Latest news with #NationalInfrastructureCommission
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
What are heat pumps and how much do they cost?
A planning restriction that prevented heat pumps being installed within a metre of a neighbour's property has been removed. The government hopes the move will encourage more people to install the low-carbon technology. However, installation rates will need to increase substantially if the government wants to meet its target of 600,000 heat pumps being fitted each year by 2028. Planning change to make installing heat pump easier for millions Heat pumps run on electricity instead of gas. They warm buildings by absorbing and amplifying heat from the air, ground, or water. They are widely seen as the best way of cutting emissions of carbon dioxide - a planet-warming gas - from home heating, which accounts for 14% of the UK's carbon emissions. Heat pumps are more efficient than gas boilers and can use electricity generated from increasingly clean sources, as wind and solar power replace polluting fossil fuels. Air-source pumps - the most common type - suck in outdoor air and pass it over tubes containing refrigerant fluids which concentrate and boost the warmth to produce heat. The system consists of a box measuring about 1m x 1m x 0.4m which stands outside the property, as well as a heat pump unit and hot water cylinder inside the property. The indoor unit is about the size of a gas boiler, while the cylinder depends on the size of the home. Ground-source heat pumps are more efficient than air-source models. However, they are typically more expensive and less commonly used, as they require either a deep bore hole or a horizontal system dug into the ground over a large area. An air-source heat pump typically costs about £10,000 more than a gas boiler, according to the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC). Installation costs can vary greatly depending on the changes needed to fit the pump into a property. To encourage people to make the switch, the Boiler Upgrade Scheme provides a grant of £7,500 to help with the extra costs in England and Wales. However, the UK's spending watchdog warned in 2024 that costs remain too high for many. The grant can be used for existing homes and non-domestic buildings in England and Wales. The property must have an eligible Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), issued in the last 10 years. Changes to the rules mean homes are no longer required to have existing loft or cavity wall insulation, which could save around £2,500 in upfront costs. A well-insulated home can help a heat pump perform more efficiently. The scheme is not available if you live in social housing or a new-build property. Tenants in private rented accommodation are also eligible but the landlord has to apply. Scotland, external and Northern Ireland, external have separate schemes to help make homes more efficient. Check if you are eligible for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme Ofgem: Upgrading your boiler Find a certified installer While the upfront costs are currently substantial, heat pumps could become cheaper to run than gas boilers, according to the Climate Change Committee (CCC), which advises the UK government on cutting emissions. The cost depends on individual energy prices and how efficiently the heat pump works. Electric heat pumps use much less energy than gas boilers, but electricity typically costs more than gas. Energy deals designed for heat pump owners can also help households make savings. The CCC has called on the government to prioritise making electricity cheaper for everyone, which would make heat pumps more attractive. Previously, homeowners needed planning permission if they wanted to put a heat pump within one metre of their neighbour's property - because of concerns over noise. The rule was dropped in May to accelerate the uptake of heat pumps. Concerns over noise are also less of an issue with newer devices, though units will still be required to be below a certain volume level. The level has been set at 42db which is a similar output to that of a fridge. The planning changes also include a relaxation of the rules for the size and number of heat pumps households can install. Rates of heat pump installation in the UK are lower than in other major European countries, such as France, Germany and Italy. But sales are increasing. Nearly 100,000 heat pumps were sold in 2024, up from about 60,000 in 2023, according to the Heat Pump Association. However, the CCC says this number needs to rise to nearly 450,000 a year by 2030 and 1.5 million by 2035 to help meet climate targets. It says around half of UK homes need to have heat pumps by 2040. Significantly more trained heat pump installers are needed to achieve this. There is no requirement to replace your existing boiler before the end of its life. Households can still buy a new gas boiler if they wish. However, the CCC recommends that all new home heating should be low-carbon after 2035. Most of this will mean using heat pumps, but it acknowledges that other approaches may be more appropriate in some cases - such as direct electric heating in homes with lower heat demand. But the CCC wants the government to rule out the possible use of hydrogen in home heating to provide certainty to customers and industry. A simple guide to climate change Four ways climate change worsens extreme weather What you can do to reduce carbon emissions Sign up for our Future Earth newsletter to keep up with the latest climate and environment stories with the BBC's Justin Rowlatt. Outside the UK? Sign up to our international newsletter here.
