Delivering a fair household energy transition: learning and priorities
The green technologies needed to rapidly cut our greenhouse gas emissions are already on the market. What’s more, they are, or very soon will be, cost effective. In other words, from the perspective of the household, it is, overall, cheaper to go green. However, there’s a catch: access to capital is king in the household energy transition. Alex Chapman reports. Whether it’s an electric vehicle, rooftop solar panels, a heat pump or wall insulation, they can all save you money over the long term thanks to the savings they deliver on your annual energy bills. But these benefits can only be accessed if you’ve got the cash in the bank or the ability to take out a loan (at a reasonable interest rate) to cover the sizeable up-front investment cost. Most low-income households don’t. Affluent households, whose high incomes position them in the fifth quintile (the top 20%), are able to save almost half of their disposable income every year; by comparison, households in the bottom 20% by income operate a negative savings rate. In …
The green technologies needed to rapidly cut our greenhouse gas emissions are already on the market. What’s more, they are, or very soon will be, cost effective. In other words, from the perspective of the household, it is, overall, cheaper to go green. However, there’s a catch: access to capital is king in the household energy transition. Alex Chapman reports. Credits: Shutterstock (hrui)…
What's Your Reaction?
