Category: Maintain lifestyle

See below the Low impact driving Sub-Actions. Click or tap the sections further below to reveal a summary of the benefits of low impact driving, future-gazing to help visualise how this would work for you, a thought-provoking video, a step-by-step guide outlining how to achieve this Top Action, expert tips, and useful links and references.

It is recommended that you pick one or two of the Sub-Actions to progress at a time rather than try and complete them all at once. Visit our Approach page for other tips on how to set yourself up to minimise your environmental impact and get to net zero carbon.

Have you completed this Top Action already? You would need to complete:

• all the Halfway (0.5) Sub-Actions to complete half of the Top Action.
• all the Halfway (0.5) and Full (1.0) Sub-Actions to fully complete the Top Action.

Cars play a large role in modern society as they offer flexible travel between any locations with connecting roads. They may be essential in many rural areas. Without planning ahead, those with cars can jump in them at short notice with their family members and arrive directly at their destination. Cars also allow a significant amount of possessions to be transported at the same time. Many governments have prioritised the car for decades when making decisions about infrastructure, tax and other policies. Cars have also been seen as a status symbol by many for years and glamourised by the media.

With such factors it is no surprise that many people make the majority of their travel by personal cars fuelled by fossil fuels. A typical car’s internal combustion engine converts fossil fuel to motion, but unfortunately also generates CO₂ and other greenhouse gases as well as air pollutants such as NOx and carbon monoxide and particulate matter (particularly PM2.5) which affect human health. The extraction of fuel also has an environmental impact, whilst the use of fossil fuels can also, in some cases, help to fund wars and social injustices. As we drive all cars (including electric cars), brake dust is created and tyres constantly shed tiny plastic particles which can accumulate in the environment, significantly contributing to air pollution and the problematic increase in microplastics (see the Use eco-friendly products and services (and reduce waste) EcoTracker Top Action). Furthermore, our driving creates noise pollution which negatively impacts wildlife and also ourselves. By choosing to reduce our driving impacts where possible, we reduce our environmental impact across all of these categories.

Our regular use of cars has become a major contributor to the significant air pollution issues in cities and near to major roads, as confirmed by Sustrans. This causes health risks that are increasingly being recognised. A study by Vohra et al (2021), described in the Guardian, attribute a huge 8.7million global excess deaths in 2018 to air pollution from the burning of fossil fuels, one in five of the people who died that year.

Remember during the Covid-19 pandemic when our travel was restricted? One silver lining was that air pollution and noise pollution were much reduced, allowing us to enjoy a relatively pollution free local environment in which we could hear the sounds of wildlife, which flourished.

By choosing to reduce our driving impacts where possible and using travel options with lower emissions, we reduce the health impacts on the community, including our self and others, and we reduce our impact on wildlife, allowing it to flourish.

Even low impact driving will always have a level of environmental cost, such as the generation of microplastics as tyres wear down. However, by taking appropriate measures such as maintaining our vehicle, developing an efficient driving style, and getting an electric car we can generally maintain our lifestyle and continue driving but with reduced environmental impact and reduced impacts on human health.

Electric cars cause no exhaust emissions in-use and so much of the air pollution caused by conventional cars is avoided, improving the health of those nearby and avoiding air pollution related deaths. Where the electricity generated is renewable, for instance if an electric car is charged using home solar PV panels (see the Get renewable electricity EcoTracker Top Action), there will be no greenhouse gas emissions, although even if it is charged from the national grid, this will emit significantly less CO₂ than a conventional car. IPCC report that electric vehicles powered by low-carbon electricity have a large potential to reduce life cycle CO₂ emissions, which include for manufacture, use and end-of life.

Investing in an electric car can be expensive, but will save a lot of money on fuel costs. Energy Saving Trust suggests that the cost of fuel for a petrol or diesel car can be three or four times more than the cost of charging the electric car, and electric cars often have lower servicing and maintenance costs. There may be further money to save in vehicle tax, road use (e.g. entry into low emission zones) or parking charges in some locations.

Governments are increasingly supporting electric vehicles and rolling out charging infrastructure, making it easy and convenient to make the majority of journeys in electric cars. The roll out is expected to continue into the future, improving the ease and convenience of using an electric car.

Maintaining cars at the recommended service intervals and developing an efficient driving style will allow them to run more efficiently, saving fuel and reducing their environmental impact and running costs. These approaches will also prolong the car’s working life, so new cars (with additional environmental impact and upfront costs) are needed less regularly. Developing an efficient driving style is also safer and could help you and your loved ones avoid being involved in an accident.

Cars are expensive to purchase, and many cars sit on the driveway for long periods while insurance, tax and maintenance costs continue to be paid. By renting a car you only pay for it when you need it. Alternatively, you could choose to liftshare with someone else or get a taxi, then sit back and relax while you are taken to your destination.

By choosing not to have a car, you save even more money, and you also save the significant environmental cost of manufacture of the car – even electric cars cause a lot of negative environmental impacts to produce at present (particularly the batteries as reported here by the Guardian), although processes are improving. In the long run, we need to reduce the environmental impact of our transport, and the aim is that savings in use from having an electric car (if you need it) will more than make up for the impact of manufacture. See the Buy fewer products (re-use and repair) EcoTracker Top Action, which includes cutting back on under-used cars.

Try and imagine how your life will be and how you will feel when you complete this EcoTracker Top Action. This may feel like a big change or a small change, but really focus on how the benefits of the change could impact and improve your life and the lives of others.

For instance try and imagine how you will feel about:

• your reduced environmental impact which will help avoid the worst effects of climate change, ecological breakdown and air pollution within your lifetime, helping to ensure you and others can live a long and full life.
• improved long term prospects for your children and future generations, who will have a much greater opportunity to avoid climate change, ecological breakdown and air pollution during their lives. They will be much safer than in the alternative future of extreme climate change, ecological breakdown and significant air pollution and many lives will be saved. Will you be able to look your child in the eye in years to come and say that you have done everything you can to protect their future?
• improved opportunities and social justice (climate justice) for those around the world who are currently struggling with the early impacts of climate change and ecological breakdown, with many lives and livelihoods saved.
• maintaining your lifestyle, without producing local air pollution, by getting an electric car.
• saving money in the long run.
• developing a low impact driving style and mindset as a driver will keep you and your loved ones safer and help you avoid stressful drives.
• if you reduce or stop driving and use alternative forms of transport, consider how this may reduce your stress and improve your health.
• some of the above may be really life-changing for you or others in your local area who will suffer less air pollution.

An effective way of developing a commitment and ongoing motivation to progressing this EcoTracker Top Action is to work out which of the themes above generate the most powerful emotional responses for you personally. Then try to capture this in some way and store it for when you might need motivation later.

You might be able to create a strong image in your memory, or a link to existing memories. You might want to write down how you feel say on a post-it note or in a diary as a reminder; perhaps somewhere that you will regularly see the message or somewhere you can come back to when you want to. You might even want to share this on your ‘progress thread’ on social media. If you are feeling creative, perhaps even draw an image to represent your future. Also, consider whether you might already have an object which could trigger your motivation e.g. a picture of your children.

These steps are generic because this is your unique personal journey and you will need to explore the details for yourself, using this process and the Expert Tips below as a guide and support.

The time required to complete steps may vary quite a lot depending on your resources or skill level, or whether or not you do the work yourself or pay a professional to do it. It is recommended that you pick one or two of the Sub-Actions to progress at a time rather than try and do them all at once, and so you may go through steps multiple times for the different Sub-Actions before you have completed the Top Action.

1. Build motivation from within to complete this EcoTracker Top Action, assisted by reading the Benefits and Future-gazing to imagine how your life will improve (10 minutes)
2. Make a personal commitment and share this to social media (5 minutes)
3. Book a time in your diary for progressing your EcoTracker actions – you may wish to set up a regular slot for taking actions (5 minutes)
4. Research – read the guidance on this EcoTracker Top Action page such as the Expert Tips and you may wish to visit your community for support (30 minutes +)
5. Discuss with others in your household and agree broadly what you will do (15-30 minutes)
6. Get the resources lined up e.g. find what you need online, locate or borrow/rent/buy the materials and tools (2-3 hours)
7. Make a final decision on exactly what you will do and book in a date (15 minutes)
8. Complete all Sub-Actions to enable you to complete the Full Top Action (5 + hours)
9. Visit our Tracker page, and share your progress to social media (5 minutes). You may want to share your progress as you go through the steps for each Sub-Action.
10. Once you’ve mastered this Top Action, why not also help others in the community complete their’s, with tips and support (1 minute, periodically)

Don’t blame yourself for your past habits, but choose to focus on what you can improve. Similarly, choose not to blame others in your household or elsewhere for their current or past habits, but to point out to them the damaging impacts of driving and the benefits of electric cars and alternative transport. Encourage and support others to make changes (e.g. by using EcoTracker). You may need to focus on and persist with some of these changes for weeks or months before they become new habits that you don’t need to think about. It can be easier to change our habits during a moment of larger change such as when you move home or get a new job; when you are going through such a period, it is a great time to reset and work on building new habits. See the Approach page for further suggestions on developing habits.

