Time to re-set plans

29th Jul 2024

 

I know politicians get a raw deal when it comes to trusting what they say, but over the last few weeks the actual words uttered by the most senior figures in government deserve to be acted upon.

Let’s recap. The Labour Party in the election campaign made the following commitment in their manifesto:- “Nobody will be forced to rip out their boiler as a result of our plans.” This was then followed up by the now Energy Secretary, in an interview with the Daily Telegraph, saying this:- “On home heating – as we said in our manifesto – no one’s going to be forced to rip out their boiler. We’re absolutely clear about that. We haven’t stuck with the Government’s 2035 target when you can’t replace your gas boiler.”

Now in power, the Prime Minister last week was reported as saying the new government will not tell households to get rid of their gas boilers saying: “I am not going to tell people what to do with their boilers. This is not about bearing down on individuals, imposing a disproportionate burden on them.”

Given all this evidence, it boils down to whether we take their words at face value. My strongest advice is to also read what the new PM has said about restoring trust in politics. So, what then does this all mean?

It means we can now plan ahead for the next five years with a greater degree of certainty. It implies that full electrification of heat, by definition, is off the agenda in the near-term, possibly for ever. It also suggests that there is a heightened degree of interest in energy costs faced by the consumer. And given everything that has been written about the state of the nation’s finances, there is no public money either.

So, time to sit down and re-set plans to decarbonise homes. The ‘one-size fits all’ approach is off the table. Let’s look at all the options – heat pumps and boilers and yes, that includes hybrid options. Time for the adults to once again control the agenda on this and not those with fanatical obsessions.