The consultation, which was launched as part of Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change Chris Huhne鈥檚 Annual Energy Statement to Parliament on 23 November, outlines the benefits of the Green Deal including聽 the聽 ability聽 for聽 British聽 homes聽 and聽 businesses聽 to聽 install聽 energy efficiency improvements, such as external wall insulation (EWI), at no upfront cost with repayments made over time from savings on energy bills,聽 and聽 the聽 new聽 ECO聽 which聽 will聽 require聽 energy聽 companies聽 to聽 provide聽 拢1.3聽 billion聽 a聽 year聽 to聽 enable聽 all consumers to benefit from the Green Deal regardless of their income or the type of house they live in.聽聽
The Government has announced that there will be 拢200 million of funding to provide an 鈥榠ntroductory鈥� offer to聽 consumers,聽 which聽 should聽 ensure聽 that聽 the聽 Green聽 Deal聽 hits聽 the聽 ground聽 running聽 in聽 October聽 2012聽 with incentives for the early adoption of Green Deal finance 辫补肠办补驳别蝉.听听
The Green Deal is expected to kick start around 拢14 billion of private sector investment over the next ten years and support at least 65,000 insulation and construction jobs by 2015, providing a significant boost to the industry.聽 The Government will support 1,000 鈥榞reen apprenticeships鈥� to develop the skilled workforce that聽 will聽 deliver聽 the聽 Green聽 Deal,聽 and聽 the聽 INCA聽 Specialist聽 Apprenticeship聽 Programme聽 (SAP)聽 in聽 External Wall Insulation will play a central role in increasing the size and skill base of the EWI workforce.聽聽
INCA Chairman David Harrison welcomed the Government鈥檚 commitment to the Green Deal:聽聽鈥淭he efforts by the Government to encourage market take up of the Green Deal will give the industry the confidence聽 to聽 invest聽 in聽 preparing聽 for聽 a聽 surge聽 in聽 demand聽 for聽 EWI.聽聽聽 The聽 Green聽 Deal聽 and聽 ECO聽 offer聽 huge business opportunities for our sector and we hope that the consultation will provide the clarity of policy that we are looking for.聽 INCA provides competent and reputable Specialist Contractors delivering EWI projects to the highest quality standards and we will continue to work closely with the Government to ensure that our members are at the forefront of the Green Deal.鈥澛�
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