NEWS EXTRA
boost consumer demand for green homes - this should include a range of attractive financing options and incentives, like variable stamp duty to make greener homes cheaper to buy, along with reduced VAT on home renovation to encourage householders to make their homes warmer and more comfortable.” Mark Wilkins, head of training and external affairs at Vaillant Group, believes that the development of hydrogen-ready boilers is only one piece of the puzzle and that the real challenge comes with creating the industry to produce hydrogen sustainably, with the skills and network to deliver it on the scale required.
“So, we welcome the significant level of funding and clear timeline for the future of hydrogen, calling for the first ‘hydrogen town’ by the end of the decade. Green gas has an important role to play in decarbonising heat in our buildings, and we look forward to the anticipated National Hydrogen Strategy to provide more detail so that we can to train our gas and heating installers and provide them with the skills needed for the future energy mix,” he says.
“We also welcome the extension to the GHG. When the scheme was first launched, we voiced concerns over whether the ability to install heat pumps and other low-carbon heating technologies in sufficient quantities would be limited by a shortage of installers. The extension
to the deadline will allow more time for installers in the UK to get trained up and obtain MCS and TrustMark certifications. “However, to meet the Government’s target to install 600,000 heat pumps every year by 2028, more needs to be done. We need a policy roadmap setting out government’s view on how the country will decarbonise its built environment in the long-term.” Richard Beresford, chief executive of the National Federation of Builders, said: “This plan is deliverable and realistic. The NFB stands behind Prime Minister Johnson to ensure that a pipeline of green jobs isn’t just created but is sustained. As the voice of regional contractors and small and medium sized builders, we know what it takes to enable industry to support these ambitions and stand ready to offer our and our members expertise.”
Beresford continued: “It’s great news that the Green Homes Grant has been extended because the pandemic harmed its rolling out. By March 2022, there will be thousands more installers and many more techniques to improve the energy efficiency of our buildings, so we must view this scheme as a first step to retrofitting Britain’s homes and buildings.” The push towards lower temperature heating technologies such as heat pumps could prove challenging for more traditional
JOHNSON’S 10 POINT PLAN
Launching his 10 Pont Plan, the Prime Minister said: “Although this year has taken a very different path to the one we expected, I haven’t lost sight of our ambitious plans to level up across the country. My Ten Point Plan will create, support and protect hundreds of thousands of green jobs, whilst making strides towards net zero by 2050.”
1. Offshore wind: Quadrupling capacity to 40GW by 2030. 2. Hydrogen: Working with industry aiming to generate 5GW of low carbon hydrogen production capacity by 2030 for industry, transport, power and homes, and aiming to develop the first town heated entirely by hydrogen by the end of the decade. 3. Nuclear: Large-scale nuclear and developing the next generation of small and advanced reactors.
4. Electric vehicles: Transforming the national infrastructure to better support electric vehicles.
5. Public transport, cycling and walking: Making cycling and walking more attractive ways to travel and investing in zero- emission public transport of the future. 6. Jet Zero and greener maritime: Supporting difficult-to-decarbonise industries to become greener through research projects for zero-emission
December 2020
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heating appliances such as radiators, however Stelrad’s head of marketing, Chris Harvey says he is confident the industry can rise to the challenge. He says: “Over the past couple of decades the race for more efficient heating systems has been paramount in the industry and we’ve seen the arrival first of combi boilers and then of condensing, modulating boilers, the development of far better heating controls, energy efficient pumps and a wider range of more effective radiators. The development of lower temperature heating systems, utilising renewable heating appliances – such as ground source and air source heat pumps - has given us another challenge, but it’s one we have risen to and are able to respond to effectively. However, the key point to remember is that radiators are all compatible with all heating systems – traditional and renewable- when sized correctly. “There are always challenges in the day to day work we do, but by thinking ahead, preparing for the changes we see coming and talking to the people we work with about what they need, we have been able to provide a comprehensive solution that will see low temperature heating systems delivering the heat and hot water that people require.” Carl Arntzen, CEO of Worcester Bosch was asked to join the Prime Minister as he launched his Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial
Revolution and was one of twenty business leaders also asked to join in a roundtable debate following the announcement.
Arntzen said: “We at Bosch welcome the new “green industrial revolution” that has been set out by the Prime Minister. The UK is leading the world in its drive towards net zero carbon emissions by 2050, and we look forward to working with the Government to help turn admirable ambition into accelerated action. Although 2050 may seem a long way off, action needs to be taken now to ensure that we can reach it.
“The 10 steps set out by the Prime Minister are bold and we are delighted to see that hydrogen will play a key role in delivering them. The investment of £500 million in Hydrogen is a positive start and can help to reduce carbon emissions significantly – particularly in the way that we heat our homes, power our transport (especially heavy transport) and meet the challenges of increasing electricity demand through decentralised power supply.
“With the foundation of solid Government backing, hydrogen will be a ready-to-go solution in the near future and therefore making a strong impact in the fight against climate change. It demonstrates the role that technology can and should play in finding practical solutions to the challenges that we face.” BMJ
planes and ships.
7. Homes and public buildings: Making homes, schools and hospitals greener, warmer and more energy efficient by 2030, and a target to install 600,000 heat pumps every year by 2028. 8. Carbon capture: Becoming a world- leader in technology to capture and store harmful emissions away from the atmosphere, with a target to remove 10MT of carbon dioxide by 2030. 9. Nature: Planting 30,000 hectares of trees every year.
10. Innovation and finance: Developing the cutting-edge technologies needed to reach these new energy ambitions and make the City of London the “global centre of green finance”.
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