Although Low impact driving can reduce many of the environmental impacts of driving, some cannot be currently reduced without reducing the miles driven, such as the generation of a large amount of microplastics as car tyres wear down. If you are comfortable and able to do so, it is strongly recommended that you choose alternative forms of transport to driving that do not produce such large volumes of microplastics, such as walking, cycling and using public transport – see the Walk, cycle, use public transport and reduce driving EcoTracker Top Action.

If you commute or travel for business consider whether you could avoid travelling (have a video-conference instead) or whether you could take a sustainable travel option rather than the car. Unless you have a clear reason to go into your workplace or you cannot work from home, it is suggested that you continue to regularly work from home.

Keep your car log book up to date with all the services it has had. When you have your car serviced, ask for the next scheduled service date.

Choose to develop an efficient driving style to reduce the environmental impact of every car you drive, by following the tips from Energy Saving Trust. Their key recommendations include:

• Anticipating the road ahead to avoid unnecessary braking and acceleration, and keeping your distance from the vehicle ahead.
• Shifting up early to a higher gear.
• Switch off your engine when the car is not running and not leaving it idling.
• Reduce your speed.
• Open your windows rather than using the air conditioning.
• Ensure your tyres are correctly inflated.
• Avoid carrying unnecessary loads

If you are thinking of purchasing an electric car, you’ll need to ensure that you have sufficient money available to at least put down a significant deposit for a lease agreement. In the UK, grants are available to cover 75% of the cost of installing a home charging point. These grants are typically dealt with by the charging point installer, so you will simply pay the price minus the grant. Previously available UK national grants to partly offset the electric car purchase price were withdrawn in 2022, but do check whether any local grants are available in your area; grants are available in many other countries. Car Magazine suggests that the cost of an electric car is usually higher than an equivalent petrol or diesel alternative, although some models may be less than this. The upfront cost of electric cars has been reducing over time.

As with conventional cars, leasing options are available which allow you to spread out the payments for new car over a number of years, making it more affordable.

If you don’t currently have the money available, try other modes of transport where possible, such as walking, cycling and using public transport – see the Walk, cycle, use public transport and reduce driving EcoTracker Top Action. Also, focus on other EcoTracker Top Actions which save money and make savings over some years until you can afford to get an electric car – you can find these on the Actions page by filtering the Top Actions accordingly.

You will also ideally need to have off-street parking in order to get an electric car charging point installed or you will need regular access to a nearby public charging point where you can leave your car. Electric car charging options for those with on-street or communal car parking are emerging, but on the positive side, areas with such limitations are more likely to be in or near city centres which tend to offer good alternatives to driving. It is possible to charge an electric car using a normal household plug, but this will be much slower than getting a specialist charging point installed.

Do some research and decide which types or models of electric car you would ideally like. Visit a number of local car dealerships, where you can look at available models, get quotes and try test drives. This can be a fun day out. You may wish to discuss this with the salespeople, or ask for their suggestions. You could use a website such as Car Wow or Drive Electric or Zap Map to compare available models and prices and get further information. Fully Charged provides a variety of videos, podcasts, articles and other media.

In the UK, use Zap Map, which seeks to make charging electric cars convenient by providing a live map of available charging infrastructure availability, along with other resources, including a variety of articles and tips for purchasing and using an electric car.

Some people are concerned about the range of electric cars, the length of time it takes to recharge them and the number of charging points available. These factors are certainly more than adequate for many people for shorter distance journeys e.g. 100 miles (~160 km) or less, with most modern electric cars offering 150 miles (~240 km) or significantly more for some on a full charge, while Zap Map can help you to plan longer journeys. As governments and companies continue to roll out improved public charging facilities and innovative solutions, electric vehicles will be able to travel for longer on a charge, have more available charging points and charge quicker.

If you have an electric car, this will work very well with home solar PV panels, which are often generating more electricity than is used in the home, particularly during summer. By plugging in an electric vehicle you can make the most of your renewable energy and reduce your car electricity cost – try the Get renewable electricity EcoTracker Top Action.

Consider hiring or leasing an electric car, so you are not committed for longer than you want. Try Enterprise Car Club or Zipcar which allows you to hire cars regularly when you need them, or Weevee, Onto or Gridserve for longer leasing of electric cars. Consider Hiyacar, which does peer to peer car rental, and if you have an underused car, consider listing your car there too.

Also, consider car sharing either with someone you know or with a stranger using Liftshare or other similar services, so that there are less cars on the road and you share the emissions from one car.

A hybrid car improves upon a petrol or diesel car and could suit some people better than an electric car and provide greater flexibility. These will not count towards achieving the Full EcoTracker Top Action as they still use a significant amount of fossil fuels.

Where you live can have a big impact on how easy it is to achieve this Top Action. It may currently be more challenging to find electric vehicle charging points in rural areas, whereas in cities or well-connected towns, there should be numerous opportunities. The same applies to walking, cycling and using public transport. However, in cities you are less likely to have off-street parking enabling you to easily charge your car at home. If you are not happy with the walking, cycling, public transport or electric vehicle charging infrastructure in your area and this is putting you off, send a letter or email to your MP or local councillors. The more people who raise this as an issue, the more attention it will get. It is likely that more investment will be made in future as governments try to decarbonise the transport system, so do keep up to date with the options available in your local area.

When choosing where to live, do consider the infrastructure available locally, but also how easy it is to get to the places you need to go, including your workplace, shops, entertainment and also the homes of the family and friends who you will meet. An idyllic rural location may tick many boxes, but could see you spending a lot more time in the car (and possibly struggling to find electric vehicle charging points) if you don’t also think about where else you will need to travel to and minimise the distances.

Energy Saving Trust: https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/advice/electric-vehicles/  and https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/advice/ecodriving/

Electric cars:

Office for Zero Emission Vehicles: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/office-for-zero-emission-vehicles

What Car?: https://www.whatcar.com/news/the-true-cost-of-owning-an-electric-car/n21008

Car Wow: https://www.carwow.co.uk/electric-cars

Drive Electric: https://www.drive-electric.co.uk/

Fully Charged: https://fullycharged.show/

Zap Map: https://www.zap-map.com/live/  and https://www.zap-map.com/electric-vehicles/ev-buying-guide/ and https://www.zap-map.com/electric-vehicles/electric-models/

Leasing electric cars:

Weevie: https://wevee.uk/

Onto: https://on.to/

Renting cars:

Enterprise Car Club: https://www.enterprisecarclub.co.uk/gb/en/about/car-sharing.html

Zipcar: https://www.zipcar.com/en-gb

Hiyacar (peer to peer car rental): https://www.hiyacar.co.uk/rent-a-car

Car sharing:

Liftshare: https://liftshare.com/uk

See below the Get low carbon heating Sub-Actions. Click or tap the sections further below to reveal a summary of the benefits of getting low carbon heating, future-gazing to help visualise how this would work for you, a thought-provoking video, a step-by-step guide outlining how to achieve this Top Action, expert tips, and useful links and references.

It is recommended that you pick one or two of the Sub-Actions to progress at a time rather than try and complete them all at once. Visit our Approach page for other tips on how to set yourself up to minimise your environmental impact and get to net zero carbon.

Have you completed this Top Action already? You would need to complete:

• all the Halfway (0.5) Sub-Actions to complete half of the Top Action.
• all the Halfway (0.5) and Full (1.0) Sub-Actions to fully complete the Top Action.

A significant proportion of our CO₂ emissions and environmental impact come from home heating. By getting low carbon heating, we can replace environmentally damaging fossil fuel based heating with renewable energy based heating. If you are not able to get low carbon heating immediately, there are many things you can still do to reduce your heating related emissions such as maintaining and controlling your heating system or adopting energy efficient behaviour, so there will be something everyone can work on.

