What You Need to Know About the Gas Boiler Ban

Yes, they are being phased out although implementation of this ban is still unclear although it will be happening. The government has announced that the date will be brought forward to 2023 instead of 2025 as it plans to align this change with its net-zero plans for 2050. However, this new date was then removed from the report that the government released with no new date added. So, currently, the government has recognised that an error occurred although it has stated that they want the date implemented as soon as possible and in the shortest time frame. Whichever way you look at this, the government wants all new homes to be powered by low-carbon energy and not connected to the gas grid. However, it is not just gas boilers that are being banned in the future, all fossil-fuel boilers will be banned. So, with gas being the main type of boiler, it is understandable that people are concerned.

The majority of us are aware of the impact that carbon dioxide is having on our planet. As it currently stands, we are heading towards our sixth mass extinction and if we want to change the outcome, we all need to act quickly. The UK has identified the problem and now wants to make the necessary change to ensure that it hits the climate change targets by 2030. Therefore, a ban on gas boilers is the start of the change.

In the UK, around 14% of greenhouse gas emissions come from homes and this mainly comes from those gas boilers that keep us warm and comfortable all year round. If we want to make sure that our country meets its carbon-neutral target then we are going to need to make a switch. In fact, it has been identified that the UK won’t hit these targets unless it removes most of the greenhouse gas emissions from homes. Essentially, this means that we need to get rid of gas, which is a challenge because 85% of homes are now using gas, so what does the future look like when it comes to banning gas and making a change?

The future is going to be different and our reliance on gas is going to change. Once the ban comes into force, it will mean that all new homes will utilise low-carbon heat pumps and heat networks that will provide the heat they need. This is a big and bold move but one that could see more than 2.5 million heat pumps installed in new homes by 2030 as part of the drive to become carbon-neutral.

So, if we are moving away from gas, what alternative will we use? Hydrogen is one possible solution that could be used to provide heating to homes and when combined with hydrogen, it could mean that everyone continues to stay warm and comfortable, all whilst helping to reduce the impact on our planet.