Ceredigion’s award-winning Cozy Caron scheme returns to tackle fuel poverty

Ceredigion County Council has recently won a second award for tackling fuel poverty in Ceredigion and it has also launched a new project to assist 120 residents

Working in partnership with Welsh firm, City Energy, Ceredigion County Council delivered significant benefits to 137 vulnerable residents in the area through the Cozy Caron scheme which installed energy-efficient measures in homes last year.

The success of the scheme has been recognised by the GO Excellence in Public Procurement Awards Wales and the Regional Energy Efficiency Awards where both organisations were jointly awarded ‘Best Contract Delivery’ and ‘Large Scale Project’.

As a result of the success of the first phase, the Council secured additional funding to deliver a further 120 energy-efficient heating measures. Ceredigion County Council also scooped the award for the ‘Council/Local Authority’ with the most dedication towards energy efficiency with their residents in the forefront.

Councillor Alun Williams, Ceredigion County Council Cabinet Member and Champion for Sustainability, said: “I would like to congratulate the Housing team for their hard work and success with the Cozy Caron Scheme. With 137 residents already benefitting from warmer and comfortable homes, fuel costs have been reduced to households in fuel poverty or on low income and vulnerable to the effects of cold. The second phase of the scheme will again target areas and rural communities where the gas network does not reach – families in these areas rely on more expensive types of fuel, e.g. solid fuel and electrical systems to heat their homes. As well as helping those householders in fuel poverty, this excellent scheme will also further reduce Ceredigion’s decreasing carbon footprint, making it a double win.”

Neil Llewellyn, Customer & Community Director at City Energy said: “The first project was incredibly successful and I’m very proud of what City Energy and Ceredigion County Council have achieved to help reduce fuel poverty in Wales. I am delighted that the project has won two awards and that we are able to help another 120 residents in Ceredigion.”

The scheme is funded by National Grid’s £150m Warm Homes Fund and is open to applications from local residents. Over 82% of Ceredigion’s households are located off the main gas network, meaning the residents have to rely on more expensive non-regulated fuels. This has contributed to the number of households currently deemed as being in ‘fuel poverty’ within the county. With funding secured for phase 2 of the project, the Council will be able to install a further 120 first-time central heating systems into energy inefficient properties in the county; these will be air source heat pumps and LPG gas systems.

Further information on how to apply for the project can be found on the Council’s website. Ceredigion residents can still receive support and advice on how to make their homes more energy efficient by visiting the ‘Energy Efficiency Schemes’ section on the council’s website.

Jeremy Nesbitt, Managing Director of Affordable Warmth Solutions who administer the fund on behalf of National Grid said: “We are excited about this investment from National Grid and are delighted that the scheme has been recognised with this award. Solving the issues associated with Fuel Poverty continues to challenge many of our stakeholders and the feedback we’ve already received provides evidence of how the Warm Homes Fund will make a positive difference to thousands of homes throughout Great Britain.”

The Warm Homes Project (Cozy Caron) on behalf of City Energy has also been shortlisted in the Residential Energy Project of the Year category of the Energy Awards 2021 which will take place in September 2021.

The project runs from September 2021 to January 2022 – to apply for the scheme, please contact us at housing@ceredigion.gov.uk