Our fossil fuel based heating systems are contributors to the significant air pollution issues in cities. This causes health risks for everyone that are increasingly being recognised. A study by Vohra et al (2021), described in the Guardian, attribute a huge 8.7million global excess deaths in 2018 to air pollution from the burning of fossil fuels, one in five of the people who died that year. The use of fossil fuels (e.g. for our home energy use) can also, in some cases, help to fund wars and social injustices, and so should be minimised or preferably avoided.

By getting low carbon heating we can maintain our lifestyles whilst reducing our environmental impact, although it does really help to change a few things to minimise the energy used by the system and save money.

Energy Saving Trust suggests that half of the money spent by UK households on bills goes towards heating and hot water. This means that although replacing a heating system will require a large upfront investment, long term money savings can be achieved by getting low carbon heating, particularly where your home is not heated by gas. In the UK the Boiler Upgrade Scheme is currently available to support those getting low carbon heating installed and will cover a significant part of the upfront cost of installing the system. Whether or not you have low carbon heating, a well-maintained heating system runs more efficiently and is less likely to break down, thereby reducing your environmental impact and saving money.

The different types of low carbon heating systems have different benefits.

Heat pumps use some electricity (say 1 unit) to pump even more heat (say 2.5 units) from the air or ground (or less often a nearby water source) into your home so they can effectively achieve incredible efficiencies of 250%+ (2.5 divided by 1). They work like a fridge in reverse simply moving and concentrating heat from outside to inside the home. Although there will be some CO₂ emissions due to use of grid electricity, no pollution or emissions are produced directly by the heat pump and their CO₂ emissions will reduce as the national grid decarbonises as more renewable energy generation is added to it.

Solar hot water panels are heated directly by the sun, with this energy used to top-up a hot water tank. Even in winter, they can supply a significant amount of domestic hot water (but not typically space heating) and they are relatively simple systems.

Biomass heating goes back to basics, burning woody biomass (usually timber) grown in the natural world. Plants absorb and store CO₂ as they grow. If we burn plants for fuel, the stored CO₂ is released again but space is also made on the ground for further plant growth and hence re-absorption of a similar amount of CO₂ again; if trees and shrubs are grown sustainably, with new growth managed to replace what is harvested, and there is suitable rotation of areas harvested and areas left to grow, this can be considered carbon neutral over the long term. Forests that are used to produce biomass can be managed to also benefit wildlife, but this is not always the case and extreme caution is required to ensure sustainable sourcing of biomass.

For those who have the opportunity, district heating can be excellent where there is a suitable low carbon heat source, for instance a source of waste heat such as a waste water treatment plant or data centre. Heat is captured or generated centrally and then transported to homes. A well-designed district heating scheme can be cost effective and takes some of the responsibility from residents who don’t need to worry about their boiler breaking down. However, not all district heating is equal and often it is currently served by fossil fuel heat sources.

By adding low carbon heating technology to our homes, their values may increase, as the benefits are becoming more widely recognised by home-owners and industry. We may for instance be able to get a larger mortgage for a home with energy measures such as low carbon heating installed.

Where summer temperatures are high and home cooling is necessary it is important to fully exploit the opportunities to passively cool and ventilate our homes, which will improve our comfort whilst avoiding unnecessary air conditioning energy usage. If air conditioning is still required after passive and low energy opportunities have been taken, low carbon air conditioning systems are available that can efficiently provide the cooling we need.

Try and imagine how your life will be and how you will feel when you complete this EcoTracker Top Action. This may feel like a big change or a small change, but really focus on how the benefits of the change could impact and improve your life and the lives of others.

For instance try and imagine how you will feel about:

• your reduced environmental impact which will help avoid the worst effects of climate change and ecological breakdown within your lifetime, helping to ensure you and others can live a long and full life.
• improved long term prospects for your children and future generations, who will have a much greater opportunity to avoid climate change and ecological breakdown during their lives. They will be much safer than in the alternative future of extreme climate change and ecological breakdown and many lives will be saved. Will you be able to look your child in the eye in years to come and say that you have done everything you can to protect their future?
• improved opportunities and social justice (climate justice) for those around the world who are currently struggling with the early impacts of climate change and ecological breakdown, with many lives and livelihoods saved.
• maintaining your lifestyle whilst reducing your environmental impact.
• saving money in the long run.
• generating clean low carbon heat.
• being cool at home during summer heat waves.
• some of the above may be really life-changing for you and your overall standard of living.

An effective way of developing a commitment and ongoing motivation to progressing this EcoTracker Top Action is to work out which of the themes above generate the most powerful emotional responses for you personally. Then try to capture this in some way and store it for when you might need motivation later.

You might be able to create a strong image in your memory, or a link to existing memories. You might want to write down how you feel say on a post-it note or in a diary as a reminder; perhaps somewhere that you will regularly see the message or somewhere you can come back to when you want to. You might even want to share this on your ‘progress thread’ on social media. If you are feeling creative, perhaps even draw an image to represent your future. Also, consider whether you might already have an object which could trigger your motivation e.g. a picture of your children.

These steps are generic because this is your unique personal journey and you will need to explore the details for yourself, using this process and the Expert Tips below as a guide and support.

The time required to complete steps may vary quite a lot depending on your resources or skill level, or whether or not you do the work yourself or pay a professional to do it. It is recommended that you pick one or two of the Sub-Actions to progress at a time rather than try and do them all at once, and so you may go through steps multiple times for the different Sub-Actions before you have completed the Top Action.

1. Build motivation from within to complete this EcoTracker Top Action, assisted by reading the Benefits and Future-gazing to imagine how your life will improve (10 minutes)
2. Make a personal commitment and share this to social media (5 minutes)
3. Book a time in your diary for progressing your EcoTracker actions – you may wish to set up a regular slot for taking actions (5 minutes)
4. Research – read the guidance on this EcoTracker Top Action page such as the Expert Tips and you may wish to visit your community for support (30 minutes +)
5. Discuss with others in your household and agree broadly what you will do (15-30 minutes)
6. Get the resources lined up e.g. find what you need online, locate or borrow/rent/buy the materials and tools (2-3 hours)
7. Make a final decision on exactly what you will do and book in a date (15 minutes)
8. Complete all Sub-Actions to enable you to complete the Full Top Action (5 + hours)
9. Visit our Tracker page, and share your progress to social media (5 minutes). You may want to share your progress as you go through the steps for each Sub-Action.
10. Once you’ve mastered this Top Action, why not also help others in the community complete their’s, with tips and support (1 minute, periodically)

If you are replacing a fossil fuel boiler (e.g. a gas or oil or LPG boiler) at or towards the end of its life, choose not to replace it with another one, otherwise you will be locking in heating related CO₂ emissions for the next 15 years. Instead, choose low carbon heating!

If you are able to invest in low carbon heating immediately, it is highly recommended that you choose to do so. This may involve replacing your hot water tank and heating controls. Where relevant, consider the interlinked EcoTracker sub-actions that will help ensure that you get the most out of your low carbon heating system: switch your energy supplier / contract (see the Get renewable electricity Top Action) to reduce the cost of your electricity if you will be using this to power your heating, and ensure you have a reasonable level of home insulation and double or triple glazing to reduce the amount of heating you need (see the Reduce my home energy use Top Action).

You may wish to start off with the Halfway sub-actions which will cost less than the Full sub-actions  – to help save money to later invest in low carbon heating – but do also consider the other suggestions below to help you find the money.

It is important to consider the environmental cost of manufacture of products, including low carbon heating and cooling technology. Typically, this impact will be “paid back” many times over the years of usage through the avoidance of the use of fossil fuels which are much more damaging to the environment.

If you have already installed passive and low energy measures to avoid summer overheating, but air conditioning is still required, a heat pump system should be considered that can supply heating, domestic hot water and cooling; this may minimise the environmental cost of manufacture of the system, compared to getting separate units for heating and cooling.

Maintaining your heating system via services at the recommended intervals (usually annually) will maintain its efficiency and reduce its environmental impact and running costs. Use an appropriately certified engineer.

Ideally your heating controls should allow you to decide the temperature in different rooms at different times, so you don’t use heating energy that you don’t need. This can be done through relatively simple controls such as a thermostat, programmer and thermostatic or programmable radiator valves. Energy Saving Trust suggests you can save £70 (at 2021 prices, prior to the 2022 energy crisis and price inflation) and 0.3 Tonnes of CO₂ each year by installing and correctly using a programmer, room thermostat and thermostatic radiator valves. Alternatively you may prefer to leave the management of your heating system to smart control systems (e.g. Hive or Nest) which learn from your behaviour.

