It seems DECC have gone the whole hog in trying to make the economic argument for the Green Deal in offering ‘early adopters’ a cash back sweetner. The Green Deal is the Government’s flagship carbon emissions policy designed to encourage people to make their homes more energy efficient by installing insulation or replacing on old boiler. Funds are provided upfront and paid back over time through electricity bills. In addition, if you sign up early you could be eligible for upto £1000 cash back, depending on what energy saving measures you go for. And what better way to further save on energy bills and reduce CO2 emissions than by using the cash to replace an old inefficient fridge, freezer or washing machine. Ok, it’s probably a long shot, as if an appliance is working, especially something as dull as a fridge, it seems unnecessary hassle to replace it, particularly when there are more pressing things to spend money on. However, it could be a shrewd move if your fridge is more than 15 years old, as newer models use far less energy. Check out the savings on sust-it’s old appliance calculator.
Now I’m not in favour of replacing items for the sake of it – ask my teenager daughter who wants to upgrade her functioning mobile phone, simply so that she can take ‘selfies’ (photo’s of yourself), as the latest models allow you to, but if something is inefficient, costing a lot to run and you have the funds, it just makes sense!
