Renewables expert urges government to clarify position on ban of gas boilers by 2035

The government has backtracked on the commitment to implement the 2035 gas boiler ban and is yet to set out clear plans for low-carbon heating in new homes. But Kat Auckland, communications and projects director at Geo Green Power, has warned that this policy U-turn risks stalling progress toward the UK's green energy ambitions and delaying its climate and net-zero targets.

Gas boilers are a major source of carbon emissions, contributing significantly to climate change. With around 23 million UK homes currently using gas for heating, transitioning to greener options is a big step towards a more sustainable future.

“Residential homes contribute around 13% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions, with the main source of emissions coming from the use of natural gas for heating and cooking,” explains Auckland. “Given the devastating impact of the Climate Crisis it is nonsensical that new homes are being built without low carbon technologies such as heat pumps and solar PV.”

In recent years, government incentives and policies, like Feed-in Tariffs (FiTs) and the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI), have been key in promoting renewable energy sources like wind, solar, and biomass in the UK’s strategy to combat climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Auckland said: “With the right policies, the renewable energy industry is ready to meet this challenge. We've already done it with solar panels - solar PV installation tripled during the energy crisis to meet demand - and we can do the same with heat pumps.

“We welcome the ongoing support for homeowners to invest in heat pumps with schemes such as the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, and we understand the government’s position in wanting to ensure that technology is cost effective before imposing legislation. However, a clear policy deadline would benefit the industry, increasing demand and competition and helping to support innovation and cost reduction. It would also send a clear message to homeowners and housebuilders across the country.”

The proposed ban would have affected the 23 million UK households with an existing gas boiler. While no existing systems would have been ripped out or outlawed overnight, it was expected that once old boilers needed replacing, households would have to switch to a heat pump or other eco-friendly system to heat their home.

It’s still unclear whether there will be a ban on fossil fuel heating being installed in new homes, which could come as part of the Future Homes Standard being published later in the year. These new regulations will lay out the requirements developers will have to follow to ensure that new homes are built in a low-carbon way, aiming to reduce carbon emissions from housing by as much as 75-80%.

Regardless of the outcome, Auckland is encouraging homeowners to consider air source heat pumps as an eco-friendly option for their homes.

What makes heat pumps a greener choice than gas boilers? And why should households still consider them?

According to the Energy Saving Trust, switching to a heat pump can reduce your home’s carbon emissions by up to 70%. Heat pumps work by extracting natural heat from the air, ground, or water, running on electricity that’s increasingly powered by renewables like wind and solar.

“If you’re wondering how a heat pump delivers such a significant reduction in emissions, it’s a combination of the technology and our increasingly greener electricity supply,” says Auckland. “Heat pumps use a form of renewable, free, energy in terms of the natural heat in the environment around them whether that’s air, water or the ground. Heat pumps are therefore much more efficient than standard electric heaters and use less energy.”

The transition to sustainable heating is a big opportunity for homeowners to take control of their energy use and reduce their environmental impact.

They run on electricity which is increasingly generated through renewable sources like wind and solar, meaning they’re well worth looking into if you’re keen to create a sustainable home.

Incentivising homes to switch to renewable energy with upgrades like heat pumps and solar panels can help protect UK households from fluctuating energy prices and result in huge cost savings in the long term.

But while there is substantial value in switching to a heat pump from an environmental perspective, increased financial support is currently needed to make heat pumps more affordable, and accessible, given current installation costs.

The government’s investment in greener technologies is designed to make the switch as seamless as possible, but ongoing support as well as clearer guidance will be crucial to ensure success. Not just for homeowners, but for the renewable energy industry too.

“An increase in demand increases manufacturing output, and competition, helping to reduce the cost of installation, as we have seen in the solar PV market,” says Auckland. "As the industry stands, we do not have enough installers or a big enough supply of heat pumps to meet a 2035 boiler ban, but if we have a firm commitment from the government we can prepare.”

What existing government support is there?

The transition to heat pumps is already being encouraged through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, a grant of up to £7,500 to subsidise the swap out of existing fossil fuel heating or install low carbon heating in a newbuild property. The scheme currently runs until 2028 but is expected to be extended, and falls under the Warm Homes Plan which will be updated this Spring to provide more information on what government support will be available for the transition to more sustainable alternatives.

The Heat & Building Strategy outlined government plans to invest in making heat pumps smaller and easier to install, and reduce the cost of heat pumps so they’re no more expensive to buy and run than boilers by 2030.

It’s not just about cost, however. Older properties may require insulation upgrades or new radiators to maximise the efficiency of a heat pump. Auckland adds: “For a heat pump to perform well, your home needs to be properly insulated, have appropriate radiators and sometimes even underfloor heating. Schemes are available to help with this, but navigating the funding process isn’t always straightforward.”