Renewables are essential to bringing down bills, guaranteeing energy security, and transitioning to net zero. Therefore, we aim to bring better-value solar energy and heat pump schemes to homeowners and landlords.

Furthermore, we recognise that solar energy and heat pump schemes are unsuitable for many properties and inaccessible to private renters and residents of Housing Associations. Thus, the only practical way forward is to press for a comprehensive home insulation programme which would involve:

• working with the various Housing Associations to insulate existing stock where necessary
• creating and piloting an Environmental Loan Fund which would issue loans rather than grants, so that money returned to the Fund can be used to lend to new people[1]
• finding funding for the introduction of combined-purchase insulation installations for private homeowners and landlords
• exploring the viability of a Council-owned energy company
• facilitating cooperative models for renewable energy, whereby community groups generate their own renewable energy, and community investors share the costs of renewables installation in buildings like schools, community centres, etc.

[1] Loans could be repaid using the savings on energy bills, and early repayment would be allowed.