Once again, our eco-friendly government has shown that its eco-credentials are not quite so eco as the message would suggest. The low carbon buildings programme (LCBP) was launched with much fanfare a year ago in April 2006, with £12.5 million of funding for domestic applications and £50 million for public buildings. Gordon Brown gave a generous £6 million extra. This might sound exceedingly generous but when you compare this to the additional £1 billion a year the chancellor will make from the extra air passenger duty, it suddenly seems less significant.
The scheme proved so successful that each month’s funding dried up after half an hour on the first day of each month.
[via The Guardian]
The scheme was suspended on budget day in March and is due to restart at the end of May. The start date will be honoured, but with a difference, the maximum grant per household has been reduced from an attractive £15,000 to a trifling £2,500. Industry insiders say that this puts renewable electricity beyond the means of all but the wealthiest of households.
The LCBP has so far funded 2,175 home installations in the UK. In Germany there are 300,000 home installations. We are in dire need of a government that does more than spout green ideals. Great rhetoric, shame about the policies.
From: BEST OF 2008: Eco-friendy and sustainable shoes