If you work from home on your own, consider getting a small electric desk heater or room heater for the area you work in; if you have solar PV panels this could be significantly covered by the renewable electricity even during the middle of winter, and this avoids you needing to switch on your main heating system through the day. If you don’t have solar PV panels, it is very likely to be cheaper and more environmentally friendly to heat one small to medium sized room rather than the whole house. Do note that simply getting lots of electric panel heaters to heat your home is much higher carbon than the low carbon technologies listed below, although as the electricity grid decarbonises this will improve. This is also currently a very expensive approach as the cost of electricity is relatively high in the UK compared to gas, so is not advisable unless your home is insulated to exceptional standards e.g. Passivhaus levels.

Your hot water cylinder is a store of very hot water, constantly losing heat. Therefore the cylinder and main pipework around it need to be insulated to reduce the heat loss. Your cylinder should also have a control, allowing you to set the temperature of your hot water cylinder to give you the hot water temperature that you need; consider if you could reduce it e.g. if you are always having to add cold water to make the temperature bearable.

You may be able to add hot water cylinder insulation and pipework insulation yourself as this is relatively DIY friendly, or alternatively get a tradesperson to do it for you. To install heating controls, you are likely to need to get an electrician and / or plumber to do this for you.

Some heating related items are covered under the Reduce my home energy use EcoTracker Top Action.

Heat pumps can be retro-fitted to many houses without needing planning permission to supply space heating and domestic hot water, although if you live in a home with limited outdoor space, a flat or a home with heritage value (e.g. a listed building) you may need to obtain consent (which is not guaranteed) and to minimise aesthetic and noise impacts. ASHPs work well attached to a sunny south facing wall, but can work in a variety of locations. GSHPs require a reasonably large outdoor space in which to lay heating pipes. It is very important to ensure you have a reasonable level of home insulation and double or triple glazing to reduce the amount of heating you need as the cost of electricity is currently relatively high compared to gas (although this may change in future). See the Reduce my home energy use EcoTracker Top Action.

Solar hot water panels can be retro-fitted to the roofs of the majority of houses and blocks of flats, without needing planning permission, although if your home has heritage value (e.g. is a listed building) you may need to obtain consent (which is not guaranteed) and to minimise the aesthetic impact. In the UK solar hot water panels work best with south facing roofs sloping at around 30°, but also work well for flat roofs, east or west facing roofs or even south facing walls. Solar hot water panels typically supply a proportion of domestic hot water but not typically any space heating, so a separate space heating and supplementary hot water system (e.g. an electric immersion heater) would be required.

Biomass heating (e.g. a log burner) can be installed in most homes to supply space heating and potentially also domestic hot water, generally without needing planning permission, however, new installations are not recommended. Biomass heating creates major air quality issues which can impact health, while wood fuel used may also contribute directly or indirectly to deforestation, as reported by the Guardian, so this is unlikely to be the best choice. Existing biomass heating may justifiably have a low environmental impact if biomass fuel is sustainably sourced from well-managed forests and not linked to deforestation.

District heating serves the space heating and domestic hot water of many homes from a central heating system. It is unlikely to be available for most homes, but may be in some urban areas or blocks of flats. The low carbon credentials of district heating varies considerably.

If you are renting your property, encourage your landlord to consider installing low carbon heating. If you’re living in a flat, you might consider grouping together with other residents to encourage your freeholder to install low carbon heating and / or provide funding towards it.

Start by finding some reputable installers and doing some research. In the UK look for Trustmark and Microgeneration Certification Scheme certified installers via Simple Energy Advice and read the guidance from the Energy Saving Trust to inform yourself with further details. Also find out if you have a bulk purchase scheme in your area, which organises bulk purchase and installation of a low carbon heating systems across the community for a discounted price.

You’ll need to ensure that you have sufficient money available to invest in the low carbon heating. Energy Saving Trust suggests that installing typical low carbon heating systems costs (at 2021 prices) around:

• Air Source Heat Pumps – £7,000 – £13,000
• Ground Source Heat Pumps – £14,000 – £19,000
• Solar hot water panels – £3,000 – £5,000
• Biomass boiler – £9,000 – £15,000

However, check whether you are eligible for any government funding grants, e.g. the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, which could reduce upfront costs significantly.

Energy Saving Trust also provide an indication of the running cost savings that you can make, which varies between homes.

If you don’t currently have the money available consider whether you could get cheap finance, e.g. by remortgaging your home. If so, do make sure the electricity bill savings (and any subsidies available) from getting the low carbon heating installed would cover the ongoing cost of repaying your loan, or where relevant you might decide you are happy with the idea of paying a bit more for low carbon heating. Alternatively, if you’re struggling to find the money, you could focus on other EcoTracker Top Actions which save money and make savings over some years until you can afford to get low carbon heating installed – you can find these on the Actions page by filtering the Top Actions accordingly.

Decide which type of low carbon heating system you would ideally like before discussing this with installers, or ask for their suggestions:

• For all types of low carbon heating except district heating:
  • Make sure you can access relevant subsidies such as the Renewable Heat Incentive in the UK. This may make all the difference to enable you to make money savings.
  • When considering different systems and sizes of systems, consider your future needs, such as whether you might use more hot water in future if you think your family might grow.
• See below the additional points to consider for each type of low carbon heating technology.

Contact a number of installers, many of which will specialise in one kind of low carbon heating system, discuss your requirements and get quotes from the installers. They may need to visit your home to assess what is required. Then decide what is right for you.

When your low carbon heating is installed, sit back and relax!

If you are not able to get low carbon heating immediately, there are many things you can still do to reduce your heating related emissions including maintaining your heating system, installing and using suitable controls, insulating your hot water tank, insulating your home and adopting energy efficient behaviour, so there will be something for everyone to work on. Some of these are listed under the Reduce my home energy use Top Action.

Further considerations for installing Air Source Heat Pumps at home:

• Air to water Air Source Heat Pumps, which heat water to supply space heating and domestic hot water, are recommended. Air to air options are available but do require a warm air heating system and are not typically recommended. For smaller properties and where you may want to improve your ventilation, consider an exhaust air heat pump system, which can provide ventilation, heating, hot water and also potentially also cooling.
• Consider the space needed:
  • An internal space for a hot water cylinder is needed. A relatively large hot water cylinder is recommended to ensure that you have the hot water supply that you need.
  • A monobloc heat pump only has an external unit; this will be an option for a very well insulated home. A split system will also have an internal unit to accommodate, which will be needed for most home retrofits; this may fit above a hot water cylinder.
  • Usually there is an external unit to accommodate, except for with exhaust air heat pumps. The external unit can be mounted on the ground or the wall and are often around 1.5m x 1.5m x 0.5m, but also need some surrounding space to provide a good airflow.
    • A ground level sunny space backed onto the rear wall of your house and at least 1m away from the boundary to your neighbour would be ideal.
    • Wall mounting can provide more options, but installation and access will be more challenging.
    • Locations at the front or side of your home may be possible, but there are likely to be more issues to overcome e.g. planning permission needed or noise impacts to neighbours to consider (see below).
    • It is best to minimise the distance of pipework where possible, particularly external pipework, to minimise heat loss. Accommodating this may require some minor redecorating e.g. boxing the pipes.
    • If all else fails, you could place the external units on the ground at a suitable location down your garden.
  • Consider the internal pipe-route between the external unit and the internal unit / hot water tank.
• Consider the noise emitted, and pick a model with the lowest noise impact. Noise is not usually a problem if the heat pump is running well, but you may want to locate the heat pump away from main living space or bedrooms where you have the option. Noise assessment may be needed (which you heat pump installer would complete) if you are thinking of locating your heat pump near to your neighbour’s home. This may limit the locations you can pick, particularly where homes are closely packed together. Vaillant has an online noise simulator to give an indication of the noise produced by their latest Air Source Heat Pumps.
• Air Source Heat Pumps can extract heat from the air even down to -15°C, so can run effectively even where winters are very cold (e.g. Scandinavia, where they are commonly used).
• If you are still unsure about getting an Air Source Heat Pump, Energy Saving Trust debunks the myths across two blogs, here and here.
• See below other things to consider for Air Source and Ground Source Heat Pumps.

