Page 9 - Gi August 2020

industry & government news

END GAS BOILERS WITHIN 15 YEARS

SAYS COMMITTEE ON CLIMATE CHANGE

carbon heating sources. introducing carbon pricing can both
It suggests phasing out the installation drive low carbon behaviour and raise
of all new gas boilers by 2035 at the latest about £15 billion, which could be then
and making homes climate-resilient. dedicated to green measures, such as
With housing being one of the biggest incentives for motorists to switch to
sources of greenhouse gas (GHG) electric vehicles (EVs).
emissions, the committee says the A complete switch to EVs and a full
government needs to begin the shift phase-out of petrol and diesel cars
immediately to low carbon heating could be managed by 2032, according
systems to protect against overheating. to the report, with fast-tracked EV
But it is not only low carbon charging points playing a significant
heating which must dominate new role in this change.
heating installations by early 2030s. The Dedicated safe spaces for walking and
THE GOVERNMENT AIMS TO MAKE committee also says the government cycling and support for shared bikes
NEW HOMES RUN ON GREEN ENERGY needs to concentrate on several other and e-scooters, can help the nation get
issues including low-carbon retrofits, back to work in a more sustainable way.
UK HOUSEHOLDS COULD soon see a energy networks, green infrastructure, CCC Chairman Lord Deben said:
total phase-out of fossil-fuelled boilers circular economy and tree planting. “The UK is facing its biggest economic
by 2035, reports Energy Live News. The advisors say new hydrogen shock for a generation. Meanwhile,
That’s the headline recommendation and carbon capture and storage (CCS) the global crisis of climate change is
from the Committee on Climate infrastructure could provide a quick route accelerating. We have a once-in-a-
Change (CCC), which has published its to establishing new low carbon industries. lifetime opportunity to address these
latest progress report on efforts to cut It recommends large-scale hydrogen urgent challenges together.
emissions as we strive for net zero. trials should begin in the early 2020s “The steps that the UK takes to
From 2025, all new-build homes will and a funding mechanism is needed rebuild from the Covid-19 pandemic
need to be built with low carbon heating. for the operational costs of early can accelerate the transition to a
The UK’s 29 million existing deployment of industrial electrification successful and low carbon economy and
homes and all commercial and public and hydrogen use as well as CCS. improve our climate resilience. Choices
buildings will need to switch away The CCC also suggests it is a that lock-in emissions or climate risks
from fossil-fuelled boilers towards low good time to raise fuel duty. It says are unacceptable.”

BRITISH GAS OWNER PLANS TO LAUNCH CHEAPER ENERGY RIVAL

THE UK'S BIGGEST household energy frills service on this platform, however landscape continues to evolve.
supplier, British Gas, will soon face a final name has yet to be decided. Until recently supply was dominated
competition from a new, cheaper British Gas, once the sole supplier of by the Big Six, but the market is
supplier from its own stable. gas to the country, is still the dominant changing. Incomer Ovo recently bought
Parent Centrica has been trialling force in energy supply with more than major supplier SSE, and medium-sized
a digital-only challenger brand under seven million customers, but it faces players such as Shell-backed First
the name British Gas X amid the highly tough competition. Last year alone it Utility are making inroads.
competitive world of energy supply. lost almost 290,000 customers. Meanwhile, a clutch of smaller
The BBC reports that the company Energy regulator Ofgem says there entrants have tried and failed to make
has been shedding customers and in are currently around 60 suppliers money in this market, with more than
June said it would cut 5,000 jobs. operating around the country, and the 20 going under in the past year.
A test website for British Gas X
is already up and running. It says
the service is designed for "digitally
savvy" customers, with everything RMC42 / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
done online.
It also says customers can "switch
at any time with no exit fees" and that
the energy they use will be offset from
"100 per cent renewable" sources.
Centrica plans to base its new no- BRITISH GAS FACES TOUGH COMPETITION FROM NO-FRILLS SUPPLIERS

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News.indd 4 16/07/2020 15:42