logo
Hundreds of Bristol homes to get energy saving upgrades

Hundreds of Bristol homes to get energy saving upgrades

BBC News15-04-2025

Hundreds of low-income households are to get thousands of pounds in a bid to make them warmer and cheaper to heat.Bristol City Council has secured £13.5m of government funds to spend on about 300 to 350 homes which have poor energy efficiency ratingsThe grants can be spent on measures like solar panels, heat pumps, new double glazing and better insulation to reduce energy bills.Green Councillor Martin Fodor, said: "It's just disappointing that we didn't get as much as we were actually encouraged to bid for."
One out of seven Bristol households can not afford to keep their homes properly heated, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.The council applied for £51m of funding from the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero, but was only given a quarter of that.Around £20,000 will be spent on each property, which must have an Energy Performance Certificate within bands D to G.Money will also go towards retrofitting homes in North Somerset and Bath and North East Somerset.
Demand for grants is expected to exceed the cash available but the council has not decided on the selection criteria yet.Mr Fodor, chair of the Environment and Sustainability Committee, said it was "really important to tackle fuel poverty" and help people save energy."We have an excellent track record in Bristol and the work of City Leap to upgrade homes is important," he said."It's just disappointing that we didn't get as much as we were actually encouraged to bid for."The works will be carried out by Bristol City Leap, a partnership between the council and American firm Ameresco,

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

The world's biggest food company plans to beef up in America
The world's biggest food company plans to beef up in America

Economist

time2 hours ago

  • Economist

The world's biggest food company plans to beef up in America

Consumers outside Brazil may not be familiar with JBS, even though many will have tasted its products. But as the meat-packing colossus prepared to list on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on June 13th, its American competitors were quivering in their cowboy boots. The listing is designed to allow JBS, already the world's biggest food company by revenue, to gobble up even more market share by tapping cheaper capital and attracting new investors. Yet it could also leave the firm vulnerable to litigation from its broad range of enemies, who include environmentalists as well as an unusual coalition of Republicans and Democrats.

US trade war enters precarious slow grind: Taosha Wang
US trade war enters precarious slow grind: Taosha Wang

