room.
Home economics: cutting carbon and creating jobs, by nation and region
Our report maps out an energy-efficient economic vision for GB PLC, as we stand to gain £6.6bn from the burgeoning green economy. Insulating all Britain's remaining lofts and cavity walls and replacing all G-rated boilers would support 14,000 jobs. At a regional level, anything from 1,000 to 8,000 local jobs can be created with lost and cavity-wall insulations.
Read our detailed press release about the report Home economics.
Download and read the report Home economics.
Trigger points: a convenient truth
Promoting energy efficiency in the home
This report takes a fresh look at how we promote energy efficiency in homes. We didn't want to start with energy saving measures, which we know people regard as important, but not an urgent priority. We wanted to start with what householders are already doing in their homes.
We looked at the whole range of home improvement projects, from reroofing and rewiring to installing a new bathroom. We found that householders are enthusiastic about tackling many energy saving measures when they've already got builders in. We also looked at how measure-by-measure action alongside refurbishment can build over time to a whole-house upgrade.
Read our press release on Trigger points.
Download and read the report Trigger points: a convenient truth.
Selling green: delivering what you promise
If you're selling energy-related products, how do you make sure you're making the right claims? How do you inspire both confidence and realistic expectations in your customers – who may be just as new to all this as you are? In short, how do you avoid greenwash?
Go to our WorkCast site to watch the Selling green event and download the presentations.
Download our questions and answers from Selling green
EU Life+ water and energy project
This EU Life+ RENEW project promoted the water-energy links and benefits to consumers in the UK and tested how best to market water efficiency. At the onset of the project, only 8% of householders surveyed in our pilot areas would make the link between saving water and saving energy, demonstrating the need to raise awareness in this area.
Go to our EU Life+ RENEW page for more information.
Northwest Rural Carbon Challenge Fund
The aim of the fund was to improve the competitiveness of the agricultural and forestry sector, the quality of life in rural areas and diversification of the rural economy and the living conditions and welfare of those living in rural areas.The fund is no longer open to new applicants, but the Rural Carbon Challenge team are able to offer continued support to rural renewable projects.
Find out more about the Northwest Rural Carbon Challenge Fund
Home energy Pay As You Save pilot review
The home energy Pay As You Save pilots tried out a range of generous financing repayment options to incentivise householders to install energy efficient and microgeneration measures in their homes. The findings have provided a wealth of insight into how the different delivery approaches worked.