A frugal life is an easy life!

Zac Goldsmith MP and Greg Barker MP, the current energy and climate change minister for government has, while promoting the government "green deal" program, let the cat out of the bag as regards the actual bill savings per customer, for changing their boiler from a G rated boiler to an A rated "energy efficient" boiler.

Our household believed the hype and promotion from the Energy Saving Trust, which said years ago and continues to say today, that replacing our G rated boiler (62% efficiency) with an A rated boiler (94% efficiency) would save us £300 (now they say £310) pounds per year on our fuel bills.

Their twitter post (Zac Goldsmith's twitter post) included a graphic, showing average actual bill savings per year from 2007, based upon 30% less energy consumption from energy efficiency measures being fitted.

In our home we replaced a G rated boiler (62% efficiency) with an A rated boiler (94% efficiency)
We fitted a log burner which replaces the central heating being used.
We fitted an extra layer of loft insulation.
We fitted full double glazing throughout the house including doors.
We fitted an extra layer of rendering outside.
We fitted more cavity wall insulation.
We bought A++ rated appliances, fridge, freezer and washing machine.

We also had one less adult in the home, less use of hot water, heating, etc.

According to our two energy provider's "energy saving departments" we had installed far more energy efficiency measures than the average household, indeed they both went further, stating that we had exceeded measures that energy companies would recommend.

Well in excess of the 30% fuel efficiency savings quoted in the official figures for the green deal.
In reality, our bills have fallen not one jot.
In terms of metered units used, we actually use more now than we did before the almost £7000 worth of energy efficiency measures were fitted.

I've had endless frugal ways comments and emails via the website, stating something must be wrong for this to be the case.
I've been told I don't understand energy bills, how they work and are calculated, it's been suggested that we use more now because we leave jumpers off and have the heating on longer (even though it's clear we do not, we even have an alternative source of heating instead of using central heating, but some people simply don't listen!)

The Energy Saving Trust publish estimated figures based on criteria that our home matches, it has even been suggested that the Energy Saving Trust's figures are based on different criteria from the criteria they published and claim is the basis of their own figures! When I asked where this magical new criteria was for the public to view, the person posting did not reply.

Our energy companies have insisted that we should wait until the following year and "it will even itself out" - which it hasn't!
Our energy companies even stopped publishing metered units used on it's statements!

I've asked questions on twitter of the Energy Saving Trust, Greg Barker MP, Caroline Flint MP, EnergyUK and independant twitter accounts, not one person has answered.
I've been met with a wall of silence.

Now with the graphic published above, the truth has finally come out and shown that all the energy efficiency hype they spouted then and continue to spout today is a con trick to increase business within the industry.

According to the "Green deal" actual bill saving figures, savings figures claimed by the Energy Saving Trust and successive government's schemes have been way off!

Official figures show:
2007 - Fitted energy efficient measures reducing consumption by 30%
2008 - Actual bill saving was just £28 (EST claim £300 per year for new boiler alone!)
2009 - Actual bill saving was just £50 (EST claim £300 per year)
2010 - Actual bill saving was just £46 (EST claim £300 per year)
2011 - Actual bill saving was just £64 (EST claim £300 per year)
2012 - Actual bill saving was just £86 (EST claim £310 per year)

Energy Saving Trust total for boiler change - £1510 in "estimated" bill savings.
Actual total for 30% reduction in energy consumption over the same period - was just £274.

When a new boiler costs £2300 (on average) and has a life of 12 years, the figures look even worse.
According to the Energy Saving Trust's figures, a new boiler would take 7.6 years to pay for itself (£2300 fitting cost divided by £300 bill saving per year)
According to figures released by MPs and the Green deal company, based on actual savings, if the highest yearly bill saving so far was typical every year, a new boiler would take over 26 years to pay for itself (£2300 fitting cost divided by £86 actual bill saving per year).

Factor in double glazing, extra render, more insulation (both loft and wall) and a non gas heating system, this shows what a marketing con trick this all is.
This explains why Zac Goldsmith MP, Greg Barker MP (minister for energy), the Energy Saving trust and several independant twitter users, have absolutely nothing to say when questioned on the figures.

They all claimed I was wrong and "misunderstood" how it all worked, it would appear I was right all along when I said the estimated savings figures published by successive governments and the Energy Saving Trust were (and still are to this day) completely misleading and inaccurate!

Fact: Energy efficiency estimated bill saving figures are wrong/misleading and by a long way!