British Gas pays Thames Water to promote free insulation

British Gas pays Thames Water to promote free insulation

28 January 2012 The Telegraph

British Gas is to pay Thames Water to promote free insulation to its customers, ahead of the December deadline for energy companies to meet government carbon emissions reductions targets (CERT). 

Britain's biggest energy and water utilities have taken the unusual step of signing a five-year deal to promote energy and water-saving products, beginning with a six-month campaign offering free British Gas loft and cavity wall insulation to Thames Water's 2.3m households – about half of whom use a rival energy supplier.

The Big Six energy companies face investigation and possible fines of up to 10pc of their turnover if they do not carry out enough household energy efficiency measures to meet CERT. Chris Huhne, the Energy Secretary, told suppliers to "pull their finger out" to meet the targets after figures last year showed some needed to significantly increase installation rates.

British Gas was third closest to meeting its target at the time but declined to reveal its progress since. It said it was working "extremely hard" but that CERT was "set at unrealistic levels".  

View the full article at The Telegraph