Further considerations for installing Ground Source Heat Pumps (GSHPs) at home:

• GSHPs can achieve higher efficiencies in winter than ASHPs, but have a higher upfront cost and require pipes to be dug in your garden.
• Consider the space needed:
  • A large unit will be needed; preferably this would be located inside, but it is possible to locate it externally.
  • An internal space for a hot water cylinder is needed. A relatively large hot water cylinder is recommended to ensure that you have the hot water supply that you need.
  • Consider the internal pipe-route between the external unit and the internal unit / hot water tank. Accommodating this may require some minor redecorating. Accommodating this may require some minor redecorating e.g. boxing the pipes. It is best to minimise the distance of pipework where possible, particularly external pipework, to minimise heat loss.
  • A cost effective installation will require a reasonably large garden area.  Horizontal trenching for pipes is cheaper while a vertical borehole is much more expensive. The size of your home and its level of insulation will determine the length of ground pipes needed.
• Ground conditions may not be suitable. This would need to be assessed by an installer.
• Ground Source Heat Pumps are very effective where homes also have an air conditioning demand, although air conditioning should be avoided where possible.
• See below other things to consider.

Other things to consider when installing Air Source and Ground Source Heat Pumps:

• For best efficiency, home insulation measures and low distribution temperatures are important.
  • It is very important to ensure you have a reasonable level of home insulation and double or triple glazing to reduce the amount of heating you need before installing heat pumps. See the Reduce my home energy use EcoTracker Top Action.
  • Heat pumps work more efficiently when generating heat at lower temperatures, ideally much lower than the temperature produced by gas boilers. To get a heat pump model that operates at lower temperature, you are likely to need to change your heat emitters to larger versions to deliver the same amount of heat. Underfloor heating works well with heat pumps, due to its large surface area, but large radiators are also an option. Many types of radiators are available to suit different aesthetics. The radiators will be cooler to touch when on and you may need to set your heating system to run for longer, but it will be more efficient overall. The better insulated your home, the smaller your heat emitters can be.
  • High temperature heat pumps are available that can heat your home possibly using your existing radiators, but these will be less efficient and have higher running costs.
• Consider the refrigerant used by the heat pump as refrigerants are gases which naturally leak over time and contribute to climate change. To minimise this, choose a heat pump with low Global Warming Potential (GWP) refrigerants. Many standard heat pumps have high GWP refrigerants (e.g. R410A has a GWP of 2,088). Low GWP options include CO₂ (GWP of 1) and propane R290 (GWP of 3), or worse but still a big improvement is R32 (GWP of 675). These options are still relatively new and limited, but you can reduce the refrigerant leakage impact by over 1,000 times if you can get a heat pump that uses CO₂ as a refrigerant.
• Consider whether your heating controls need to be updated when installing your heat pump. Not all existing heating controls will function well.
• To make the most of your heat pump and reduce your heating costs, do consider the following extra options:
  • If you are considering electric-powered heating, consider getting solar PV panels fitted to your roof in order to get low cost electricity – see the Get renewable electricity Top Action. Solar PV panels and heat pumps work well together.
  • Get an electric battery, to allow you to store the renewable electricity generated for use later (e.g. in the evening) or cheap electricity from the grid at off peak times in conjunction with a time of use electricity tariff. Do be aware that batteries typically have a significant environment cost of manufacture at present (as reported here by the Guardian), and remain relatively expensive. There is expected to be much innovation with batteries in coming years, and you can easily get a battery added later. 
• If you experience high summer temperatures and are considering air conditioning, consider whether you can get a heat pump that can provide heating, hot water and cooling. Do make sure that you have fully exploited the opportunities to passively cool your home (see below).
• Heat pumps are relatively low maintenance and may require less regular services than gas boilers. Your installer and manufacturer can advise on the recommended service intervals.

Do be aware that if you want to get the most out of your low carbon heating you could try changing your behaviour, although this is certainly optional:

• If you have an Air Source Heat Pump make use of the sun’s energy and external air temperature by setting your heat pump to run during the day when the air temperature is warmest. It is generally advisable to set the domestic hot water to generate during this period. You could also set your heating to come on earlier than needed during the day and pre-heat the home, so the heat pump will have to work less later on when it is less efficient. This will work best with a well-insulated home.
• Make sure your heat pump is set to run in an efficient mode rather than often using the inbuilt immersion heater, but do note that this may take longer to recharge the domestic hot water. You could choose to manually boost the hot water if more is needed.
• If you also have solar PV panels spread your heat pump and other electrical use through the day where possible rather than putting all of your equipment on at the same time, which would be less likely to be covered by the renewable electricity.
• If you also have an electric battery and time of use tariffs, set your heat pump and other electrical uses to run during off peak times as far as possible.

Energy Saving Trust covers some of these items and more in their guidance on how to ensure a heat pump runs efficiently. Also, see above for their video on this topic.

Further considerations for installing solar hot water panels at home:

• Consider whether you have a suitable sun-facing roof  – south / east / west facing / flat roof(s) in the UK and elsewhere in the northern hemisphere, or north / east / west facing / flat roof(s) in the southern hemisphere, or east / west facing / flat roof(s) near the equator. Space is not typically an issue as systems are relatively small, requiring about 5m². Your installer will be able to advise on this. System are sized based on the number of home occupants.
• Consider whether you prefer a flat plate collector system which is simpler or an evacuated tube system which is more efficient.
• Consider the internal space needed for a large hot water cylinder.
• The ease and effectiveness of retrofit of solar hot water panels will depend on your existing heating system. Many typical boiler systems are compatible with solar hot water panels, although a combi boiler system is not readily compatible.
• If you think you may also get solar PV panels installed at a later date, consider positioning the solar hot water panels to allow the maximum space for solar PV panels to be added later.
• Solar PV panels and solar thermal can be combined into a single product – the even more efficient PV-T.
• Solar hot water panels are relatively low maintenance and may require less regular services than gas boilers. Your installer and manufacturer can advise on the recommended service intervals.

Further considerations for biomass boilers at home:

• New installations of biomass boilers are not recommended, considering all the issues outlined below, some of which are reported in the Guardian.
• Existing biomass heating may justifiably have a low environmental impact if biomass fuel is sustainably sourced from well-managed forests and not linked to deforestation, and in such cases could contribute to completing this Top Action.
• Biomass boilers can provide space heating and domestic hot water using your existing radiators and hot water cylinder. There are also stoves available which provide room heating only.
• Consider how much input is needed to keep the system working e.g. loading fuel to the boiler. Wood pellet systems work relatively automatically, however, log burning systems will need feeding by hand. In either case, fairly regular removal and cleaning of ash will be needed.
• Consider local air quality and your own health – biomass burning produces harmful particulate matter amongst other air pollutants that are detrimental to human health and is particularly not recommended in urban areas. Make sure the system emissions do not leak into the indoor environment.
• Biomass boilers are larger than most other types, and space for deliveries and storage should be considered.
• The availability of local wood log or pellet suppliers should be reviewed. Only sustainably managed timber sources should be used, with appropriate certification such as FSC or PEFC. Unsustainable deforestation is critical to avoid.

Further considerations for homes with district heating:

• If you have the opportunity to take up district heating or move to a property with it, it can be excellent where there is an appropriate low carbon heat source e.g. waste water treatment plant or data centre. However, many schemes are currently based on gas fired heat sources, which are less good and wouldn’t count as low carbon heating, even if the marketing claims it is.
• The district heating supply company cover the maintenance and replacement costs for the heating equipment and communal pipes, and you do not need to worry about your boiler breaking down.
• District heating is effectively a monopoly so consumer protection measures are critical in order to maintain fair prices. If you are considering moving to a home with district heating, closely check the agreement on current and future heat costs and service charges. It can be very cost effective, but not always. Check whether the district heating scheme is registered with the Heat Trust, which upholds standards for consumer protection.

Installing air conditioning causes additional CO₂ emissions, but it may be necessary to maintain a comfortable temperature in summer in some locations. It is best to avoid air conditioning where possible by focusing on passive opportunities.

