We asked the Department about its plans to encourage consumers, industry and households to invest in greater energy efficiency. It told us that this is an important aspect of its strategy, which includes encouraging short-term demand flexibility from consumers to use less electricity at times of peak demand (by, for example, turning appliances off), as well as energy efficiency measures. The Department indicated that, for example, a requirement to ensure properties are at least EPC rating C has resulted in an increase in the homes achieving this standard from 14% in 2010 to 47% now. However, it told us the EPC rating C requirement depends on implementing it being cost-effective, affordable and practical to do so, and in the private rented sector there is an ongoing policy debate as to whether there is a maximum landlords should pay.68 60 Qq 35, 85 61 Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, Net Zero Strategy: Build Back Greener, 19 October 2021, page 78 62 Qq 81–83 63 C&AG’s Report para 1.13 64 Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, Net Zero Strategy: Build Back Greener, 19 October 2021, para 43 65 Q 28 66 HC Committee of Public Accounts, Regulation of energy suppliers, Twenty-Fifth Report of Session 2022–23, HC 41, November 2022 67 HC Committee of Public Accounts, Energy bills support, Fifty-eighth Report of Session 2022–23, HC 1074, June 2023 68 Q 38 Decarbonising the power sector 15