Exclusive: Some of £2bn savings needed from energy budget expected to come from boiler upgrade scheme, sources say

Ministers are preparing to slash the amount of money available to subsidise heat pumps as they look for ways to fund higher defence spending, sources have told the Guardian.

Miatta Fahnbulleh, the energy secretary, has been tasked with finding more than £2bn in savings from her budget to help pay for defence investment under a plan drawn up by the previous government.

Continue reading...

© Photograph: Andrew Aitchison/In Pictures/Getty Images

© Photograph: Andrew Aitchison/In Pictures/Getty Images

© Photograph: Andrew Aitchison/In Pictures/Getty Images

The Naylors’ four-bedroom home in Milton Keynes acts like a mini-power station after retrofitting solar panels, a battery and a heat pump

Clare Naylor paid close attention to how much energy she and her family were using last winter, filling hot-water bottles and bringing out extra blankets to ensure they didn’t go over budget. This year, she won’t have to worry as she is guaranteed not to receive a bill.

While millions of British households face the highest energy charges in three years from this week after a 4% rise in the price cap, and predictions of a 16% increase in January, upgrades to Naylor’s home mean she will not have to pay a thing.

Continue reading...

© Photograph: Teri Pengilley/The Guardian

© Photograph: Teri Pengilley/The Guardian

© Photograph: Teri Pengilley/The Guardian

Legislatures in nearly a dozen states have voted to legalize use of the technology, which can help homeowners reduce their rising electricity costs.

© Poppy Lynch for The New York Times