#Off grid heating upgrade#

While an eventual transition to heat pumps is the desired outcome, the current all-or-nothing approach of the government, through the 2026 end date for the installation of fossil fuel heating as well as the ‘heat pump first’ approach, places an unfair and disproportionate burden on off-grid properties. When it comes to the proposed regulations, concern has been expressed over rural communities not being adequately communicated to or engaged with – meaning they risk not understanding either what they are or what their implications could be. Policy support for off-grid properties needs to set out long-term certainty to allow those households ready for low carbon heating systems to transition at pace. It is important for government to show consistency in its approach to decarbonising heat in off-grid properties. In the long term, what off-grid homes need is tailored support around fabric first energy efficiency measures including loft insulation, bringing down bills and paving the way for low-carbon heating systems. As it stands, placed against the unique challenges facing those off the grid, the proposed approach risks failing to adequately help households decarbonise. Alongside the strategy, government also put out a new call for evidence ‘Phasing Out the Installation of Fossil Fuel Heating in Homes Off the Gas Grid’ – the results of this consultation are of great importance to many rural off-grid households. Of particular relevance for some off-grid households, the strategy sets a ‘clear ambition for industry to reduce the cost of installing a heat pump by 50 percent by 2025 and to ensure heat pumps are no more expensive to buy and run than gas boilers by 2030’. In October 2021, the government launched the Heat and Buildings Strategy to outline the transition to net zero heating.

#Off grid heating upgrade#

The funding and incentive support currently available, including the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, will contribute to the transition to low carbon heating and the uptake of heat pumps – however there remain major barriers for those properties that are currently unsuitable for heat pump installation. These issues are exacerbated in the current cost-of-living crisis and the associated rise in energy prices. They are often a lot older and tend to be poorly insulated. Many off-grid properties are not uniform in design and idiosyncratic in character. While low carbon options are cheaper in the long run, they have high up-front costs that many rural households are unable to afford. The costs of living off the gas grid will depend on the fuel source. On the one hand, there are factors which exacerbate the cost-of-living issue for those living off-grid whilst on the other, challenges around decarbonisation are currently not well reflected in policy. In the current political and economic context, these homes and businesses face a myriad of unique place, property and personal challenges that need to be addressed in order to bring all households along on the journey of heat decarbonisation. Geography is the principal reason why many domestic and commercial properties will be off the gas grid, with a higher percentage of households in rural areas generally off the grid than in urban areas. The task of decarbonising off-grid homes – around four million households across the UK – warrants particular consideration.

While measures around new buildings will be important, decarbonising nation’s existing housing stock is a priority for net zero policy, given that 80% of the houses people will be living in by 2050 have already been built today.

The UK’s housing stock represents one of the most significant challenges to overcome in achieving net zero emissions by 2050.