UK Power Networks has outlined plans to plans to help reduce the carbon impact of heating and asks for ideas and comment.
Heat accounts for over a third of total UK CO2 emissions. UK Power Networks is now consulting on strategy for its three networks in London, the East and South East of England.
The document sets out a short-term strategy to begin facilitating the uptake of heat pumps and support early entrants to the market. It aims to help electricity networks understand, mitigate and prepare for the potential impact of electric heating, and will show UK Power Networks where to focus.
The first step is to establish how electricity networks can support the decarbonisation of the two million homes in the UK that are not connected to the gas network and are instead burning oil or coal for heating.
Ian Cameron, head of customer service and innovation at UK Power Networks said: “We undertook an extensive stakeholder engagement programme in the fast-moving electric vehicle sector, which demonstrated how important it is to work closely and collaboratively with as much of the industry as possible. Building on our experience with electric vehicles, we know that the best solutions come from collaborations, often with firms and people that are newcomers to the energy industry.”
UK Power Networks surveyed attendees at a recent event and found two thirds of housing developers polled are considering installing low carbon heating in forthcoming developments, and that almost half (40%) view initial upfront costs the biggest barrier to delivering low carbon heat.
Download the UK Power Networks Heat Strategy and take part in the consultation here
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