Renewable Energy Association lay out vision for future of heat in buildings

• Renewable Energy Association respond to Government call for evidence for a future framework for heat in buildings
• Government regulation and intervention is essential to decarbonise heating in the off-gas-grid market, phasing out high-carbon heating, says Renewable Energy Association

Commenting on the REA’s response to the governments “A future framework for heat in buildings: call for evidence”, Frank Askov, Policy Analyst at the Renewable Energy Association, said:

“To meet the UK’s target of reducing carbon emissions by 80% in 2050, heating must be almost completely decarbonised. This transition requires a strong steer from the Government and the introduction of ambitious policies.”

Phasing out the installation of high-carbon fossil fuel heating, as seen in Denmark, was announced by the Government in its Clean Growth Strategy and is supported by the industry.

“We welcome phasing out the installations of new polluting technologies, such as oil boilers, and believe it should apply by 2025. We should no longer install high-carbon fossil fuel heating systems, when brilliant alternatives such as heat pumps and biomass boilers are available.

“Together with the phase-out, we call for the introduction of oil boiler scrappage scheme, tax breaks, carbon taxation, and variable stamp duty. The phase-out cannot stand alone, but need to be implemented together with a range of other policies that will create the demand for low-carbon heating, and help the market reduce costs. For heating, there is no single silver bullet – we instead need a buckshot of policies to decarbonise heat”.

Some of the Renewable Energy Association’s main proposals include:

• Government regulation and intervention is essential to decarbonise heating in the off-gas-grid market, phasing out high-carbon heating
• The REA & WHA supports a phase-out of high-carbon fossil fuel heating, such as oil boilers, LPG, coal, by 2025
• Biomass boilers, heat pumps, solar thermal, biogas, geothermal, and in part bioliquids & bioLPG, will be the main technology choices for reducing heating emissions from off gas grid households
• Supporting training, standards and skills development of off-gas-grid installer is essential to transition to low-carbon heating
• The REA & WHA also calls for an implementation of carbon taxation, tax breaks, Oil Boiler scrappage scheme, and variable stamp duty and council tax for the domestic market
• For the non-domestic market, an amending Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme, Enhanced Capital Allowances, and Enterprise Investment Schemes would help the transition

—ENDS—

For more information or to request an interview, please contact:

Mark Hofman
External Affairs Manager
+44 (0)20 7981 0862
[email protected]

Notes to editors

• On 19th March 2018, the Government published a Call for Evidence on a future framework for heat in buildings. This call for evidence is the first step towards determining the policies for low-carbon heating in the 2020s, and importantly to build consensus for Government action. It is the key consultation on the future policy framework and will lay the grounds for the Government’s low-carbon heat strategy.

About the Renewable Energy Association (REA)

The Renewable Energy Association represents renewable energy producers and promotes the use of all forms of renewable energy in the UK across power, heat, transport and recycling. It is the largest renewable energy and clean technology (including energy storage and electric vehicles) trade association in the UK, with around 550 members, ranging from major multinationals to sole traders.