PHAM NEWS | OCTOBER 2025 34 ElectricHeating


Electric means cleaner air and warmer homes


Accelerating the transition to electric heating is essential if the UK is to maintain its progress to decarbonisation, says John Felgate, MD of Stiebel Eltron. He argues that electric heating – whether heat pumps, panel heaters or water heaters – can help to deliver a more sustainable future.


L


ondon earned the nickname ‘the Big Smoke’ due to the dense smog caused by widespread coal


burning during the Industrial Revolution, which often blanketed the city in a thick, smoky haze. During the 19th and early 20th centuries, London became a global hub of industry, trade, and innovation, and coal was the lifeblood of the city’s energy supply. But the pollution was more


than a persistent aesthetic problem – it was deadly. The infamous Great Smog of 1952, exacerbated by a cocktail of cold weather and stagnant air, caused an estimated 12,000 deaths and led to a public health crisis that spurred the introduction of the Clean Air Act of 1956. Today, London’s air is getting


cleaner, but not clean enough. While the smog is gone and traffi c-related nitrogen oxides (NOx) have dropped by 73% since 2016 according to a recent study from the University of York, a new culprit has emerged – gas boilers. The same study found that


gas boilers now account for 72% of the capital’s nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions. This represents a pressing, but often overlooked, public health and environmental issue. Our reliance on gas-fi red central heating is not only a climate challenge – it is also a barrier to cleaner, healthier air. With around 23 million


households across the UK using gas for central heating, London is far from alone in facing this problem.


Switching off gas The most eff ective route to phasing out gas boilers is a wholesale shift to electrical heating solutions – whether that’s air source and ground source heat pumps, electric hot water systems, or modern electric room heaters. These technologies share a major advantage: they produce no on-site emissions, eliminating NOx emissions entirely and improving air quality. Switching away from gas


would also have a dramatic eff ect on the UK’s carbon footprint. In 2021, home


John Felgate MD of Stiebel Eltron


heating accounted for 18% of the nation’s total greenhouse gas emissions, and the average UK gas boiler emits more CO2 – equivalent in a year than taking seven transatlantic fl ights.


Greener grid The environmental benefi ts of electrical heating are magnifi ed as the UK’s energy grid becomes greener. Every year, a greater share of electricity is generated from renewable sources such as wind and solar, meaning that households with electric heating automatically reduce their carbon footprint without changing equipment. Unlike fossil fuel systems,


IN NUMBERS


18% 23m


which lock in emissions for decades, electric heating aligns with the long-term decarbonisation of the grid, making it a truly future-proof solution. Beyond emissions, electric


In 2021, home heating accounted for 18% of the UK’s total greenhouse gas emissions


heating off ers effi ciency, fl exibility, and comfort benefi ts. Heat pumps can deliver three to four times more heat energy than the electricity they consume, while electric room heaters are simple to retrofi t and off er fl exible zone control. Electric hot water systems


are compact and low- maintenance, off ering an easy transition for households moving away from gas. Additionally, when combined


Around 23m homes across the UK currently use gas for their central heating


72%


It is estimated that gas boilers currently account for 72% of London’s nitrogen oxide emissions


£7500


Grants are available from the government to switch to heat pumps via the Boiler Upgrade Scheme


with smart controls, electric heating systems give homeowners far greater precision over energy use, cutting waste and lowering bills when managed eff ectively.


Going electric Yet, transition away from gas boilers is slow. The UK government recently confi rmed that there will be no ban on gas boilers by 2035 and no mandate requiring people to replace them with low- carbon alternatives. However, under the Future Homes Standard (FHS), expected soon, developers will have to build homes with low-carbon heating systems as standard. This represents a clear


opportunity to scale up the use of electrical heating technologies – and to make them the default for all new


 The compact DHE instantaneous water heater from Stiebel Eltron


 Stiebel Eltron’s slimline wall-mounted SHS 1800 storage heater


builds. Grants such as the £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme are a good start, but we must go further to inspire confi dence, raise awareness, and ensure infrastructure is ready for mass adoption. Across Europe, governments


are working to accelerate the shift to electric heating, even in the face of negative press campaigns. Colder Nordic countries such as Norway are leading the way, proving that electric heating is both practical and reliable in even the harshest winters.


Collaborative eff ort Decarbonising home heating and improving air quality will take a collective eff ort. Policymakers, industry leaders, developers, and consumers must work together to create a regulatory and fi nancial environment that makes electrical heating the obvious choice. At Stiebel Eltron UK, we


are committed to supporting this transition. From high- effi ciency heat pumps to advanced hot water systems, and electric room heaters,


we off er solutions that give households and businesses a cleaner, more sustainable way to stay warm. The data is clear – to


continue improving air quality and protect public health, we must tackle emissions from gas boilers head-on and prioritise a transition to electric heating. Unlike fossil fuel systems, electric technologies are future- proof, aligning seamlessly with the UK’s increasingly renewable energy grid and automatically cutting carbon as electricity generation gets greener. But the benefi ts go far


beyond emissions. From highly effi cient heat pumps and advanced hot water systems, to direct acting and storage heaters, electric solutions deliver comfort, fl exibility, and reliability while eliminating on-site emissions and safety risks. By embracing these


technologies we can take a signifi cant step toward a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable future for homes across the UK. ◼ phamnews.co.uk/1025/72


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