Welsh Government Calls for the Majority of Heating Needs to Transition to Electric
The sale of 5,800 heat pumps for central heating in Wales in 2023 was significantly lower compared to the 80,000 gas boilers sold.
The Welsh government emphasized the need to heat most homes with electricity, particularly through the use of heat pumps, as part of their strategy to achieve net-zero emissions. This initiative aligns with Wales’s broader objective of fulfilling 100 percent of its electricity demand with renewables by 2035.
Heat pumps operate on electricity and function in a manner similar to a refrigerator in reverse, extracting energy from the air or ground. Jeremy Miles, former Cabinet secretary for economy and energy, referred to the challenge as “significant” in the newly released Heat Strategy.
The report highlights that approximately 50 percent of energy use in Wales is attributed to heating, thereby emphasizing the importance of the Heat Strategy in meeting the net-zero commitment by 2050. Electrification is deemed as the primary solution for the majority of building heating.
In 2023, only 5,800 heat pumps were sold for central heating in Wales, contrasting with the significant number of gas boilers. The government aims to install 580,000 heat pumps by 2035.
Prior to the implementation of their plans, the Welsh government stressed that heat pumps are more efficient than gas boilers, but challenges arise due to the pricing disparity between electricity and gas. They urged the UK Government to adjust the cost of electricity relative to gas to benefit consumers.
Despite Wales having relatively low carbon emissions at a global scale, the Future Generations Act compels the country to take action in promoting the well-being of future generations.
Skill Shortage
A recent survey by innovation charity Nesta indicated that the UK heat pump industry requires a tenfold increase in installers to meet net-zero targets. Estimates suggest that around 50,000 installers may be necessary by 2030, with government grants covering half of the costs of heat pump installation.
Affluent Groups
Concerns have been raised by the House of Commons Committee of Public Accounts regarding the distribution of heat pump subsidies to affluent households. The government’s Boiler Upgrade Scheme, launched in April 2022, provides grants to replace fossil fuel heating with heat pumps, but issues persist regarding the affordability and running costs of heat pumps compared to gas boilers.