To avoid excessively heating your home during hot periods:

• Reduce the solar energy coming through your windows:
  • Add solar film to your windows or get solar glazing with a low g-value (<0.5).
  • Install external shading such as shutters or awning where possible to south (in the UK and elsewhere in the northern hemisphere, or north in the southern hemisphere) / east / west glazing.
  • Internal shading such as blinds is less effective but can make a big difference if used appropriately.
• Reduce the heat coming through your structure:
  • Ensure you have a reasonable level of home insulation and double or triple glazing. See the Reduce my home energy use EcoTracker Top Action.
  • By adding a green roof to flat roof areas, you can both reduce heat transmission and benefit wildlife, contributing to the Rewilding EcoTracker Top Action.
  • Painting your walls and roof with reflective white paint can reduce the heat absorbed.
• Add thermal mass to your home where possible, helps to absorb heat during the day, keeping your cool and then releases it later. This would involve a fairly significant retrofit and redecorating, so is worth considering if you are planning to redecorate. You can get internal wall boards which can add thermal mass and a solid floor also adds thermal mass.
• Where you can influence the geometry of your home, consider:
  • Avoiding excessively large window areas, particularly to the west.
  • High ceilings can help heat to rise away from the living space.
  • Having a skylight on the highest storey which can be opened to allow heat to rise and escape from the home, promoting better ventilation.
• Ensure that your home can be securely ventilated during the day or at night, ideally to create a cross flow between windows on opposite sides of the property.
• Make sure that you operate your home to avoid overheating during hot periods:
  • Close your windows and external shutters / blinds when the temperature is hotter outside than inside, to block out sunlight and heat. This may be a behavioural change for some people e.g. in the UK.
  • Open your windows when the temperature is cooler outside than inside (e.g. in the evening and overnight) to purge the heat built up during the day and pre-cool the home.
  • Where possible, avoid or minimise activities that generate a lot of heat such as cooking or strenuous exercise.
• Get ceiling or portable fans to move the air around inside, which can make it feel cooler.
• Consider installing a passive cooling ventilation system such as an underground thermal labyrinth. This will need a reasonably large garden area to dig a trench and install a pipe which will draws in air and cools it as it moves through the cooler earth before entering the home.

When you get a heat pump consider a model that can provide cooling as well (or can easily be retrofitted to do so). This is likely to reduce the environmental cost of manufacture compared to getting two separate units. If you are having a heat pump installed, consider any other future-proofing measures for later installing cooling, such as the cooling emitter that could be used.

If you have to get a separate air conditioning unit, do get the most efficient model that you can and consider models with low Global Warming Potential refrigerants (see above for Heat Pumps).

Energy Saving Trust: https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/energy-at-home/generating-renewable-energy/  and https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/energy-at-home/heating-your-home/ and https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/advice/thermostats-and-heating-controls/

Simple Energy Advice: https://www.simpleenergyadvice.org.uk/

Microgeneration Certification Scheme (UK only): https://mcscertified.com/

Renewable Heat Incentive (UK only): https://www.gov.uk/domestic-renewable-heat-incentive

Vohra et al (2021) (air pollution deaths): https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0013935121000487

The Guardian (air pollution deaths): https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/feb/09/fossil-fuels-pollution-deaths-research

Air Source Heat Pumps:

Energy Saving Trust: https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/low-carbon-heat-pumps-debunking-the-myths/ and https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/setting-the-record-straight-on-heat-pumps/ and https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/how-to-ensure-a-heat-pump-runs-efficiently/

Vaillant Arotherm Air Source Heat Pump soundbox (noise simulation): https://www.vaillant.co.uk/for-installers/products/latest-innovation/arotherm-plus/

Smart Thermostats:

Hive: https://www.hivehome.com/shop/smart-heating/hive-active-heating

Nest: https://www.nest-thermostat.com/

Biomass:

The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/dec/27/wood-burning-stove-environment-home-toxins

District Heating:

Heat Trust (UK only): https://www.heattrust.org/about

See below the Get low renewable electricity Sub-Actions. Click or tap the sections further below to reveal a summary of the benefits of getting renewable electricity, future-gazing to help visualise how this would work for you, a thought-provoking video, a step-by-step guide outlining how to achieve this Top Action, expert tips, and useful links and references.

It is recommended that you pick one or two of the Sub-Actions to progress at a time rather than try and complete them all at once. Visit our Approach page for other tips on how to set yourself up to minimise your environmental impact and get to net zero carbon.

Have you completed this Top Action already? You would need to complete:

• all the Halfway (0.5) Sub-Actions to complete half of the Top Action.
• all the Halfway (0.5) and Full (1.0) Sub-Actions to fully complete the Top Action.

Switching oour energy supplier and getting a green tariff may be the easiest action we can take to reduce our environmental impact and CO₂ emissions– and it can make a big difference.

Many energy suppliers now offer “green tariffs” for electricity and natural gas. Green tariffs match our consumption with certified renewable energy generation or they might contribute towards environmental schemes on our behalf to offset the impact of the energy used. Suppliers should declare which sources are included in the green tariff, and also what proportion of the supply is renewable. The electricity and gas that enters our homes will not change, as this comes directly from the national grid, supplied by the full range of renewable and fossil fuel based energy sources, which is constantly changing to match the national demand and renewable energy generation e.g. how much wind or sun there is. The energy supply to the grid will not change immediately when we sign up for a green tariff, so green tariffs do tend to initially be an accounting exercise i.e. claiming a share of the renewable energy already supplied to the grid, meaning there is less for others to claim. However, in the longer term, the use of green tariffs can promote renewable energy deployment to the grid, which is a big part of why we should switch to green tariffs. It also sends a message to the industry and to Government that we want to use renewable energy.

Despite the large number of people who keep the same energy provider year after year, it is actually really easy to do, especially by using a price comparison website. 

Prior to the 2022 energy crisis (and likely again at some point in the future when the energy market has stabilised), switching our energy provider could help save money at the same time as going green, although green tariffs are not always the cheapest. There may be savings to be found, particularly for those who have not switched for a while. However, in 2022 in the UK, with significant price inflation, it has generally been recommended to stay with existing providers on the standard variable tariff which is limited by the energy price cap.

If and when we can find a financially beneficial green tariff, there are no downsides to switching our energy, which is very easy and can save us money whilst helping to save the planet!

By installing our own renewable electricity generating technology at home, we can ensure that the electricity that we use during times of generation is 100% renewable – as good as it gets. When we are not able to use all of the renewable electricity at the time of generation, the energy not used is exported to the grid for others to use, and we can get paid for the electricity exported.

Solar photovoltaic (PV) panels are relatively simple for professional installers to add to the roof of the majority of houses or blocks of flats, and usually require minimal internal works and disruption. They convert energy from the sun’s rays into electricity, although they do still generate a significant amount of electricity on cloudy days. Once the solar panels have been installed and paid for, when we use the energy from our solar PV panels, this will be free for the lifetime of the installation. The lifetime of solar PV panels is at least 25 years and potentially much longer although components such as the inverter may need replacing earlier. It may take a while for the initial investment to pay back (around 5-15 years), however, electricity prices may increase in future and we may also use more electricity for our heating and vehicles. By investing in solar PV panels, we are less reliant on the electricity grid which is partly served by fossil fuels and we are protecting ourselves from future price rises. We can be confident our bills will be more affordable for the foreseeable future. The use of fossil fuels (e.g. for our home energy use) can, in some cases, help to fund wars and social injustices as well as being an underlying cause of the climate and ecological emergency, and so should be minimised or preferably avoided.

Solar PV panels can be seen as fit and forget:

• we don’t need to make any effort to control them as they simply supply renewable electricity during the day, and we can continue to use your home electricity as before.
• they are very low maintenance, and are self-cleaning when it rains, although they would benefit from a proper clean perhaps once a year or so.

However, to get the most out of solar PV panels it is worth considering whether there are any energy using habits we could conveniently change so that the renewable electricity covers more of our usage (see the Expert Tips below).

Those living in in a rural location and with the opportunity could also consider installing a wind turbine or hydroelectric turbine. This would need a suitable windy space for a wind turbine, or a river for a hydroelectric turbine. Both technologies are excellent either on their own, or complementary to solar PV panels, as they generate more electricity during the winter, when we typically use more electricity but when the least solar electricity can be generated. They also generate electricity during the night.

As some of the renewable energy generated by renewable energy technology is exported to the wider electricity grid, our installations will contribute to the decarbonisation of the grid. Although the grid is decarbonising over time, it is only by adding further renewable energy generating technology that this will happen.

By adding renewable energy generating technology to our homes, their values may increase, as the benefits are becoming more widely recognised by home-owners and industry. We may for instance be able to get a larger mortgage for a home with energy measures such as renewable energy generating technology installed.

Try and imagine how your life will be and how you will feel when you complete this EcoTracker Top Action. This may feel like a big change or a small change, but really focus on how the benefits of the change could impact and improve your life and the lives of others.

