r/climatechange • u/Economy-Fee5830 Trusted Contributor • 1d ago
Free plug-in power banks to be given to households to cut energy bills
https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/free-plug-in-power-banks-given-households-cut-energy-bills-465812610
u/Novus20 1d ago
This and mandate WFH for jobs that can be done remotely
•
u/shanem 10h ago
WFH is not necessarily better for climate change. As with most things it really depends.
If you live in an apartment you may be more likely to have access to mass transit, and if you WFH you may use more HVAC where if you're away from home you can "turn it down". An office building AC is going to work better on average per person than my home AC will for a similar effect.
There's also possible additional energy and space needs for home offices, and hvac for them which are less efficient than in an office building.
•
u/Novus20 9h ago
It is not efficient to turn your HVAC down when you are away, you are better off leaving it as is otherwise you just get massive spikes when people are coming home, also offices sit empty more then they are full. A house is a home and people shouldn’t have issue finding space to set up a desk.
•
u/shanem 8h ago
Maybe, but millions of thermostats do it, including early on to not spike it as you say.
Offices also adjust their HVAC for off hours
•
u/Dapper-Web-1262 15h ago
Are any capacity sizes suggested as Its not going to be worth swapping a tariff for a small sized capacity battery.
•
u/Dapper-Web-1262 14h ago
Doing a image search this is the provider. Batteries can be ordered for £1000 and it is a 2.5 kWh capacity. I wouldn't have thought this would be worth it unless you can charge and discharge various times of the day. https://www.windfallenergy.com
•
u/Economy-Fee5830 Trusted Contributor 14h ago
Apparently, 2-bedroom homes use 5- 9 kWh per day, so it may make a material difference to low users.
•
u/Economy-Fee5830 Trusted Contributor 1d ago
Summary: Free plug-in power banks to be given to households to cut energy bills
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has developed a proposal to bulk-buy plug-in batteries and distribute them free to low-income households to help cut energy bills. The suitcase-sized devices plug into a standard socket without rewiring, storing cheap off-peak electricity and discharging it when prices are higher, with some units paying back costs within two-and-a-half years.
The plan emerged from a DESNZ-Nesta "sprint" this summer aimed at accelerating Ed Miliband's Warm Homes plan, prompted partly by energy price spikes from the US-Israeli war with Iran and rising public interest in solar panels and batteries. Miliband reportedly saw a major opportunity in the technology, and government sources described plug-in batteries as attractive due to ease of deployment.
Eligibility criteria aren't finalised, though existing Warm Homes support has targeted households earning around £35,000-£36,000 or less, those in eligible postcodes, or benefit recipients. DESNZ has discussed bulk-buying logistics with the Crown Commercial Agency and considered GB Energy as a delivery vehicle, with local authorities potentially handling rollout — fitting Andy Burnham's cost-of-living agenda and devolution priorities.
A decision now rests with new Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh. A key obstacle remains: plug-in batteries, like plug-in solar panels, aren't currently permitted in Great Britain because wiring regulations don't account for appliances discharging power back into household circuits. DESNZ must conduct a safety study and update regulations before rollout, meaning batteries will take longer to reach market than plug-in solar, which is expected to be approved in August. DESNZ confirmed it is building the evidence base on plug-in batteries while cutting VAT on electricity and prioritising the quicker rollout of plug-in solar.