The United Kingdom just walked back its promise to phase out gas boilers, as reported by the Guardian.
What happened?
The government has dropped its 2035 plan to stop selling new gas boilers, backing away from a policy meant to clean up home heating.
The Future Homes Standard, a plan slated to be published in the near future, will not require people to switch to efficient, money-saving heat pumps when replacing old boilers after 2035. Instead, homeowners will still be able to buy less efficient gas ones.
The energy used to heat homes in Great Britain and Northern Ireland was responsible for nearly a fifth of its pollution in 2021. The Guardian further contextualized this by stating that each UK gas boiler produces as much planet-overheating pollution as seven transatlantic flights every year.
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Why is this reversal concerning?
A recent study found that homes equipped with heat pumps and solar panels would save families in three-bedroom houses nearly $58,000 on energy bills over the course of a 25-year mortgage. The policy reversal means home heating will be more expensive for everyday people.
Jess Ralston, the head of energy at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, explained to the Guardian that "every home we insulate and heat pump we install means we need less gas that will increasingly come from abroad as North Sea output continues its inevitable decline."
Ralston continued: "Customers and industry knowing what long-term, stable incentives and policies will be in place is essential to add confidence to the insulation and heating sectors."
What's being done about home heating?
Some bright spots remain. The UK government kept its $9,300 heat pump grant program to help homeowners switch.
You can take control of your own home heating bills by exploring heat pump options now. Combining them with solar panels and battery storage creates a home energy system that slashes bills while protecting our shared future.
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Definitely 👍 Making the switch early puts you ahead of the curve and keeps more money in your pocket.
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