For instance try and imagine how you will feel about:

• your reduced environmental impact which will help avoid the worst effects of climate change and ecological breakdown within your lifetime, helping to ensure you and others can live a long and full life.
• improved long term prospects for your children and future generations, who will have a much greater opportunity to avoid climate change and ecological breakdown during their lives. They will be much safer than in the alternative future of extreme climate change and ecological breakdown and many lives will be saved. Will you be able to look your child in the eye in years to come and say that you have done everything you can to protect their future?
• improved opportunities and social justice (climate justice) for those around the world who are currently struggling with the early impacts of climate change and ecological breakdown, with many lives and livelihoods saved.
• maintaining your lifestyle whilst reducing your environmental impact.
• saving money.
• supporting and generating clean renewable electricity.
• improve your energy security and reduce your reliance on the wider electricity grid, and protecting yourself from future price rises.
• contribute to the decarbonisation of the wider electricity grid.
• sending a message to the industry and Government that you want to use renewable energy.
• some of the above may be really life-changing for you and your overall standard of living.

An effective way of developing a commitment and ongoing motivation to progressing this EcoTracker Top Action is to work out which of the themes above generate the most powerful emotional responses for you personally. Then try to capture this in some way and store it for when you might need motivation later.

You might be able to create a strong image in your memory, or a link to existing memories. You might want to write down how you feel say on a post-it note or in a diary as a reminder; perhaps somewhere that you will regularly see the message or somewhere you can come back to when you want to. You might even want to share this on your ‘progress thread’ on social media. If you are feeling creative, perhaps even draw an image to represent your future. Also, consider whether you might already have an object which could trigger your motivation e.g. a picture of your children.

These steps are generic because this is your unique personal journey and you will need to explore the details for yourself, using this process and the Expert Tips below as a guide and support.

The time required to complete steps may vary quite a lot depending on your resources or skill level, or whether or not you do the work yourself or pay a professional to do it. It is recommended that you pick one or two of the Sub-Actions to progress at a time rather than try and do them all at once, and so you may go through steps multiple times for the different Sub-Actions before you have completed the Top Action.

1. Build motivation from within to complete this EcoTracker Top Action, assisted by reading the Benefits and Future-gazing to imagine how your life will improve (10 minutes)
2. Make a personal commitment and share this to social media (5 minutes)
3. Book a time in your diary for progressing your EcoTracker actions – you may wish to set up a regular slot for taking actions (5 minutes)
4. Research – read the guidance on this EcoTracker Top Action page such as the Expert Tips and you may wish to visit your community for support (30 minutes +)
5. Discuss with others in your household and agree broadly what you will do (15-30 minutes)
6. Get the resources lined up e.g. find what you need online, locate or borrow/rent/buy the materials and tools (2-3 hours)
7. Make a final decision on exactly what you will do and book in a date (15 minutes)
8. Complete all Sub-Actions to enable you to complete the Full Top Action (5 + hours)
9. Visit our Tracker page, and share your progress to social media (5 minutes). You may want to share your progress as you go through the steps for each Sub-Action.
10. Once you’ve mastered this Top Action, why not also help others in the community complete their’s, with tips and support (1 minute, periodically)

In the UK, Ofgem outline the process for switching your energy supplier, and suggest using a price comparison website and having your postcode, the name of your current supplier and tariff to hand (which you can find in a recent bill). Citizens Advice Bureau outline other considerations for switching. The best time to change your energy tariff is typically any time you don’t have to pay exit fees from your contract. However, in 2022 in the UK, with significant price inflation, it has generally been recommended to stay with existing providers on the standard variable tariff which is limited by the energy price cap.

Uswitch, one of the many price comparison websites, have provided a video to show how easy switching is, and they suggest it takes about 10 minutes.

Even if you don’t want to switch your energy supplier, your current supplier may offer a green tariff for you to move to.

Do beware that some green tariffs are much better than others. There are energy suppliers that own and operate their own renewable energy sources or buy the energy for their green tariffs from others as it is generated through Power Purchase Agreements. Such green tariffs ensure that the energy supplied is backed up by renewable energy at the time of use. However, the renewable energy supply is not always well matched with the demand, for instance, outside peak hours on a sunny and windy day there may be more renewable energy generated than can be used. When renewable energy is generated, a Renewable Energy Guarantees Origin (REGO) certificate is issued. REGO certificates can be sold separately to the energy itself so many suppliers simply buy up excess REGO certificates and then use these to claim the renewable energy generation as part of their green tariffs – even though they will not always be supplying sufficient renewable energy when you are using it.

It is relatively challenging at present to produce large volumes of renewable gas (e.g. biogas) and therefore there is much less renewable gas available than renewable electricity; typically this is produced via anaerobic digestion e.g. from food waste. As a result, carbon offset gas tariffs are much more common than renewable gas tariffs; the energy supplier pays to plant trees (or undertake other carbon reduction measures) to offset the emissions from your gas.

When a customer switches to a renewable energy tariff, in the ideal world this would switch on more renewable energy generation capacity. In practice, very few of the suppliers actually build more renewable energy generation with their profits (which should improve when customers switch to them). However, there are some that make a big difference including pioneering companies who have been doing this for years.

Comparison websites tend to allow you to filter for green tariffs, many of which are very competitively priced.

Energy Saving Trust  identified the following UK suppliers who all clearly list the renewable sources of their energy on their websites, back in February 2020, and they suggest that these tariffs are as green as they get. They note that other suppliers may meet the same standard but couldn’t be identified during the investigation.

• Green Energy UK – the UK’s only supplier of 100% green gas and electricity – potentially the greenest of the green tariffs.
• Ecotricity – also supports rewilding through a partnership with RSPB – their tariffs are well worth considering for those who want to also support nature and help address the biodiversity crisis.
• Good Energy – also offers a specialist tariff for those with Air Source Heat Pumps (see below).

Getting a green tariff is not a substitute for installing renewable energy technology, but rather a complementary measure. It is worth doing even if you have a renewable energy supply as you will still be importing from the grid when the renewable source is not generating. If you have solar panels, consider an energy provider which offers the Smart Export Guarantee and get paid for the energy you export to the grid when you can’t use it. Solar Energy UK provide a table of suppliers who offer this. If you have a heat pump (see the Get low carbon heating Top Action) some specialist tariffs are emerging that are targeted at supporting the cost effective running of this technology.

Looking to the future and for those who already have battery storage, it is certainly worth considering a flexible “time-of-use” tariff for which the cost of energy varies through the day depending on demand. This incentivises people to charge their batteries when there is excess renewable energy on the grid and then feed surplus stored energy into the grid during peak times such as early evening. If you use a flexible tariff effectively, you can reduce your bills whilst also supporting the decarbonisation of the wider energy grid. Providers such as Octopus Energy offer flexible tariffs and there are expected to be many more providers in future. Watch this space.

This section covers the installation of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, wind turbines and hydroelectric turbines. Please note that installing a heat pump, solar hot water panels or a biomass boiler is part of the Get low carbon heating EcoTracker Top Action.

Solar PV panels can be retro-fitted to the roofs of the majority of houses and blocks of flats, without needing planning permission, although if your home has heritage value (e.g. is a listed building) you may need to obtain consent (which is not guaranteed) and to minimise the aesthetic impact. In the UK solar PV panels work best with south facing roofs sloping at around 30°, but also work well for flat roofs, east or west facing roofs or even south facing walls. If you are renting your property, encourage your landlord to consider installing solar PV panels. If you’re living in a flat, you might consider grouping together with other residents to encourage your freeholder to install solar PV panels and/or provide funding towards the array.

It is advisable to have a smart meter installed before getting solar PV panels, as this is required in the UK in order to get paid for electricity generated that you don’t use and which is exported to the grid. Contact your energy supplier and ask to have one installed.

Start by finding some reputable installers and doing some research. In the UK look for Trustmark and Microgeneration Certification Scheme certified installers via Simple Energy Advice and read the guidance from the Energy Saving Trust to inform yourself with further details. Also find out if you have a Solar Streets scheme in your area, which organises bulk purchase and installation of a standard solar PV system for a discounted price.

You’ll need to ensure that you have sufficient money available to invest in the solar PV panels. Energy Saving Trust suggests that the average domestic solar PV system in the UK is 3.5kWp and costs around £4,800 (at 2021 prices). If you don’t currently have the money available consider whether you could get cheap finance, e.g. by remortgaging your home. If so, do make sure the electricity bill savings from getting the solar PV panels installed would cover the ongoing cost of repaying your loan, or where relevant you might decide you are happy with the idea of paying a bit more for renewable electricity. Alternatively, if you’re struggling to find the money, you could focus on other EcoTracker Top Actions which save money and make savings over some years until you can afford to get solar PV installed – you can find these on the Actions page by filtering the Top Actions accordingly.

