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industry & government news

DECARBONISATION OF HEAT WILL FAIL WITHOUT

CHOICE OF OPTIONS, EUA REPORT SAYS

HEAT PUMPS ALONE will not solve and potential changes to hot water
the question of UK domestic heat cylinders should combi-boilers be WORCESTER BOSCH
decarbonisation, and must be supported replaced with heat pumps.
by a mosaic of heating solutions, While heat pumps will play a vital
including a hydrogen gas network, if the role in the UK’s net zero transition
UK is to deliver on its net zero ambition, – for between seven and 10 million
a new report has revealed. homes there are no limiting factors to
Published by the Energy and Utilities installation – the EUA report findings
Alliance (EUA) in partnership with show that for existing UK housing stock,
Leeds Beckett University and UK levels of disruption and association
gas distribution networks Cadent, costs, as well as lack of available space,
Northern Gas Networks, SGN, and mean heat pumps will be an optimal
Wales & West Utilities, Decarbonising solution for a minority of properties.
heat in buildings: putting consumers The independent analysis finds that
first takes a deep dive into UK housing for eight to 13 million homes – 37 to 54
stock old and new. per cent of the 22.7 million homes using
It explores the challenges of retrofitting gas – lack of exterior space and thermal
various low carbon heating technologies properties of building fabric mean a HYDROGEN BOILERS ARE JUST ONE
into dwellings vastly differing in size, age, heat pump is not capable of meeting ASPECT OF THE NET ZERO SOLUTION
and construction, as well as customer the space requirement of the property,
acceptance of these solutions. or can only do so through disruptive systems such as radiators.
The report also highlights that measures such as solid wall insulation. “Levels of disruption to people in
although energy efficiency will be The report recommends their use their homes and associated costs
crucial to net zero targets, some must be supported by a decarbonised gas mean heat pumps will be a solution
measures supporting heat pump rollout network carrying a gas such as hydrogen, for a minority of properties only, so
will be intrusive to install, and less zero carbon at the point of use. hydrogen, biogas, and hybrid systems
acceptable to energy customers. Mike Foster, Chief Executive of the EUA need to play a significant role in the
And in addition to examining external said: “Heat pumps will play a key role in decarbonisation of heat in order to
building fabric, the report recommends the future of heat, however it’s important support our 2050 net zero ambition.
further analysis should be undertaken to recognise that for them to work “This analysis shows a house-by-
to consider the internal system changes effectively as the sole heating source, the house heating solution is needed,
needed for heat pumps and hydrogen building needs to be thermally efficient, and any thoughts to carve up the UK
boilers. This includes the suitability of and they require internal and external and force regional solutions upon
radiators for the low carbon transition, space as well as changes to internal consumers will be doomed to fail.”

MORE THAN HALF OF UK CONSUMERS

‘CONSIDER INSTALLING RENEWABLES AT HOME’

MORE THAN HALF of UK consumers three-in-four Brits agree that we all
are looking to embrace more clean have a role to play to help the planet
energy at home as they consider become more sustainable.
SOLAR POWER IS A POPULAR
installing renewable energy sources, The research of 1,000 consumers OPTION AMONGST HOMEOWNERS
reports Energy Live News. also finds that energy costs remain an
A new survey by the professional issue for many, with 55 per cent of the over a wider area than before, and this
services company GHD suggests of respondents saying that they struggle to is causing a re-think about baseline
those who are willing to bring more pay their monthly energy bills, at least stability and how grids operate.
green measures to their homes, the occasionally. “This is not just about renewable
majority would consider installing For 12 per cent of respondents, the electricity: while we will see
solar panels. issue is a frequent or constant challenge. much greater use of decarbonised
In the meantime, more than half Dr David Maunder, Technical Leader – electricity in many existing and
would prioritise the purchase of Future Energy at GHD, said: “The amount new applications, such as in electric
hydrogen boilers, hydrogen batteries of energy used in the home in the UK vehicles, we also need to decarbonise
and ground source heat pumps. is at its highest thanks to a greater other parts of our energy system, such
The analysis shows more than concentration of people using electricity as our gas networks.”

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