FREE Independent Energy Advice Available In Caithness - Get It Now

20th January 2008

If you are concerned about the rising energy prices, you may be interested in contacting the Caithness Energy Advice Team.

The Energy Advice Team's aim is to help people keep warm and pay less for their energy. To accomplish this, the project team assesses the current level of energy efficiency, raises awareness of choices available to take charge of household energy bills, and partners with existing organisations for a coordinated, long range approach to reducing fuel costs and improving energy efficiency. The Energy Advice team can guide householders to energy savings by identifying issues such as poor insulation, problem door/window seals, wasteful use of electricity and incorrect use of heating systems.

The team's strategy is to visit individual households within the Caithness and North Sutherland community to promote energy saving by completing energy audits and making recommendations for changes based on their observations. As part of their remit, they distribute complimentary low energy light bulbs, power down plugs for conventional computer systems, room thermometers and other such items. Another service that is offered to householders in the county is a loan of a Current Cost Smart Monitor. The monitor highlights how much energy the household uses at any one time and it also shows how much it's going to cost you every day and every month, unless you alter your behaviour. The Energy Advice Team believes having the monitor installed helps you change your habits and hence saves you money.

The Caithness Energy Advice team has been formed thanks to funding received last year from Scottish Power's Energy People Trust and Communities Scotland. The service is led by Angela Craig, who has recently gained the City & Guilds qualification for those giving energy advice.

The Caithness Energy Advice Team help with:
•Reviewing how fuel bills are paid
•Assessing whether householders are entitled to a reduced energy tariff
•Removing people from fuel poverty* ( Fuel poverty is the inability to afford adequate warmth in the home, usually defined as having to spend 10% or more of income to meet recognised heating standards. Source: Energy Action Scotland)
•Comparing energy providers to see if switching is beneficial
•Making sure households have enough insulation (cavity wall and loft)
•Making sure heating and hot water programmers are correctly set
•Reading meters
•Talking to energy providers
•Advising on grants for insulation and other improvements
•Advising on micro-renewable systems

Ormlie Community Association is publicising this service they provide to the whole community by holding an open day at their advice centre in Davidson's Lane on Thursday 24th January. Visitors to the centre will be welcome between 9.30am and 4.30pm and will be able to talk to an adviser, see demonstrations of energy saving and, during the afternoon, see thermal imaging equipment in operation. The equipment is able to detect where heat is being lost in a house.

As well as this open day, other drop-in days are being planned around the county which will include Lybster, Halkirk, Castletown, Dunbeath, Watten and Reay.

Visitors to all these events will be able to bring in their fuel bills to discuss energy issues with the advisers.

For further information, to book a home visit or to borrow a Current Cost Smart Monitor please contact: Angela Craig, The Caithness Energy Advice Team, The Cottage, 1 Davidson's Lane, Thurso, KW14 7HT
Tel 01847 896524
or email: angela[AT]ormlierenewables.co.uk.

Ormlie Renewables