Decide which type of PV system you would ideally like before discussing this with installers, or ask for their suggestions:

• Consider roughly how many solar PV panels you might be able to fit on your sun-facing roof(s) (south / east / west facing / flat roof(s) in the UK and elsewhere in the northern hemisphere, or north / east / west facing / flat roof(s) in the southern hemisphere, or east / west facing / flat roof(s) near the equator). Each typical panel is around 1.6m x 1m and you are likely to need to allow for some space around the edge for access (around half a metre). Your installer will be able to advise on this.
• If you use a lot of electricity, and can accommodate a large array, bigger may be better. The central equipment and installation costs are a fairly significant part of the total, with the price of the panels themselves having come down a lot in recent years, so getting a larger array may be provide relatively more value than a smaller array. A larger array will help you generate more electricity during the winter, when you need it most, although it will rarely be able to cover your larger energy uses during the winter period.
• Also consider your future needs, such as whether you might use more electricity in future, which many of us might do if we get electric-based heating such as a heat pump (see the Get low carbon heating Top Action) or an electric vehicle (see the Low impact driving Top Action) in future, or for instance, if you think your family might grow.
• The largest standard size of a PV array in the UK is 4kWp (typically 12-16 panels), and this is automatically accepted by the UK electricity distribution network operator, using a G98 application. Larger arrays need assessment and approval via a G99 application, which is often accepted but may take time. Your installer will arrange this, but going for an array larger than 4kWp may delay the process.
• Also consider whether you prefer polycrystalline or monocrystalline panels. Polycrystalline panels are typically tinted blue and monocrystalline panels are black. Monocrystalline panels are more efficient but also more expensive; they may be the best option if you have a small roof area or want to make the most of the area you have. Roof integrated PV (e.g. solar tiles) or thin film PV are also options for various situations – such as for heritage buildings, for which aesthetics are critical – but these options are typically much more expensive than monocrystalline panels.
• Also consider the inverter – a key part of the installation that affects the performance of the panels. This converts the solar energy so that it can be used in the home. The majority of inverters take energy from the PV using a “string system”, in which the electricity generated by the whole array of panels is limited to the level of the panel generating the least; therefore, if one panel is shaded, this would limit the performance of the rest of the panels. Alternatively there are systems available with a different set-up that can utilise all the electricity generated by every panel, using micro-inverters or power optimisers. Solar Edge is the best known system of this type, and is excellent where your roof is partly shaded or where you want to install panels on multiple roofs or if you simply want to maximise the electricity generated by the system. The Solar Edge inverters also have a longer lifetime than typical inverters, and come with a monitoring package. They are a premium product and so typically come at an additional cost.
• To make the most of your PV, do consider the following extra options:
  • Get a PV diverter fitted to heat your hot water tank whenever you have surplus solar electricity generation. This is a good option to go for if you are struggling with the Get low carbon heating Top Action.
• • Get an electric battery, to allow you to store the renewable electricity generated for use later e.g. in the evening. Do be aware that batteries typically have a significant environmental cost of manufacture at present (as reported here by the Guardian), but prices have come down a lot recently and the increasing availability of time-of-use energy tariffs makes these potentially financially attractive. There is expected to be much innovation with batteries in coming years, and you can easily get a battery added later.  
  • Get an electric vehicle charging point added if you are considering getting an electric vehicle (see the Low impact driving Top Action).
• Consider bird proofing your panels. Birds, usually feral pidgeons, are increasingly discovering that solar PV panels offer an attractive covered nesting spot. Whilst Rewilding is an EcoTracker Top Action, nesting birds can cause long term problems to solar PV installations and at the very least they will create mess which will reduce the efficiency of the panels. Either get bird proofing when the birds start moving in, or pre-empt them to secure your panels and your investment.

Contact a number of installers, discuss your requirements and get quotes from the installers. They may need to visit your home to assess what is required. Then decide what is right for you.

When your solar PV panels are installed, sit back and relax, and enjoy your reduced bills!

Do be aware that generation is intermittent, so if you want to get the most out of the renewable electricity generated by your solar PV panels you could try changing your behaviour, although this is certainly optional:

• Make use of the renewable electricity at the time e.g. during the day. For instance, you could choose to cook and run your dishwasher during the day if you are at home.
• Spread your electrical use through the day where possible rather than putting all of your equipment on at the same time, which would be less likely to be covered by the renewable electricity.
• Solar PV panels can’t always cover larger electrical loads, but generation is typically highest during the middle of the day and also when it is sunny. You may want to schedule your electricity use around this.
• If you have electric-based hot water system, such as an immersion heater or heat pump, you can schedule this to run during the middle of the day.
• If you work from home on your own, consider getting a small electric desk or room heater for the area you work in; this could be significantly covered by the renewable electricity even during the middle of winter, and this avoids you needing to switch on your main heating system through the day.
• When you are replacing home electrical equipment or lighting that uses a lot of energy, do consider getting the more energy efficient options available (see the Reduce my home energy use Top Action); if you do so the electricity generated by your solar PV panels will be able to cover more of the electricity used.
• Use your smart meter or solar monitoring if you have it to identify which of your home electrical equipment uses more energy, and then try to use this equipment when you have renewable energy.  

It is very unlikely you will be able to get an array big enough to generate all your electricity needs all year round as there is much less solar energy available in winter, and you would need sufficient battery storage to cover the night time period.

Wind turbines do not function very well in urban or suburban areas as neighbouring buildings block the flow of wind, and planning regulations and negative opinions by neighbours are likely to make them challenging to install. However, innovative options may develop in coming years so do look out for developments. If you have a suitable space for a wind turbine, as for solar PV panels, find Microgeneration Certification Scheme certified installers, discuss your situation with them and get some quotes. Planning permission is required for wind turbines and should be sought, but your installer can tell your more about this.

Hydroelectric turbines are an option for very few people, but if you have a suitable river, do get in touch with relevant companies to explore this opportunity.

As for solar PV panels, application to the electrical distribution network operator is required for wind or hydroelectric turbines. If you proceed with these options it is essential that you choose to consider the impact on wildlife and mitigate this as far as possible and even try to make compensatory improvements. Similar principles also apply as for solar PV panels when seeking to get the most out of your wind or hydroelectric turbines, although the timings of generation will vary significantly and so your try to best match your energy usage to this.

To improve your financial payback, with all of these options make sure you are with an energy supplier that offers payment for excess electricity generated that is exported to the grid: an “export tariff”. Follow the process in the “Expert tips – switching your energy supplier” section, to ensure you can utilise the Smart Export Guarantee. Solar Energy UK provide a table of supplier that offer export tariffs.

It is important to consider the environmental cost of manufacture of products, including renewable energy generating technology. Typically, this impact will be “paid back” many times over the years of usage through the avoidance of the use of fossil fuels which are much more damaging to the environment.

Home renewable energy:

Energy Saving Trust: https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/energy-at-home/generating-renewable-energy/

Simple Energy Advice: https://www.simpleenergyadvice.org.uk/

Microgeneration Certification Scheme: https://mcscertified.com/

Solar Streets: https://solarstreets.co.uk/

Solar Energy UK: https://solarenergyuk.org/resource/smart-export-guarantee/

Solar Edge: https://www.solaredge.com/uk/homeowner-new

Guardian (reporting on electric battery environmental impact): https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/jun/14/electric-cost-lithium-mining-decarbonasation-salt-flats-chile

Switching your energy provider:

Energy Saving Trust: https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/advice/switching-your-energy-supplier/

Ofgem (includes a list of comparison sites to choose from): https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/information-consumers/energy-advice-households/switching-energy-tariff-or-supplier

Citizens Advice Bureau: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/energy/energy-supply/get-a-better-energy-deal/switching-energy-supplier/

Money Saving Expert: https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/cheap-green-energy/

Uswitch video which shows just how easy switching your energy is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdPZycQN_SI

Energy suppliers highly rated by Energy saving trust (see link above):

Green Energy UK (the UK’s only supplier of 100% green gas and electricity – potentially the greenest of the green tariffs): https://www.greenenergyuk.com/OurEnergy

Ecotricity (also supports rewilding through a partnership with RSPB – their tariffs are well worth considering for those who want to also support nature and help address the biodiversity crisis):  https://www.ecotricity.co.uk/our-green-energy/green-electricity

Good Energy (also offers a specialist tariff for those with Air Source Heat Pumps): https://www.goodenergy.co.uk/our-energy/