When will gas boilers be banned?

The government has announced that by 2025 all new homes will be banned from installing gas and oil boilers, to be replaced by low-carbon heating system alternatives.

Why is the government banning gas boilers?

The government has to meet a target of being net carbon zero by 2050. The Committee on Climate Change recently published a report on housing in the United Kingdom entitled ‘Fit for the future?’. It contained recommendations that fossil fuel heating be replaced with renewable alternatives such as heat pumps.

Key findings of the report were:

• the UK’s legally-binding climate change targets will not be met without the near-complete elimination of greenhouse gas emissions from UK buildings.
• emissions reductions from the UK’s 29 million homes have stalled, while energy use in homes – which accounts for 14% of total UK emissions – increased between 2016 and 2017.
• efforts to adapt the UK’s housing stock to the impacts of the changing climate: for higher average temperatures, flooding and water scarcity, are lagging far behind what is needed to keep us safe and comfortable, even as these climate change risks grow.

Based on those findings the current path of the home heating industry is unsustainable, which is why gas boilers are in the firing line.

Are heat pumps a good alternative?

Heat pumps are more efficient than boilers and provide approx 3-4 kWh heat energy for every 1 kWh of electrical energy input. This results in low emissions and therefore cheaper energy bills for homeowners – something which everyone could do with at the moment!

Will gas boiler systems be banned in the near future?

However as very experienced gas engineers we have seen this as a recurring theme over the years. As far back as 2014 the government was promising a conversion away from gas boilers in the UK, but the reality is that unless you have a new build the low-carbon alternative boilers may not be suitable for your property.

Here at MP Plumbing our view is that they won’t be banned for a very long time. All the new boilers are ‘hydrogen ready’ and eventually they will start pumping hydrogen down our gas main instead of natural gas.

What is the likeliest outcome?

It may well turn out that only gas-fired boilers that can be connected to a hydrogen gas supply can be purchased in the future, though this is pending actual legislation or policy changes.

I need a new boiler, what should I do?

If you need help installing a new gas boiler, we’d be happy to help advise you on the most future proof solution, while our team of trained gas engineers can deliver fast and efficient heating system solutions in the Bristol area.