the climate brief Accurate Reporting of Climate Science

PROBABLY NOT REAL:
It'll be compulsory.

A few weeks ago the Daily Mail reported the government was consulting on what it called a ' conservatory tax', under which anyone wishing to improve their home must first agree to pay for insulation.

In reality, it's already compulsory to install energy efficiency measures when you build a large structure like an extension which requires planning permission.

The plan the Mail reported on, which is still under consultation, suggests homeowners should be required to install "proportionate" efficiency measure - for which they could cut out upfront cost by borrowing under the Green Deal - of around 10 per cent of the cost of the original work.

THE REAL DEAL:
Forecasts for voluntary Green Deal take-up don't look great.

As the scheme is voluntary, the government's key problem in introducing the Green Deal is how to get people to buy in.

Making it compulsory to fit insulation in certain instances - such as when people want to build conservatories that could increase their homes' carbon footprint -  would at least make sure there is some level of takeup.

Chair of the Energy and Climate Change Committee, MP Tim Yeo, said any compulsion for people to insulate their homes would reduce public enthusiasm for the scheme. But, if other commentators are right, the biggest challenge is going to be creating that enthusiasm in the first place.

PROBABLY NOT REAL:
"I'll have to pay £10,000 for new efficiency measures if I want to change my boiler."

On the back of the 'conservatory tax' news, columnist Christopher Booker claimed that consumers would be forced to pay up to £10,000 to install efficiency measures when doing other work on their home. It's not totally clear where this came from, but we think Booker mixed up a compulsory payment with the maximum amount you can borrow, which is 10k.

As the consulation paper suggests that homeowners should spend 10 per cent of the cost of improvements on energy efficiency measures, Booker's calculation means you'd have to be spending £100,000 on home improvement; less a conservatory and more a new extension for Kew Gardens.

THE REAL DEAL:
The Green Deal might not do much for fuel poverty.

There's controversy over whether the scheme will help the fuel poor - a key target group. As the BBC's environment analyst, Roger Harrabin, notes, those who can't install efficiency measures without extra financial help will receive subsidised insulation under a scheme called ECO.

But the government has decided to prioritise funding more expensive solid wall insulation over cheaper loft or cavity wall insulation, because, it argues, most homes are already insulated under previous schemes.

Critics say this will mean the government spending much more on insulation than it needs to - with those who apply for solid wall insulation doing comparatively better off. According to Harrabin, they also disagree with the government's reasoning - pointing out that 40 per cent of the UK's homes currently don't have loft or cavity wall insulation.

PROBABLY NOT REAL:
The 'great green myth'

According to the Daily Mail's article Great green myth, or how an eco home can end up costing you thousands, those who sign up to the Green Deal could end up "thousands of pounds out of pocket".

Citing "studies", the Mail said that instead of saving households money on their energy bills, consumers could end up paying much more due to faults in calculations used to work out what each house needs to do to increase its efficiency, and how long these measures should take to pay for themselves.  

But as we noted at the time, the article created the gloomiest picture possible on pilot Green Deal schemes' returns by cherry-picking the worst numbers from the reports it quotes, and ignoring the fact that many of the pilot households deliberately chose more expensive insulation.

THE REAL DEAL:
Green Deal calculations need improving

But even if the Mail has overblown it, there might be a real problem at the core of this issue. Researchers and businesses that have studied Green Deal pilots say the government may have to go back to the drawing board if it's going to achieve the so-called golden rule - where the energy you save offsets the money you've spent on efficiency measures.

 Results of pilots show the government needs to improve the calculation it uses to estimate homes' actual energy use and the amount they can expect to save when they install efficiency measures. There also has to be a better awareness of how people behave when they have efficiency measures installed, the researchers concluded.