Concerns about climate change have never been more relevant than today. As the world warms, we are likely to experience more extreme weather events, which is why the world’s leaders came together at the Climate Summit COP26 to agree tough targets to reduce our carbon emissions and prevent the damage that global warming will bring.
The UK led the world when it became the first country back in 2019 to set a target to reduce emissions to net zero by 2050, and if other countries follow suit there is a chance of staying below a 1.5°C rise – the figure considered the threshold for dangerous climate change.
So what is the government doing and how will it affect you?
It is thought that a quarter of all carbon emissions produced in the UK come from heating and powering our homes and workplaces*. To address this, the UK government announced their Heat and Buildings Strategy which aims to decarbonise our homes in order to reach the goal of net zero by 2050.
The strategy includes a pledge of £3.9 billion in government funding to help householders with their decarbonising efforts and this includes a boiler upgrade support scheme that will launch in April 2022.
The government plans to start the decarbonisation process with homes that are not on the gas grid, such as those in rural locations. Their aim is to bring in new regulations, due to start taking effect from 2026, which will see an eventual end to the use of fossil fuels in off-gas-grid homes by the late 2030s.
If fossil fuels are phased out, how will I heat my home?
We have a number of options you can choose from so there’s no need to worry. While the government is promoting the use of heat pumps as a renewable energy option there are a number of other sustainable solutions householders can also consider.
Thankfully our LPG is already one of the cleanest fossil fuels there is, but better still is BioLPG, a renewable energy solution which will allow you to reduce your carbon emissions even further. BioLPG works in the same way as conventional LPG but because it’s created from a blend of waste, residues and sustainably sourced materials it offers a more sustainable way to heat your home.
When compared with oil, conventional LPG could reduce your carbon emissions by up to 16% while BioLPG could save as much as 38%!** Furthermore, LPG produces lower amounts of ash and soot than oil-fired systems, meaning maintenance and servicing costs are likely to be lower too.
If you already have an LPG heating system, changing to BioLPG couldn’t be easier. BioLPG is chemically identical to LPG, meaning it can be used in exactly the same way as LPG and with your existing LPG boiler and appliances. It’s also delivered to your home in exactly the same way as well.
For those considering switching to LPG or BioLPG, a new boiler can cost an average of £800 less than a replacement oil fired boiler, allowing you to save money as well as reduce your carbon footprint. In addition to a boiler, a storage tank is needed for LPG systems, which is a cost to keep in mind, but there are many options to choose from to find the best solution for your home. You can view all the available installation options here.
Hybrid heating systems
Another option that is likely to become more common is a hybrid heating system, which involves the use of two or more technologies combined to provide heating and hot water for your home.
A good example would be combining an LPG tank and boiler with an Air Source Heat Pump creating a highly energy-efficient system. A heat pump will typically generate around 80% of your home’s heating requirements with LPG providing the rest, as well as your hot water***.
Heat pumps are systems that use thermal energy, such as that naturally held in the outside air, ground or water, to warm buildings. The most common heat pumps are ground-source or air-source and as they only use a small amount of electricity to extract the energy, they are much more energy efficient and renewable than traditional fuel based options.
We now offer a hybrid system, combining your LPG boiler and tank with a Samsung Air-source heat pump to create a highly energy efficient system for your home.
The combination of the two systems lowers carbon emissions without compromising on the performance of your heating system and is particularly effective in larger properties where a heat pump alone might not be enough to heat the building.
The system’s intelligent programming automatically determines the most economical and energy efficient heating combination, so if it’s colder than usual, the LPG boiler will automatically begin supporting the heat pump to heat your home. A hybrid system will also save energy where possible, so if it’s warm enough to just rely on a heat pump, it will be able to automatically use that setting to save on energy bills.
Is there any funding available to help with costs?
People looking to install hybrid heating systems could take advantage of the grants from the government’s £450million boiler upgrade scheme - part of their Heat and Building Strategy. Available from next April, homeowners in England will be able to apply for grants of up to £5,000 to upgrade their boilers to low-carbon alternatives like heat pumps.
Prior to the boiler upgrade scheme becoming available, some hybrid system owners can also apply for the Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) which is available until the end of March 2022. In this scheme, you will receive payments from the government for 7 years based on how much renewable energy your system produces.
What is Calor doing to support the government’s Heat and Buildings Strategy targets?
We have a dedicated renewable fuels team who have been working hard to identify new ways to reach our commitment of becoming 100% renewable by 2040. This includes supplying renewable BioLPG since 2018.
We’re also working with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to help them understand the complex needs of the off-grid heating market and discussing the role of BioLPG within the government’s new Heat and Buildings Strategy.
In addition to this, we have invested in new UK facilities to produce renewable fuels, which is all great news for customers who can be assured that they are in good hands as the changes start to come into play in the future and we continue our focus on renewable energy.
Do I need to change my boiler?
The government aims to implement new regulations from 2026 with a view to bringing the use of fossil fuels in home heating systems to a complete end by the late 2030’s. This means you have plenty of time to consider your options and it also means you still use boilers in the home, as long as they are run on a renewable energy source.
If you already have an LPG boiler, or if you switch from an oil boiler to an LPG one, the good news is LPG boilers can be powered by BioLPG, a renewable heating source. This means you can use the same heating system you’ve already got in place and don’t necessarily need to purchase an entirely new system.
Fuel sources, such as BioLPG and heat pumps receive their energy from completely renewable sources so are ideal long-term solutions and will allow you to start reducing your carbon emissions as soon as you make the switch.
How do I switch to LPG or BioLPG?
If you’re using another fuel such as oil and would like to start getting ready for the changes as well as reducing your carbon footprint, you can make the transition to LPG or BioLPG with Calor.
To find out more why not get in touch with us by leaving your details on this form: https://www.calor.co.uk/home-energy/new-to-lpg/heating-enquiry or call us on 0808 301 6205 (9am - 5pm Monday to Friday).
We’ll provide you with a free personalised quote, following which we’ll conduct a site survey to identify the perfect storage solution for you. It’s easy to find an option that fits seamlessly into your home.
The next step is installing an LPG boiler. For this, you’ll need a trusty LPG qualified installer (Gas Safe Registered) who will fit it and hook up everything inside your home. You can find one through our quote tool or by using this handy LPG Boiler Installer tool. Once your boiler is installed, we’ll fit your chosen storage option****.
We hope this clears up the ins and outs of the new Heat and Building Strategy and gives you a better understanding of how and when it will affect your rural home along with the options available to you.
These changes won’t take effect immediately but there’s no harm in considering more renewable options to heat your home, such as BioLPG, and thinking about what might be right for you as the steady transition to renewable energy begins.
If you’re looking to switch fuel or move off-grid, head to our website for more information about your energy options: https://www.calor.co.uk/home-energy/using-lpg/switching-lpg-suppliers.
* https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/heat-and-buildings-strategy
** https://www.calor.co.uk/biolpg - 38% reduction in GHGs (CO2e/ eq function) compared to heating oil. Emission savings calculated based on allocation of 40% BioLPG and 60% conventional LPG. (Atlantic Consulting, 2017, a report commissioned by Calor Gas Limited)
***https://www.calor.co.uk/home-energy/hybrid
****Subject to site survey
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