Isn't Gas Being Phased Out?

The government has announced that by 2025, all new homes will be banned from installing gas and oil boilers and will instead be heated by low-carbon alternatives. The ban is part of a UK action plan to reach carbon net zero by 2050.

What does this mean?

Well, simply put this means all New Build Homes will have no option of a Natural Gas boiler installation and that another main source of heating and hot water generation must be found from the year 2025 onwards.

Is this news at all?

This "upgrade" of the heating systems installed in new homes has been going on for some time since as early as 2016 regulated by the National House-Building Council (NHBC).

What does this mean for your home boiler?

Well, simply put not a lot , the overwhelming view is that there are simply too many existing gas boilers installed presently that would need to updated to a newer financially viable technology. That said, change is obviously on the way albeit in the far distance for the majority of us that isn't buying a new home soon.

Is Hydrogen Fuel the immediate answer to our problems?

Government targets

The UK’s Hydrogen Strategy sets out the Government’s mission to meet the following targets:
• 68% reduction of emissions by 2030
• 78% reduction of emissions by 2035
• net-zero emissions by 2050

One of the ways this can be achieved is by generating 5GW of low carbon hydrogen production capacity by 2030. This will be used to power around three million of our homes as well as transport and industry. The Government is also aiming to develop the first town heated entirely by hydrogen by 2030 too.

Next steps

What does this mean for all of us? Currently, the only action we can reasonably take is to ensure the insulation in our properties is the best it can be and that our boilers are the most efficient; by just doing this, we can reduce household emissions. Hydrogen is not ‘on tap’ yet and, as 75% of our homes are heated using natural gas, it will be years before there is sufficient hydrogen capacity to rival it. But you won’t have to wait too long for the hydrogen blend. This is where natural gas and 20% hydrogen is introduced into the gas pipework, and this will be here much sooner. That’s very good news if you already have an newer boiler as these can operate normally on that blend. A minor adjustment to the boiler will be necessary, but emissions will immediately be cut by a further 20%.

Final Thoughts?

In thinking about the next ten years I believe I will be installing and repairing gas boilers for quite some time to come.