Using satellites to tackle fuel poverty

Eleanor at Bulb

Eon and the European Space Agency are working together to develop satellites that will help identify those most at risk from fuel poverty.

The satellites will use thermal imaging to find out which areas in the UK have the least efficient homes. They'll layer this information on top of sources that already exist, including data from the Department of Work and Pensions, to accurately identify which areas will benefit from energy efficiency funding the most.

The Business Secretary Greg Clark said: “This government-backed technology could boldly go where no technician in a van has gone before, with the potential to pinpoint households in fuel poverty or those at risk.

This is our modern Industrial Strategy in motion, with our world-leading space sector showing how innovation can deliver practical solutions to real-life issues."

You can read more about it here.

Pretty nifty, right?

petelewisr

so more wasted effort by Eon...where are they starting their survey: the slums of London and Manchester? They would be better advised to invest in fracking and gas generated electricity to keep gas and electricity prices low!

Allanr

petelewisr

Based on your recent postings I guess you are going to start popping up on this forum on a regular basis extolling the virtues of fracking and gas generated electricity, despite Bulb pushing to be a green energy supplier along with other suppliers of the same ilk?

I feel it is very negative of you to decry the intended efforts of EON in trying to identify those most at risk from fuel poverty especially if this assists the government in targetting energy grants to those in need. Not everyone has a choice of where they are housed so I think it is discourteous to mention slums of London and Manchester.

petelewisr

Not discourteous but realist....what will eon do with the info? Contact the owners of poorly insulated properties and offer help in improving it? And I do wonder where they will start....leafy suburbs or inner city flats? And are they not in danger of breaching privacy rules? This is a big brother project, costing a lot and getting nowhere.

Allanr

I think the original article explained the reason behind the initiative, I fail to see it is big brother is watching. Another useful article https://www.theengineer.co.uk/fuel-poverty-satellite-imagery/

petelewisr

I am not convinced this project will help anyone at all. The article is very short on detail, such as how it will operate with energy users....is the government or local authorities going to help? Or will Eon talk to users or even use the data to target users to sell their (expensive) energy? Are we so gullible that we will be exploited yet again by the energy companies, in the guise of a Robin Hood project organized by the EU (which we are about to leave)? There are no examples or actual data and its analysis either...

yyt

I think I'll disagree with @petelewisr on most things, but not this one. I can't see this being anything other than a complete waste of a considerable amount of money that could have been better spent elsewhere (though definitely not on the suggestions above!).