PHAM NEWS | FEBRUARY 2024 14 EnergyMatters Public attitudes to low-carbon heating


Knowing just one friend or colleague using a low-carbon heating system significantly increases a person’s willingness to adopt it themselves, says a new study from the UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC). The survey of over 2000 respondents regarding their views on the future of low-carbon heating suggests that an increase in uptake could ‘snowball’ into much wider public engagement and support. It finds that awareness of the


HPA calls for a domestic heat pump tariff discount


The Heat Pump Association (HPA) is proposing a domestic heat pump tariff discount in its latest report which looks at the impact Environmental and Social Obligations are having on the heat pump market in the UK. The country has one of the


highest electricity to gas price ratios (3.97) in all of Europe and a signifi cant contributor is the disproportionate application of Environmental and Social Obligations – often referred to by government as ‘policy costs’ and known commonly as ‘levies’. Consequently, domestic


electricity consumers bear around 85% of these levies, which means a typical heat pump consumer pays £170 more than an equivalent gas boiler consumer in levy costs per annum.


The government aims to


address the imbalance between gas and electricity prices by the end of 2024, but in the meantime the HPA suggests implementing


a temporary Domestic Heat Pump Tariff Discount as an interim measure.


The discount would reduce


the price of electricity used for domestic heating or hot water produced by hydronic heat pumps to an amount equivalent to exempting that proportion of electricity from levies.


Other options The report also explores other approaches to address levies on energy bills in the longer-term. It considers options ranging from completely removing levies from bills to shifting all levies on electricity to gas. The analysis shows that when levies are partially removed from electricity bills, heat pumps become more cost-eff ective to run compared to gas boilers in all modelled scenarios.


Commenting on the release,


HPA CEO Charlotte Lee said: “Our research provides a roadmap to address the current distortion in the domestic heating market, which is undoubtedly hindering heat pump deployment. Reducing the price of electricity relative to gas is the sector’s number one policy ask. Action must be taken to change the energy price signals so that the lowest carbon heat is the lowest cost heat.” ◼ phamnews.co.uk/224/19


impact of heating homes on carbon emissions is currently low, with respondents viewing other carbon reduction behaviours, such as personal transport choices and reducing domestic energy consumption, as more important than opting for greener heating. Detailed knowledge of


specific low-carbon heating technologies was also found to be relatively low. However, when respondents were provided with additional information about each technology, the researchers found widespread support, with many


held pro-environmental values, emerging as the most influential drivers. Professor Nick Pidgeon of Cardiff


respondents holding favourable attitudes towards all options presented, and heat pumps emerging as the technology with the strongest support. Overall, the study identified a


number of key drivers of people’s attitudes towards adopting low- carbon heating technologies – in particular, being concerned about UK energy security, and strongly


University, who led the study for UKERC, comments: “While some of these drivers reflect well- understood public views on the low-carbon transition, we also found some surprising results, which we believe government policy and communications should urgently address. For example, knowing just one other individual who uses a low-carbon heating technology is associated with increased willingness to adopt all low-carbon heating technologies, suggesting that increasing uptake might facilitate a ‘snowball’ effect multiplying public engagement and support.” The survey also highlighted


the belief that the heat transition should be a collaborative effort, with respondents identifying government and energy companies as being most responsible for funding the transition. ◼ phamnews.co.uk/224/20


Heat pump carbon reduction calculator


British Gas has introduced a new calculator that estimates the potential carbon dioxide reductions achievable by switching to heat pumps for home heating. The ‘Carbon Cruncher’


calculator gives the user a personalised estimate for how much carbon they could save. To see the most accurate results, they need to enter their household’s total energy usage from the past year, found in the annual statement from energy suppliers. Alternatively, the calculator can make an educated


New energy as a service pilot scheme


Liverpool-based clean tech specialist Heatio has partnered with E.ON and Energy Systems Catapult to launch a new low carbon technology subscription called Energy as a Service (EaaS). The initiative aims to make


low carbon technologies more aff ordable and accessible to households by off ering a 20-year subscription service for heat pumps, solar PV, and battery storage, eliminating upfront costs. Monthly payments are expected to be around £150 per month. The solution will also integrate a bespoke E.ON Next energy tariff , reducing home energy costs by up to £70 per month. The pilot programme will


initially benefi t around 350 households in the North West of England, with the goal of reducing


carbon emissions from homes and promoting the adoption of alternative energy sources.


Data driven As a core component of the service, the Heatio Flexx Home Energy Management Solution will implement a data-driven approach to specify energy- effi cient technologies tailored to individual households based on their actual energy usage and property type. The pilot aims to facilitate the


adoption of alternative energy sources by making the market accessible to those with lower incomes and no available capital. Thomas Farquhar, co-founder


of Heatio (left of picture with business partner Simon Roberts), emphasises the signifi cance of equipping homes with low-carbon


heating systems for ‘net-zero readiness’. He says: “This initiative isn’t just a benefi t to the environment, it’s a huge benefi t for households and consumers. Embracing clean energy unlocks lower energy bills, promotes cleaner energy usage, and ensures homes are both warm and environmentally friendly. Energy as a Service is the fi rst home subscription that actually unlocks energy savings, the Netfl ix of low carbon technologies. “Our aim, working with E.ON


and Energy Systems Catapult, to advance things forward in helping the public get access to greener technology is necessary if we are to truly transition away from fossil fuels. This is a fantastic opportunity to take a data-driven approach with Heatio Flexx, which will off er accurate specifi cations


guess based on the size of a home and the number of people living there. The tool also contextualises


these CO2 savings by comparing the emissions saved with common carbon emitters and off -setters, such as long-distance fl ights and carbon-absorbing trees. Based on the average UK


household’s annual energy consumption of 12,000kWh (a 2-3 bedroom house currently using a mains gas heating system), British Gas calculates that switching to an air source


heat pump could save 1404kg of CO2 annually – the equivalent of 3.3 fl ights from London to New York and switching to a vegan diet for four years. Over the course of just one


year, it is estimated that a typical household could off set the equivalent amount of CO2 emitted by driving 4544 miles in a petrol car. If 600,000 homes switched to heat pumps every year by 2028 the emission savings would be equivalent to the CO2 produced by driving the circumference of the earth 109,482 times. ◼ phamnews.co.uk/224/21


to deliver consumer confi dence, incentivising homeowners to improve the energy effi ciency of their homes and deliver energy security.” Chris Norbury, E.ON UK chief


executive, adds: “Bundling the technology along with service is commonplace for the many millions of people around the UK who have a mobile phone contract. We’re bringing the same fl exibility to energy customers


so they can benefi t from the transition to cleaner and greener homes without the need to fi nd the upfront fi nance.” The initiative is part of the


Green Home Finance Accelerator (GHFA) launched by the government. The GHFA aims to fund innovative green fi nance products, promoting the uptake of home energy effi ciency and low- carbon heating measures. ◼ phamnews.co.uk/224/22


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