Reuters

time3 hours ago

  • Reuters

US trade war enters precarious slow grind: Taosha Wang

June 12 (Reuters) - U.S. trade negotiations have transitioned from their opening act, with its many twists and turns, into a new, protracted chapter: the Slow Grind. It may be less turbulent than this past spring's drama, but no less worrying for investors. Now that the U.S. and China have the framework for a trade agreement, attention may start to turn to the European Union, which appears next in line to strike a deal with the Trump administration. But the prospect of a swift resolution seems remote. Finding significant common ground to meaningfully reduce the EU's substantial goods surplus with the U.S., roughly $200 billion annually, presents a formidable challenge, as major avenues appear blocked. First, the EU is highly unlikely to concede on agricultural market access given the region's strong and comprehensive policy for protecting local agriculture. Large-scale aircraft deals also seem improbable given the Airbus-Boeing rivalry. The contentious issue of pharmaceutical pricing will complicate any healthcare deals. And American automakers will likely struggle to make much of a dent in the EU market given entrenched European consumer preferences and regulatory hurdles. While Europe could theoretically increase purchases of U.S. defense equipment or relax "Buy European" policies in defense procurement, the political palatability of such moves is low. Consequently, the focus may inevitably shift towards the services sector, where the EU runs an approximately $100 billion annual deficit with the U.S., driven largely by the operations of American technology giants. Here, a potential landing zone exists: the EU could conceivably ease some of its more burdensome technology regulations with limited immediate downside, offering a tangible, albeit partial, lever to address the overall trade imbalance. In fact, Section 899 in the Trump administration's proposed "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" – which threatens to increase taxes on entities from countries with "unfair foreign taxes" – appears to be aimed directly at digital taxes levied by EU countries on U.S. technology companies. This suggests that this area could be a focal point in U.S.-EU negotiations. U.S. negotiations with the EU are also occurring against a markedly different backdrop than the one that prevailed in May during the earlier round of trade talks with China. Back then, the United States was just emerging from a significant bout of financial market volatility and facing the risk of "empty shelves" if onerous tariffs on China remained in place, so both investors and business leaders were demanding urgent action. The U.S. administration is now operating under fewer acute time constraints. Importantly, EU exports to the United States are predominantly industrial and luxury goods, not the daily consumables that directly impact the average American's pocketbook. Adding to this calmer backdrop, capital markets have shown signs of adapting to the current administration's seemingly unpredictable trade tactics. The S&P 500 index (.SPX), opens new tab has rebounded 20% since its post-Liberation Day low and is only around 2% below its all-time high. One major risk, however, is that the U.S. starts taking a harder line with Europe for fear of looking weak. Central to the U.S. negotiation strategy is the perceived credibility of threats. Given the Trump administration's emphasis on the president's deal-making prowess, the U.S. fundamentally cannot afford to be seen as backing down consistently, a scenario some critics have labelled "Trump Always Chickens Out" (TACO). Being perceived as unreliable with ultimatums would critically undermine the administration's negotiating power, not just with the EU, but globally. This need to maintain a credible hard line could add friction to the process, making concessions harder to make and progress slower to achieve. Looking forward, this elevated – and likely protracted – uncertainty in trade negotiations is liable to act as a cap on near-term equity market upside on both sides of the Atlantic, particularly heading into the seasonally weaker summer period. On the currency front, the euro may continue to appreciate against the dollar – ending a more than decade-long trend of U.S. dollar strength – if wary European investors bring more capital back home. This could give the European Central Bank greater leeway to implement interest rate cuts, with less immediate concern about imported inflation. However, such euro strength has historically been negatively correlated with the performance of risk assets more broadly, adding another layer of complexity to the investment landscape. Further complicating the picture is the risk that the tentative deal just reached with China could unravel, reflecting the ongoing tug-of-war within the U.S. administration between China hawks and pragmatists. The frenetic pace of the trade war's opening chapter has given way to a more arduous phase. This "Slow Grind" promises to generate more uncertainty, testing the patience of markets and policymakers alike, with progress likely measured in inches rather than miles. (The opinions expressed here are those of Taosha Wang, a portfolio manager and creator of the "Thematically Thinking" newsletter at Fidelity International.) Enjoying this column? Check out Reuters Open Interest (ROI), opens new tab, your essential new source for global financial commentary. ROI delivers thought-provoking, data-driven analysis of everything from swap rates to soybeans. Markets are moving faster than ever. ROI, opens new tab can help you keep up. Follow ROI on LinkedIn, opens new tab and X., opens new tab

JP Morgan maintains 2025 forecast for oil prices in low-to-mid $60s
JP Morgan maintains 2025 forecast for oil prices in low-to-mid $60s

Reuters

time3 hours ago

  • Reuters

JP Morgan maintains 2025 forecast for oil prices in low-to-mid $60s

June 12 (Reuters) - JP Morgan downplayed geopolitical concerns on Thursday and maintained its base case forecast for oil prices to stay in the low-to-mid $60s through 2025 and $60 in 2026, but said certain worst-case scenarios could send prices surging to double those levels. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday the United States was moving personnel out of the Middle East because it "could be a dangerous place". He also said the U.S. would not allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon. Iran has said its nuclear activity is peaceful. Increased tension with Iran has raised the prospect of disruption to oil supplies, with both sides set to meet on Sunday. The geopolitical risk premium is already at least partially reflected in current oil prices, which are just under $70, trading about $4 higher than their estimated fair value of $66 for June, JP Morgan said in a Thursday note. However, the analysts drew attention to certain worst-case scenarios, where the impact on supply could potentially extend beyond a 2.1 million barrels per day reduction in Iranian oil exports. Attention is focused on the risk that a broader Middle East conflict could close the Strait of Hormuz, or provoke retaliatory responses from major oil producing countries in the region. "Under this severe outcome, we estimate oil prices could surge to the $120-130/bbl range," they said. Brent crude futures were trading near $68.76 per barrel on Thursday, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures were at $67.14 per barrel. If nuclear negotiations fail and conflict arises with the United States, Iran will strike American bases in the region, Iranian Defence Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh said on Wednesday, days ahead of a planned sixth round of Iran-U.S. nuclear talks. The U.N. nuclear watchdog's board of governors declared Iran in breach of its non-proliferation obligations on Thursday and Tehran announced counter-measures, as tensions rose in the Middle East.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store