no vat on energy efficient products - petition

[Shirley]

http://www.maplin.co.uk/solarweek/petition.aspx

With global warming becoming an increasing problem and a major concern for governments across the world, it’s time that action is taken.

Currently, VAT is charged on energy efficient products sold in the UK, raising prices and putting consumers off doing their little bit to help the environment.

If VAT was removed from all energy efficient products, prices would fall and more people could afford to buy them – in turn, helping to reduce the UK’s carbon footprint.

Together we can make a difference, so if you believe VAT should be removed from all energy efficient products sold in the UK please make your view known and sign up to our petition:

Note: You must be a British citizen or resident to sign this petition

[revdode]

My only concern with this is defining an energy efficient product.

I know it sounds stupid but on my desk I have a box with a halogen lamp which claims to be energy efficient, we have an office lighting system with presence detectors it also claims to be energy saving product. I've seen high end car advertisements claiming that the products are energy efficient (better than 25mpg) because they are better than last years models. There are a stack of products marketed as energy savers or energy efficient products which are a complete waste of time.

For this to work you need some form of system of rating, unfortunately these tend to get weakened or distorted by lobbying when being established like appliance ratings have.

The petition is a good idea but I couldn't sign it without some more detail of what is being proposed.

[Martin]

the businesss of "definition" is as you rightly point out a deeply complex one, complicated by the blatant "bandwagon jumping" of many companies pandering to a new market. (I am horrified that there are still grants available for roof-mounted chocolate teapots, despite them being proved utterly useless!):?
BUT, if you read the petition as a general request for the removal of vat from energy saving/efficient products, then it's worth signing - let's get the idea accepted, and then argue about what goes on the list!
If it means that "A" rated white goods drop in price, making them affordable to a wider section of the market, then it's all to the good!
Removal of vat is an incredibly cheap and efficient way of giving the renewables industry the boost it needs, but it is being resisted at all levels in government........they prefer the "lets create needless jobs" route - their latest lunacy is an attempt to have a "self-funding" grants system whereby solar installers pay an enormous subscription each year to "join" the scheme
-Which will only drive the cost of systems skywards, employ more of the otherwise unemployable, and add even more bureaucracy to an already red-tape-throttled industry!
I signed it!

[Muddypause]

I think it's a pretty complex thing altogether. I recently installed a kitchen for someone, and fitted a load of under-cabinet lights. She told me that this was A Good Thing, because they were all low energy lights, so she was doing her bit for the environment. I then spoiled it for her by pointing out that as she had no lights at all there before, she was actually making things worse.

If there had been no tax on these consumer products, she would have been able to afford to damage the environment even more.

A trivial example, of course. But reducing tax on consumer products just means people will end up consuming more, not less. The issue that no politician dares grapple with is that we have to reduce our consumption, not encourage it.

Reducing tax on 'energy efficient' products may not be the way to go. Instead, increase the tax on 'energy inefficient' products. Of course it would take a pretty brave politician to that, as well.

[Martin]

-agreed! - you can't win!
Taking a pragmatic view, it IS something that government should be contemplating (vat on ordinary lightbulbs, none on energy savers, vat on less efficient white goods, none on "A" rated ones - etc.) Above all else, it is incredibly cheap to implement, and is at least a better alternative than the farcical grants systems, which just soak up money, puts the price of the technologies beyond many people's pockets, and adds more unnecessary tripwires on the way to saving energy!
I think the truth of the matter is that our future has been planned by Tony - and it's nuclear! (along with GM biofuels!) - he's sold our future out to US big business, and has doubtless secretly trousered the most enormous backhanders for so doing! - The government visibly has no intention whatsoever of aiding renewables, and seems to be doing it's best to strangle an industry in it's infancy - which is only a part of the answer anyway - nettles need to be grasped................