The Guardian
20-03-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
UK must spend £1.5bn a year on flood defences to protect public, experts warn
Spending on flood defences will fall off a cliff edge next year, a report warns, calling on the chancellor to commit at least £1.5bn a year in the spending review to protect the economy and the public. Nearly 2 million people across the UK are exposed to flooding every year, which is equivalent to the combined populations of Birmingham, Sheffield and Newcastle upon Tyne. A third of England's critical infrastructure – including roads, railways, energy networks and water systems – is also at risk, jeopardising national security. The physical impact of flood events to property, buildings and transport infrastructure costs £2.4bn annually, economists say in the report by Public First. But the knock-on impact continues for years to come. 'Each year of flood events causes a decade-long downward pressure on the economy worth at least £6.1bn,' the report says. Current spending on flood defences is £1.3bn, less than the £1.5bn recommended by the National Infrastructure Commission. The Labour government has no commitment beyond next year for flood defences and the affordability of future funding for flood defences has been under review by the Treasury since last year's autumn statement. Emma Howard Boyd, a visiting professor at the Grantham Research Institute and former chair of the Environment Agency, who spearheaded the report, said the chancellor had an opportunity in the spending review to lead where previous administrations had fallen short. 'Given the condition of existing flood risk management assets has degraded further since the recommendation, it is likely that more than £1.5bn a year is required to sufficiently increase flood resilience in England.' She added: 'Every £1 invested in flood defences prevents around £8 of damage – £3 of that is a direct saving to the government because more than a third of the damage is to publicly owned infrastructure such as roads, railways, schools and hospitals.' Flood risk is growing sharply across the country. Latest EA data warns 6.3m properties, residential homes and businesses are in areas at risk of flooding from rivers, seas and surface water. By 2050, the impact of the climate crisis means one in four – about 8m – residential and business properties will be at risk of flooding. Howard Boyd said that the government must ensure that, in fulfilling its target to build 1.5m new homes, it kept people safe. The Guardian has revealed more than 100,000 of the new properties are very likely to be built on the highest risk flood plains unless the government intervenes, putting people's livelihoods and homes under threat. Leading insurance experts are calling for no more new homes to be built on flood plains. The Public First research shows that the majority, 74%, of the top 10% of English constituencies facing the greatest vulnerability to flooding are Labour-held seats. Polling for the report showed 66% of people do not think the country or their local area is prepared to deal with future flooding.
Reuters
21-02-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Report urges more proactive UK grid investments to help decarbonisation
OSLO, Feb 21 (Reuters) - Britain's electricity distribution network is facing a fundamental role change to deliver the country's net zero emissions target, requiring more proactive investments, a report from a government-appointed commission found on Friday. Distribution networks deliver electricity to homes and businesses and are highly regulated, with companies given an annual allowance for expenditures, so-called price controls, to protect customers from unnecessarily high grid use costs. However, the current regulatory process was too complex and focused on short-term costs, rather than the wider goals of economic growth and decarbonisation, the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) said in its latest report. The UK aims to reach net zero emissions by 2050. "Price controls will need to be reformed to enable proactive investment," it added. Power demand in Britain is set to rise by around 50% by 2035 and double by 2050 as heating, transport and industry increasingly turn to electricity to decarbonise, the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) said in its latest report. This could require nationwide investments of 37-50 billion British pounds ($47-$63 billion) in the distribution network between today and 2050, at least double current price control levels, the report said. While the exact timing of the new demand was uncertain, waiting for it to materialise risked investing too late, creating bottlenecks and delays, it added. Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) Distribution, a subsidiary of SSE (SSE.L), opens new tab, welcomed the report and hoped its finding would be reflected when regulator Ofgem set the next round of price controls starting in 2028. "SSEN shares the NIC's view that any impact on customer bills will be limited, and expects that in the longer term, this additional efficient investment will ultimately help keep costs lower for consumers overall," the company said. ($1 = 0.7910 pounds)
