BSEE OFTEC calls for urgent rethink
on rural heat policy proposals Many more rural households will be forced into fuel poverty unless government puts aordability at the heart of its low carbon plans, warns OFTEC.
Yet government is continuing its plans to target off-grid households with a heat policy that would see fossil fuel heating systems replaced with electric heat pumps, and in some cases biomass boilers, which cost on average upwards of £10,000 to install.
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OFTEC CEO Paul Rose says: “Emissions from home heating must be cut but when it comes to shaping policy, the reality of the situation has to be factored in. Rural consumers are among those least able to afford carbon reduction measures but often live in the hardest and most expensive to improve homes. “Almost two thirds of oil heated properties in Great Britain currently fall into the lowest EPC Bands E-G, and with the latest fuel poverty statistics showing the energy costs for the least efficient homes are three times higher than for homes in Bands A-C³, it’s no wonder so many are struggling.
ith UK unemployment rising steeply as a result of the pandemic, emergency borrowing by low and middle income families struggling to meet essential bills has
soared by 66% since May¹.
“Expecting these families to be able to find thousands of pounds to fund green heating systems when many are struggling to pay their mortgages, rents or existing utility bills is just nonsensical.” The energy efficiency of rural homes urgently needs addressing but figures from the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) suggest this will be a costly exercise.Upgrading the 765,000 oil heated homes rated EPC Band E-G to an acceptable Band C would cost on average between £12,300 and £18,900 per property. OFTEC says off-grid consumers need a tailored programme of support to successfully transition away from fossil fuel heating. This must include greater financial assistance for energy efficiency improvements and access to a wider choice of cost effective low carbon heating options, including renewable liquid fuels.
Following successful laboratory tests, field trials are underway in homes across the UK using a revolutionary new liquid fuel called Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) as a near drop in replacement for heating oil. HVO could cut carbon emissions by over 90% and avoid the high installation costs associated with other low carbon heating solutions.
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NEWS & QUOTES Quote, unquote
ACE and EIC respond to government’s 10 point plan for net zero
Hannah Vickers, chief executive of the Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE) which represents the companies who design, deliver and manage our national infrastructure, said: “This ten-point plan is recognition that in order to meet society’s Net Zero aspirations, we need tangible action. We can only ‘build back better’ from COVID-19 if our growth is cleaner and greener. “Proposals to turn London into a green financial centre are both welcome and necessary to supporting Net Zero ambitions, but giving local government the resilience and confidence to make carbon free investments is arguably more important. “The positive announcements on carbon capture/storage, hydrogen, nuclear, and offshore wind are areas we championed in our comprehensive spending review representation. However, doing all this in parallel, and at the same time as decarbonising our existing building stock, remains a huge challenge and we need to see the rapid implementation of these plans.”
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Futurebuild postponed to March 2022
The event that was due to run on March 2 to 4, 2021 will now go ahead from March 1 to 3, 2022 at the ExCeL London.
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fundamental issues currently facing the built environment industry — digital impact, whole house retrofit, circular materials, district energy, future installer and intelligent buildings.
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To continue to offer a platform for the built environment industry to connect, Futurebuild will host a range of both physical and digital events in the lead up to 2022, putting a spotlight on the key issues the industry currently faces and present game changing solutions.
“We know that manufacturers and specifiers come to Futurebuild for a purpose — to showcase, see and purchase the products they can use to make a real difference,” explained Martin Hurn, event director of Futurebuild. “We want to do what is best for our community, and our planet, and we know how important it still is for us to connect and continue to foster key relationships. We’ve consulted our exhibitors, attendees and our team, and the community feels that Futurebuild will best serve its purpose if it goes ahead in 2022.”
he 2022 event will be laser focused on the most pressing industry issues, which were identified based on feedback from previous audiences. The event’s six spotlights and Arena programme will cover the
“The pandemic won’t pause our progress,” continued Hurn. “We’re taking this challenge as an opportunity to provide more support to the industry. Our regular webinar panels and digital programme offers the community practical advice and opportunities to connect so that they can start implementing the changes needed to address climate change now.”
This decision has been made following consultation with the construction industry and due to the ongoing unforeseeable, unavoidable and unprecedented global scope of the Coronavirus pandemic. This has led to the Government implementing ongoing measures to maintain social distancing and reversing its decision to allow live events to run from 1 October 2020, further contributing to the continuing Force Majeure situation.
Futurebuild provides a platform for industry to come together, connect with people from across the entire supply chain and find the products and solutions needed to address the climate crisis. For more information about the show and its full portfolio, visit the website.
www.Futurebuild.co.uk 6 BUILDING SERVICES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER JANUARY 2021
David Hall, VP Power Systems, Schneider Electric The road to recovery is green. Scrapping polluting petrol and diesel cars in favour of EVs is not only a key driver in reducing our carbon footprint but could be vital in stimulating the economy through a “green recovery”.
Encouraging more people to adopt electric vehicles is at the heart of the government’s efforts to tackle climate change and reduce air pollution – especially as emissions from the transport sector accounts for 23 per cent of the UK’s overall CO2 emissions. It is clear that with the UK now having more EV charging points than petrol stations and a ban on combustion cars to be brought forward to 2030, we should be determined to ensure EVs become the dominant purchase option during the next ten years. With this boom in the e-mobility sector being powered by electricity, we need to turn our attention to the potential strain EV adoption could put on the UK’s power infrastructure. Utilities stakeholders need to decide how to invest in upgrading the electrical network without creating upward pressure on the cost of electricity for consumers and businesses, which may weaken the appetite for electric vehicle charging.
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Matthew Farrow, director of policy at the Environmental Industries Commission (EIC) which represents the companies, large and small, working in the environmental technologies and services sector, said: “It is fitting that around the original dates for COP26 we are seeing new announcements to keep society on track. While Government’s attentions have, understandably, been elsewhere this year, these tangible steps will ensure progress continues towards a carbon free future.
“We are delighted to see positive news on green financing more generally, but specifically around innovation funding for Net Zero. The CCC has made a lot of assumptions on future technology and as the drivers of environmental innovation, our members are crucial to meeting these expectations.
“Bringing forward the commitment on electric vehicles will also have positive effects on air quality in the near-term as confidence grows in both the technology and charging infrastructure. Finally, a breadth of common sense investments in a range of energy generation sources, will help us successfully transition to Net Zero. “Government must now focus on boosting enforcement of policies, such as energy efficiency regulations, where compliance is sometimes scandalously low. Without more effort and resources put into this area, today’s encouraging announcements are likely to have limited impact.”
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Gavin Graveson, Executive Vice President, Veolia UK and Ireland says, “Driving investment to low carbon innovations and alternatives; supporting employment growth in more sustainable sectors; and ensuring that all businesses align their strategies with national climate goals is the right direction for us to take as a nation to ensure we solve the climate change challenge for future generations to come. “This new 10 point plan from the Prime Minister today is a step in that direction and we are in full support of this. The focus on innovation and technological developments will allow for real growth and encourage all sectors to make sustainable choices, keeping nature, carbon cutting and biodiversity at the forefront of decision making.”
’ Read the latest at:
www.bsee.co.uk
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