Scheme offers chance to get free washing machines

SOME households in Bristol could get free washing machines, dishwashers and tumble-dryers under a Bristol City Council scheme.

The council is offering free energysaving washing machines, dishwashers and tumble-dryers – which could also save up to £50 on their energy bills – to 150 householders in the Ashley, Easton and Lawrence Hill areas of the city.

The high-tech devices can be controlled remotely by residents and could help reduce energy bills.

It means someone with one of the smart washing machines could put their laundry in before they go to work – but then turn it on later in the day, from work, when energy demand is lower and therefore cheaper.

The appliances are being offered by the EU-funded Replicate project to 150 households over the three areas.

Not only are they being offered for free but the council will also install them and show people how they work. The pilot scheme is on a firstcome, first-served basis so to sign up go to the Connecting Bristol website.

The amount of money a household will save on energy bills depends on the current energy rating of home appliances. European energy labels are currently in the process of switching back to a simple A-G format, but as things stand, the highest possible rating is A+++.

And the council has said that people who currently have an A+, A++ or A+++ rated appliance probably won’t save enough energy by switching and therefore will not be eligible for the scheme.

But those with a D rated washing machine, dishwasher or tumble-dryer could save £47.16 a year by switching to an energy-saving appliance.

Those with a C rated appliance could save £37.49 a year, a B rating saves £29.13 and switching from an A rated appliance could save £23.49 a year.

The council has said this is the first part of a two-phase project to make homes more energy efficient.

Following on from the offer of a free smart appliance the authority will be offering a range of more traditional energy saving measures for homes including loft insulation, cavity wall insulation, new boilers and solar PV.

Grant funding will be available to help residents cover the cost and some of these will even be available as fully funded installations.

The project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme.