Changes in public policy are still needed to encourage a switch from gas boilers to hybrid systems, but the Future Homes Standard should be implemented now.
In a piece looking at the switch to low-carbon electric and hybrid heating systems, chief executive of Centrica Consumer Sarwjit Sambhi, argued that there is no reason to delay the ban on new homes being connected to the gas grid to 2025 and that the Future Homes Standards should be implemented now.
Beyond this he calls for a phaseout of oil boilers in the c.4 million off-grid homes in the UK, and an increase to green gas as an interim decarbonisation phase while other homes transition to hybrid systems that combine small-capacity gas boilers with heat pumps.
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However these systems are more expensive than conventional boilers, and as such public policy will need to step in with incentive schemes capable of providing the additional capital needed to transition to a lower carbon system.
The article Warm welcome to low carbon heating: Beyond gas is part of a collection published by the independent think tank for liberal conservatism Bright Blue. It focuses on reaching net zero, and includes a number of articles written by major players in transport, utilities, finance, industry and other sectors.
Heating will play a key part of this transition, with emissions from heating now accounting for a third of UK emissions, making it the single largest contributor.
“Getting to net zero by 2050 requires about 2,000 households to become net zero each day between now and then”, explains Sambhi.
Read more: Current News
