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ALTERNATIVE FUEL SOLUTIONS
If off-grid decarbonisation is to succeed, consumers must be heard
The conversation around Net Zero and decarbonisation usually centres on the technological solutions and the policy levers to drive the transition to low carbon heating. But often overlooked is the consumer. Malcolm Farrow, head of public affairs at OFTEC says this is surprising as, not only will they be directly affected but if they don’t actively support and adopt alternative fuel solutions then Net Zero is destinated to fail
S
o, what is the current mood amongst rural households on the current direction of travel? A new survey of 800 UK adults living off the
gas grid provides some interesting insights. The first reaffirms what we already know which is that there are unique challenges when it comes to decarbonising off-grid housing stock. Over 40% over respondents said their properly was over 100 years old. Whilst over 90% had loft insulation and double glazing, only 43% had cavity wall insulation, 19% external wall insulation and 14% underfloor heating. Why is this a problem? Transitioning to heat pumps is the preferred
approach from current policy makers and the technology is an ideal solution for more modern buildings found in urban parts of the country. The challenge with off-grid, as this survey highlights, is that houses are typically older, have lower levels of energy efficiency and poor insulation. This means significant retrofit work is required to bring the property up to an acceptable standard for a heat pump to work effectively.
Left: Malcolm Farrow, head of public affairs at OFTEC
However, the government’s online calculator
reveals the cost for some off-grid properties to do this could be over £20,000 pounds. When asked how much they would be willing to spend on a new heating system, 56% said between £1,000 to £5,000. Only 2% said up to £15,000. Furthermore, two thirds (64%) said they were more concerned about the cost of installing a low carbon heating system than they were three years ago. Perhaps not surprising as households continue to battle rising living costs across the board in the current financial climate. It’s also overlooked that off-grid properties often
have multiple heating sources. More than half (56%) who responded to the survey said they had a wood burning stove, 12% an open fire and a further 11% an aga. One scenario which could play out is that properties switch to a heat pump but continue to use their secondary heating system if it is cheaper to run. It’s a complex picture and the views of off-grid households on the ground are seemingly out of sync with that of policy makers in Westminster. A huge 96% said the government was not doing a good job at keeping rural homeowners aware of their low carbon plans with 52% writing to their MP. More worryingly, trust is low with 83% stating
they don’t trust the government to give rural homes a fair choice in how they decarbonise. This is far from an ideal landscape to shape policy decisions which provide good outcomes for consumers and for the UK’s net zero targets. It’s clear that the government’s current approach isn’t working. What we need is a multi-technology solution where households are giving a choice so they can choose the technology which is most suited to their home and circumstance. 94% of respondents said they believed they should be responsible for choosing the heating system they have when it needs to be replaced compared to just 2% who thought the government should have the final say. That’s why, alongside heat pumps, the
Above: 88% of respondents stated they would prefer to switch to a fuel such as Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) compared to 6% for a heat pump
government needs to get behind renewable liquid fuels. 88% of respondents stated they would prefer to switch to a fuel such as Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) compared to 6% for a heat pump. There is overwhelming support for this approach and 97% said the incentives on HVO in transport and aviation should apply to home heating. For too long policy decisions off-grid have been made in a vacuum, overlooking or ignoring the voice of the consumer on the ground. With a general election due in the coming months, 85% said the government and opposition party policies on transition rural homes onto low carbon heating will impact how they vote at the next election. It’s time politicians took note. Otherwise, the electorate will make their voice heard at the ballot box.
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