Page 7 - Gi_March2022

industry & government news

NET ZERO: GOVERNMENT NOT DOING ENOUGH TO MEET

2050 CLIMATE CHANGE TARGET, REPORT CLAIMS

The report calls on the government to expected to replace them by.
come forward with a public awareness In response to the report, Professor
campaign to explain to the public how Joe Howe, Chair of the North West
their heating systems in their homes Hydrogen Alliance and Executive
will change and the potential costs and Director, Energy Research Institute at
benefits of this transition. the University of Chester, said: “There’s
As households face the highest no doubt that, in order to hit ambitious
energy costs in living memory, climate change targets, rapid change
the committee is also urging the and progressive energy policies are
THE COMMITTEE FEARS THE UK WILL MISS ITS NET ZERO TARGET government to be transparent about needed – with challenges for both
how its plans will help consumers. industries and communities. With the
THE UK GOVERNMENT needs to do Darren Jones, Chair of the BEIS scale of the challenge laid out by the
more to help the country meet its 2050 Committee, said: “Replacing gas boilers committee, we can’t afford to gamble
net zero target, a new report has claimed. is a huge task and we are not making on one solution being the low carbon
Its current approach to decarbonising anywhere near enough progress. As it saviour, it’ll take multiple answers and
residential heating lacks clear direction stands, we will miss our net zero target. a genuine energy mix.
and current policies are not of the scale “The government must act urgently “It’s surprising that hydrogen
necessary to achieve the 2050 goal, to help speed up delivery and support features so little in the decarbonising
the Business, Energy and Industrial bill payers and workers who will be heat report, particularly given the
Strategy (BEIS) Committee said. affected by the change. extensive, ongoing work to build a UK
It commissioned an inquiry examining “Bill payers today are deeply worried hydrogen economy, and demonstrate
the path to decarbonising heating in about their energy costs, with many that its use for heat is safe, affordable
homes and how the government has fared. people struggling to afford to heat their and viable for consumers.
The committee found the government’s homes. Most people don’t realise that “The government should continue
Heat and Buildings Strategy did not set their gas boiler will need to be replaced to embrace hydrogen as an answer to
out how its heat decarbonisation targets within the next 10 to 15 years. net zero. It’s repeatedly been shown
will be met and what contingencies are in “The government and energy that it could be key to both promoting
place if the target is missed, reports The i companies should explain to bill consumer choice – as an alternative to
newspaper. payers why switching away from gas heat pump installation – and increasing
It also criticised the current pace of and insulating our homes is not only energy security and resilience.
change and urged the government to important in tackling climate change, “Given the current climate and debate
bring forward a heat decarbonisation but also a route to reducing energy bills.” around our reliance on overseas sources,
sector deal to help develop low carbon Boris Johnson announced last year a domestic hydrogen supply could be
heating technologies and scale up the that new gas boilers would be banned key to not only the net zero mission, but
heat pump market to meet its target of by 2035, but no clear date has been stability in energy bills for homes and
600,000 heat pumps a year by 2028. set as to when exactly households are energy-intensive industries alike.”

GOVERNMENT INTRODUCES £179M ENERGY
EFFICIENCY SCHEME FOR SOCIAL HOUSING

THE GOVERNMENT HAS unveiled a Performance Certificate (EPC) rating
new £179 million investment drive of D or lower receive upgrades to
to improve the energy efficiency of improve their energy efficiency and
social housing to reduce emissions reduce carbon emissions. Funding
and cut back on spiralling energy can be used to fit insulation, replace additional 9,000 green jobs, with
costs for households. windows and install technologies like carbon savings across the housing
The money is being issued through heat pumps and solar panels, reports sector expected to equal taking 6,000
the government’s £3.8 billion Social sustainability website edie. cars off the road.
Housing Decarbonisation Fund and Upgrades are expected to be Currently, around 46 per cent of the
will attempt to increase the amount completed by the end of March 2023, UK’s housing stock is meeting EPC C
of social housing stock that meets the with 69 projects allocated financial or above, compared to just nine per
government’s threshold of EPC band C support as part of a demonstrator. cent in 2008. The amount of social
standard or higher. Funding is allocated to local authorities housing meeting this requirement
The government claims the new who will work with social housing has risen by 18 per cent to 66 per cent
funding will help 20,000 social providers to deliver the upgrades. in the same timeframe, according to
housing properties with an Energy The new funding will create an government figures.

07

24/02/2022 10:36
News.indd 2
News.indd 2 24/02/2022 10:36