Energy Saving Trust (EST) is a British organization devoted to promoting

energy efficiency Energy efficiency may refer to: * Energy efficiency (physics), the ratio between the useful output and input of an energy conversion process ** Electrical efficiency, useful power output per electrical power consumed ** Mechanical efficiency, a ra ...

energy conservation Energy conservation is the effort to reduce wasteful energy consumption by using fewer energy services. This can be done by using energy more effectively (using less energy for continuous service) or changing one's behavior to use less service (f ...

, and the sustainable use of energy, thereby reducing

carbon dioxide emissions Greenhouse gas emissions from human activities strengthen the greenhouse effect, contributing to climate change. Most is carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels: coal, oil, and natural gas. The largest emitters include coal in China and lar ...

and helping to prevent

man-made climate change In common usage, climate change describes global warming—the ongoing increase in global average temperature—and its effects on Earth's climate system. Climate change in a broader sense also includes previous long-term changes to E ...

. It was founded in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

as a government-sponsored initiative in 1992, following the global

Earth Summit The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), also known as the Rio Conference or the Earth Summit (Portuguese: ECO92), was a major United Nations conference held in Rio de Janeiro from June 3 to June 14, 1992. Earth Su ...

. Energy Saving Trust is a profit for purpose organisation. ''United Kingdom Energy Report''
Enerdata, 2011. p. 7. Energy Saving Trust – About Us
/ref> EST has regional offices in England, and country offices in Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland and runs numerous advice services in the UK.Energy Saving Trust
'' Sust-it''. It maintains a comprehensive website, and a network of numerous local advice centres.

History and purpose

Energy Saving Trust was formally established in November 1992.Oshitani, Shizuka
''Global Warming Policy in Japan and Britain: Interactions Between Institutions and Issue Characteristics''
Manchester University Press, 2006. pp. 166–169. It was formed, as a public-private partnership, in response both to the director-general of

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's 1991 proposal to increase energy efficiency in

natural gas Natural gas (also called fossil gas or simply gas) is a naturally occurring mixture of gaseous hydrocarbons consisting primarily of methane in addition to various smaller amounts of other higher alkanes. Low levels of trace gases like carbo ...

use,Owen, Gill
''A Market in Efficiency: Promoting Energy Savings Through Competition''
Institute for Public Policy Research, 1996. p. 11.Owen, Gill
''Public Purpose Or Private Benefit?: The Politics of Energy Conservation''
Manchester University Press, 1999. pp. 104–109. and to the global June 1992

call to reduce

greenhouse gas emissions Greenhouse gas emissions from human activities strengthen the greenhouse effect, contributing to climate change. Most is carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels: coal, oil, and natural gas. The largest emitters include coal in China and lar ...

and prevent global warming and climate change.Dawson, Catherine
''Green Property: Buying, Developing and Investing in Eco-friendly Property, and Becoming More Energy Efficient''
Kogan Page Publishers, 2008. p. 11–12.Whitmarsh, Lorraine; Lorenzoni, Irene; O'Neill, Saffron (eds)
''Engaging the Public with Climate Change: Behaviour Change and Communication''
Routledge, 2012. pp. 142–160. In the wake of energy-supplier privatisation in the UK, EST was also specifically formed as an instrument to ensure energy conservation and carbon-emission reduction in a free-market environment.Oshitani, Shizuka
''Global Warming Policy in Japan and Britain: Interactions Between Institutions and Issue Characteristics''
Manchester University Press, 2006. pp. 184–186. The structure, scope, nature, and funding of EST's activities and programmes have varied over the years due to governmental policy changes; however its primary focus – on consumers and households – has remained the same. It is the largest provider of energy-saving advice, and has effected significant and measurable savings of energy, money, and carbon. EST's main goals are to achieve the sustainable use of energy and to cut carbon dioxide emissions. It acts as a bridge between consumers, government, trade, businesses, third sector organisations, local authorities, and the energy market. EST's target audience is consumers, local authorities, energy companies, and policy makers.Energy Saving Trust
at ManagEnergy Among other activities, they provide: *Free advice, information, and action plans to individuals, organizations, communities, consumers, and the private sector on how to reduce carbon emissions, use water more sustainably, and save money on energy bills *Grants and grant-finding advice for energy-saving projects, installations, and purchases *Energy-saving certification, assurance, and accreditation services for businesses and consumer goods *Independent and authoritative research, and policy analysis, in energy-conservation areas including household energy efficiency, low-carbon transport,

renewable energy Renewable energy is energy that is collected from renewable resources that are naturally replenished on a human timescale. It includes sources such as sunlight, wind, the movement of water, and geothermal heat. Although most renewable energy ...

, and

microgeneration Microgeneration is the small-scale production of heat or electric power from a "low carbon source," as an alternative or supplement to traditional centralized grid-connected power. Microgeneration technologies include small-scale wind turbine ...

*Management or delivery of government programmes *Testing of low-carbon technology *Development of energy-efficient models and tools

Services provided

EST provides grants and free advice to the public to help reduce energy use, energy bills, and greenhouse gas emissions.Carrington, Damian
"Energy Saving Trust funding cut by half"
''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...

''. 21 January 2011. For individuals, Energy Saving Trust provides information and advice on subjects including:

Committee on Climate Change The Climate Change Committee (CCC), originally named the Committee on Climate Change, is an independent non-departmental public body, formed under the Climate Change Act (2008) to advise the United Kingdom and devolved Governments and Parliament ...

''Building a Low-carbon Economy: The UK's Contribution to Tackling Climate Change; the First Report of the Committee on Climate Change''

Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It is ...

The Stationery Office The Stationery Office (TSO) is a British publishing company created in 1996 when the publishing arm of His Majesty's Stationery Office was privatised. It is the official publisher and the distributor for legislation, command and house papers, s ...

, 2008. p. 232. *Insulation *Heating and hot water *Electricity use, green electricity, and energy-efficient products and appliances *Generating

*Finding and starting community projects *Energy-saving travel and transport For organisations, Energy Saving Trust provides numerous services including: * Green Deal and other certifications *Advice and analysis *Technology and technical resources *

Transport Transport (in British English), or transportation (in American English), is the intentional movement of humans, animals, and goods from one location to another. Modes of transport include air, land (rail and road), water, cable, pipeline, an ...

checks, advice, information, and green certifications *An assortment of government and local programmes *International action, advice, and

bespoke The word ''bespoke'' () has evolved from a verb meaning 'to speak for something', to its contemporary usage as an adjective. Originally, the adjective ''bespoke'' described tailor-made suits and shoes. Later, it described anything commissioned t ...

consultations

Energy Industry Voluntary Redress Scheme

Energy Saving Trust manages the Energy Industry Voluntary Redress Scheme on behalf of

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(Ofgem). The Redress Scheme was launched by Ofgem in 2018 to support vulnerable energy consumers and fund the development of energy products and services to reduce the environmental impact of energy use. It is funded by energy companies who have breached their operating licence conditions. In the Energy Industry Voluntary Redress Scheme's thirteenth round of funding, started in October 2021, £11.5 million was made available to charities across England, Scotland and Wales.

References

External links

* {{Authority control Department of Energy and Climate Change Energy conservation in the United Kingdom Energy organizations Environmental organisations based in the United Kingdom Organisations based in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets Organizations established in 1993 Private companies limited by guarantee of the United Kingdom Sustainability organizations

History and purpose

Services provided

Energy Industry Voluntary Redress Scheme

See also

References

External links