HEATING INNOVATION – INDUSTRY COMMENT
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Labour’s challenge is not to overlook off -grid homes
Malcolm Farrow, head of public aff airs at OFTEC questions how the new Labour government will deliver off grid decarbonisation
A
new Labour government has been elected with a landslide majority and a fresh mandate. Whilst energy policy wasn’t a
prominent focal point of the campaign, it’s set to be a decisive issue in this Parliament if the UK wants to deliver on its Net Zero commitments. With Labour making gains in off -grid constituencies, alongside the Liberal Democrats and Greens, there is now a more diverse representation of rural communities. So, what does this all mean for the transition to low carbon heating and the technologies which will underpin this commitment? Whilst the political map of rural areas has changed, the economic landscape and housing stock remains the same. The existing challenges and opportunities faced by the previous government before the election are the same ones Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his new team will inherit. We’re all agreed it’s imperative we transition to Net Zero. The question is, how do we get there quickly in a way which is practical and aff ordable for both the government and consumers.
Whilst in urban parts of the UK mains gas is the main heating system, the off -grid sector is more diverse with a mix of technologies. The four million off grid properties are not all heated the same way. From liquid fuel, direct electric heating such as storage heaters, biomass to wood burners, the picture is far more complex. Housing stock and energy effi ciency is also typically more varied. The previous Conservative government put heat pumps at the centre of its decarbonisation strategy. The technology undoubtedly has an important role to play which will only continue to grow under this new Labour administration. OFTEC has been supporting the rollout of heat pumps in suitable properties by off ering training to technicians through our new courses. However, for many off grid homes, the high cost and disruption to make all the improvements to the building for the heat pump to work eff ectively make this an impractical proposition. The diversity of technologies already being used off grid means there is no ‘one size fi ts all’ solution. The previous administration began to recognise this and, as a result, the proposed ban on the installation of new fossil fuel boilers was pushed back from 2026 to 2035. Various consultations were also launched to establish alternative solutions, including renewable liquid fuels. In its campaign, the Labour Party pledged that it wouldn’t force households to rip out gas boilers
30 August 2024
Decarbonising the off -grid sector will need a multi technological solution
encompassing both renewable liquid fuels and heat pumps
Left: Malcolm Farrow, head of public aff airs at OFTEC
and that they would abolish the 2035 new boiler ban. Keir Starmer’s government has also outlined a focus on driving economic growth and recognised the fi nancial burden already facing the government and consumers in the current climate. We can deduce from this that we therefore need a range of practical and aff ordable low carbon solutions to deliver the net zero transition. As we look ahead, the rollout of heat pumps
will continue and start to increase. However, there are several challenges to overcome. Firstly, the shortage of qualifi ed installers. There are currently around 3,000 heat pump installers but this number will need to grow rapidly if we want to accelerate the rollout of the technology for suitable buildings. Secondly, there is some confusion amongst consumers about heat pumps and whether they
are a practical solution for their circumstances. Technicians on the front line, equipped with training on multiple technologies, will be key to advising homeowners on the best option for their home. However, undoubtedly other technologies alongside heat pumps will be needed off -grid. Without consumer choice, uptake will be slow and the Labour government is committed to accelerating the UK’s journey to a Net Zero future. Through an industry demonstration project, renewable liquid fuels such as Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) have proved to be an eff ective alternative. With a much lower upfront installation cost and immediate carbon reduction, surveys have shown over 80% of current oil users would be interested in making the transition. This is a practical and realistic alternative for properties where heat pumps are not suited, or wanted. For the fi rst time in nearly a decade, Labour
MPs are representing many new rural areas from Cornwall up to Scotland. The government will therefore need to ensure the individual needs of these off -grid areas are not overlooked in national Net Zero policy. We’ve seen the Labour Party keen to avoid the pitfalls of the previous administration. We will work closely and positively with the new government to ensure the same missteps with domestic heating policy are not repeated.
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