MPs urged to back affordable green heating campaign for oil heated homes

Local MPs representing rural constituencies are warned not to overlook 1.7m oil-heated UK homes.

The MPs are being urged to call on the government to deliver more affordable low carbon heating solutions for their off-grid constituents.

Under its current plans, Labour is focused on encouraging households to switch to heat pumps. However, there are growing concerns that the challenges rural homes reliant on oil heating will face to switch to a heat pump are being overlooked.

Some oil households could face costs of over £20,000 to make the switch. This is due to the complex heating system and energy efficiency upgrades required for the heat pump technology to work effectively.

In response, OFTEC, the trade association for off-gas grid heating, is urging MPs representing rural constituencies to support a campaign for more affordable low carbon heating solutions for oil heated homes.

The call comes ahead of the government’s Warm Homes Plan, set to be published this autumn, which will outline proposals for transitioning homes onto greener heating systems.

Malcolm Farrow, from OFTEC, commented: “We are all going to have to make changes to the way we heat our homes to cut our emissions and play our part in tackling climate change. Heat pumps undoubtedly have an important role to play, but the reality is many oil heated homes cannot adopt this solution without expensive and disruptive changes.

“If you live in an older property in a rural area, you will be well aware that these buildings tend to be less well insulated and can often be difficult to modernise. If improvements aren’t made, then a heat pump won’t work as effectively, making it harder and more expensive to keep the house heated to a comfortable temperature. That’s why an alternative approach is needed.”

OFTEC, together with manufacturers, installers and fuel distributors, is urging the government to instead support the use of renewable liquid fuels, such as Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO), for home heating. These fuels can be used in existing oil boiler and tank, reducing the high upfront costs associated with other technologies.

Huge support

A complete switch to HVO can reduce emissions by nearly 90%, although it is likely that the fuel would initially be introduced as a blend with kerosene. Around 150 homes, businesses, schools, pubs and village halls have already successfully adopted HVO as part of a real world demonstration project running over the past three years.

A recent survey of over 2,000 oil heated households found more than 95% support for these types of fuels.

Malcolm added: “Renewable liquid fuels offer a more practical and affordable solution for many oil heated homes, and we believe consumers should be given a choice over the heating systems they use in their home. The good news is that HVO is already widely available and is used as a transport fuel.

“We want to see the government equalise the duty applied to these fuels with that of kerosene when it is used for home heating, and also invoke the legislation in the 2023 Energy Act to create a renewable liquid heating fuel obligation.

“That’s why we’re urging MPs who represent oil homes to engage with the government and ensure their constituents are not left behind.”

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