Low carbon heating ‘must be more appealing to customers,’ new report suggests

The research suggests that these innovations must be achieved if the UK is to meet the challenge of dramatically reducing emissions from domestic heating, 

Heat accounts for more than 40% of the UK’s total energy demand and heating the UK’s buildings contributes roughly 20% of overall UK carbon emissions.

But today fewer than 4% of households have low carbon heating and 90% prefer gas central heating when given the choice.

ETI’s research, Consumer Challenges for Low Carbon Heat, found that consumers had concerns over costs, comfort and health.

The work also highlighted building constraints as a barrier to modifying homes and stressed the need for more simple and easy to install solutions.

The report’s author and Head of Consumer Insight at the Energy Systems Catapult, Matthew Lipson, said: “The UK will need to all but eliminate emissions from domestic heating if it is to meet its carbon targets.

“Previous measures to reduce emissions have been relatively simple, cheap and delivered benefits but the options currently available to make further step-change reductions would require households to endure more disruption for less obvious benefits.

“We need to develop ways of reducing emissions from domestic heating that are more appealing to consumers so the transition to low carbon heating on a large scale is much easier to deliver in practice.

“Any solutions will need to be underpinned by sound engineering; high quality design; appropriate technical, consumer and economic regulation; and financially viable business models. But ultimately they will need to be appealing, simple to install and easy to control.”

More details on the Consumer Challenges for Low Carbon Heat Insight, including the report, video and infographics are available at: http://www.eti.co.uk/smart-systems-and-heat-consumer-challenges-for-low-carbon-heat/