Grants to make homes more energy efficient

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 14, Issue 660, 29 October 1996, Page 3

Grants to make homes more energy efficient

Three hundred and seventy-five King Country homes are to be made more energy efficient thanks to an initiative by King Country Energy which has won government funding totalling $92,000. The company's main project — to offer its customers improved water heating and lighting efficiency — has been granted $72,000 over two years from the Energy Saver Fund In addition, a second project to install ceiling insulation in 25 uninsulated houses has been granted funding of $20,000. The fund, established by the government last year and administered by the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA), has $ 1 8 million to distribute over a five-year period to projects improving residential energy efficiency. King Country Energy' s marketing supervisor, Bruce Clow, said for the main project, the company would do free assessments of potential energy efficiency improvements in customers' homes. Measures which could then be installed as required includedcylinder wraps (300), con-sumer-adjustable thermostats (200) and pipe lagging (1000). "As well, we hope to leave three or four compressed fluorescent lights installed in each of the 350 homes we target in the main project. These have a higher initial cost than an incandescent light bulb, but

last up to eight times longer and use 80% less electricity." Mr Clow said all King Country Energy customers would be welcome to apply for the assessments. The cost of the improvements would be discounted, and customers could arrange to incorporate payments with their power bill. "For the ceiling insulation, since we have only enough funding for 25 homes, we will have to make sure it goes where it is most needed." He hoped work on the projects would begin during the summer. King Country Energy 's projects are among 29 nation-wide which have been successful in tendering for funding in the second cycle of Energy Saver Fund bids. The 29 projects will share a total of $3 million from the fund spread over two to three years. Apart from energy companies, other successful tenderers include local bodies, university halls of residence, commuriity organisations and suppliers of highefficiency water heating cylinders. Energy savings as a result of the King Country Energy projects have been estimated at 2 million kWh over the lifetime of the measures, with a consequent reduction of 549 tonnes of C02 emissions. Over the whole country, energy savings from all 29 projects have been calculated at 181 million kWh, with C02 emissions reducedby 1 13,450 tonnes.