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| Npower's bulb giveaway attacked | |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| An energy company has been criticised for sending out millions of low energy light bulbs to meet its target under a household energy cutting scheme. | An energy company has been criticised for sending out millions of low energy light bulbs to meet its target under a household energy cutting scheme. |
| The Green Party accused Npower of taking "inexcusable" shortcuts instead of investing in more effective measures such as loft insulation. | The Green Party accused Npower of taking "inexcusable" shortcuts instead of investing in more effective measures such as loft insulation. |
| Unsolicited mail-outs of light bulbs as an option under the scheme were stopped by the government as of this month. | Unsolicited mail-outs of light bulbs as an option under the scheme were stopped by the government as of this month. |
| Npower said the bulbs were "part of a mix of energy-efficient measures". | Npower said the bulbs were "part of a mix of energy-efficient measures". |
| The regulator Ofgem said it had expressed concern with Npower about the practice of unsolicited mail-shots. | The regulator Ofgem said it had expressed concern with Npower about the practice of unsolicited mail-shots. |
| They should be viewed in the wider context of the 120 projects undertaken by NPower every day at a cost of over £100m Npower | They should be viewed in the wider context of the 120 projects undertaken by NPower every day at a cost of over £100m Npower |
| The government ordered energy companies to help pay for measures to cut household energy consumption - such as cavity wall or loft insulation, or by issuing low energy light bulbs - two years ago. | The government ordered energy companies to help pay for measures to cut household energy consumption - such as cavity wall or loft insulation, or by issuing low energy light bulbs - two years ago. |
| Low energy light bulbs were scrapped as an option in June 2009 - and the ban came into force at the new year. | |
| Npower - Britain's third largest energy supplier - sent an unrequested selection of low energy bulbs to all of its three million customers before the deadline, the Times reported. | Npower - Britain's third largest energy supplier - sent an unrequested selection of low energy bulbs to all of its three million customers before the deadline, the Times reported. |
| That met the company's requirements under the scheme, but will only cut a fraction of the energy which other measures such as cavity wall or loft insulation will achieve, critics claim. | That met the company's requirements under the scheme, but will only cut a fraction of the energy which other measures such as cavity wall or loft insulation will achieve, critics claim. |
| Reduce emissions | Reduce emissions |
| A Green Party spokesman said: "It is inexcusable to take short cuts by sending out millions of unsolicited light bulbs instead of taking more effective measures such as cavity wall or loft insulation." | A Green Party spokesman said: "It is inexcusable to take short cuts by sending out millions of unsolicited light bulbs instead of taking more effective measures such as cavity wall or loft insulation." |
| A Department of Energy and Climate Change spokesperson said unsolicited mail-outs of light bulbs had been stopped. | A Department of Energy and Climate Change spokesperson said unsolicited mail-outs of light bulbs had been stopped. |
| "This means energy suppliers will have to fulfil their obligation by providing more installations of loft and cavity wall insulation instead which will further reduce emissions and permanently lower fuel bills." | "This means energy suppliers will have to fulfil their obligation by providing more installations of loft and cavity wall insulation instead which will further reduce emissions and permanently lower fuel bills." |
| Npower said it was committed to the government's carbon emission reduction target (CERT) scheme and "was doing the right thing by [its] customers and energy efficiency". | Npower said it was committed to the government's carbon emission reduction target (CERT) scheme and "was doing the right thing by [its] customers and energy efficiency". |
| A spokesman said: "These low energy bulbs are part of a mix of energy-efficient measures (including cavity wall or loft insulation) - some of which are inherently more expensive than others. | A spokesman said: "These low energy bulbs are part of a mix of energy-efficient measures (including cavity wall or loft insulation) - some of which are inherently more expensive than others. |
| "They should be viewed in the wider context of the 120 projects undertaken by Npower every day at a cost of over £100m." | |
| Npower customers who have already received low energy bulbs may still contact the company and request financial support for additional carbon reducing measures and will be judged on a case-by-case basis. | |
| Did you get some of these light bulbs? What did you do with yours? Send us your comments using the form below: | Did you get some of these light bulbs? What did you do with yours? Send us your comments using the form below: |
| A selection of your comments may be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. | A selection of your comments may be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. |
| The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions | The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions |