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Heating and cooling: Govt consultation on low carbon heat

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  1.  
    • CommentAuthorwookey
    • CommentTimeMay 7th 2020
     
    It's consultation time again, this time on the plan for low carbon heating and updating/replacing RHI
    https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/future-support-for-low-carbon-heat
    We have until the 7th July 2020.

    I've not looked at the details yet. Has anyone else? I expect it to be massively disappointing as BEIS really don't seem to have any idea what actions commensurate with 'declaring an emergency' might look like.
  2.  
    Domestic RHI to be replaced in 2022 by a one-off grant of £4k to install a heat pump. Biomass will be eligible only if heat pump not feasible. Payable to the installers not to the householder.

    Also support for anaerobic digestion of food waste.
  3.  
    Posted By: WillInAberdeenPayable to the installers not to the householder.

    I wonder how much of that will trickle through to the consumer by way of lower prices?
    • CommentAuthorowlman
    • CommentTimeMay 7th 2020
     
    Posted By: Peter_in_Hungary
    Posted By: WillInAberdeenPayable to the installers not to the householder.

    I wonder how much of that will trickle through to the consumer by way of lower prices?
    .

    Often these things have vague wording like " competent person " and suchlike, leaving the way open for intrepid individuals to DIY it. I did much the same with my solar thermal and then found a pro. Who for a small fee checked my work and signed it off. I purchased all the stuff myself, bought the best and still ended up saving even after the pros payment.
    • CommentAuthorJeff B
    • CommentTimeMay 8th 2020
     
    I may be biased by my less-than-good experience with domestic biomass, but I don't think a grant of £4K will cut the mustard for anyone contemplating a biomass system when the average cost is around £12K. (Source: https://www.renewableenergyhub.co.uk/blog/the-cost-of-installing-biomass-heating-in-2019/).
    • CommentAuthorJonti
    • CommentTimeMay 8th 2020
     
    I don't have the time to look it up now but I wonder if wood burners will be considered low carbon in this consultation?
  7.  
    No grants for wood burners, and none for biomass in 'urban' areas or for areas where there is a gas grid.
  8.  
    Posted By: WillInAberdeenNo grants for wood burners, and none for biomass in 'urban' areas or for areas where there is a gas grid.

    Now that makes sense - although for those off the gas grid and with access to sustainable forest not supporting modern wood burners is prejudice against those with no other choice - or at least expensive choices.
    • CommentAuthorJonti
    • CommentTimeMay 8th 2020
     
    What I do not get is what has the gas grid got to do with low carbon as it is already known that gas will be the next big fuel to be legislated out of use. Is it not better to get as many people to change now and so have reduced costs due to volume as a staggered approach where those with no choice pay more and only those who have enjoyed cheap gas then get a cheap change.
  10.  
    Have a read of the document, it does set out their thinking on this and they are looking for comments. Particulates vs CO2 etc

    Also they think people off gas grid who can't have a heat pump, will get a new oil boiler, they want to discourage this so are willing to fund biomass instead.
    • CommentAuthorMike1
    • CommentTimeMay 9th 2020
     
    Been doing some background reading and the Committee on Climate Change report 'Next Steps for UK Heat Policy' suggests that the UK needs to move from installing 20,000 heat pumps / year (2016) to over 1 million / year from the mid-2030s. They're projecting 1.1m heat pumps retrofitted in homes by 2030.

    The same report says that 'Biomass boilers are constrained as an abatement option by the limited supply of sustainable biomass. In the long term, heating may not be the best use for achieving the maximum emission
    saving from the scarce resource.... Given limited funding available to 2020/21 and the paramount importance of
    developing heat pump supply-chains, there is a case for further rebalancing support so that biomass boilers become the exception rather than the norm.     - Which will be why there is no support for wood burners.
    • CommentAuthorJonti
    • CommentTimeMay 9th 2020
     
    Of course they could also fund the retro fitting of insulation by people who can do the standard of work required to be effectively airtight. That would however require the loosening of planning laws in conservation areas.

    Ground source was coming in big time in Switzerland 15 years back but there were already some in the scientific community with concerns that the ground temperature was being lowered.

    As for the particulates verses CO2 I think it is more of an issue in built up areas which are likely to have mains gas and less in the more rural settings.
    • CommentAuthorowlman
    • CommentTimeMay 10th 2020
     
    I had an, admittedly, very quick glance at the document above and I thought it seemed to discourage anyone but the strictly scientific from commenting. I've never done such a thing before but with 10 years experience of biomass plus 6 years experience of Solar thermal and now almost a year of A2A heat pump I felt I may be able to offer a practical insight into the use of these technologies. However my views would not be backed up by reams of data as I have neither the time nor the inclination to start producing such.:sad:
    • CommentAuthorwookey
    • CommentTimeMay 12th 2020
     
    These consultations are designed to only appeal to professionals and NGOs, but you can just ignore the 'please provide papers/data to back up your assertions', and just add your opinion/knowledge from practical experience. The previous consultation on building regs was similar, but got 4000 responses instead of the usual 200, many of them from normal people with an interest in building of one sort or another, to basically tell them to get a grip and actually require decent building fabric, instead of the utterly feeble and somewhat retrogressive plans they did have.

    So just fill it in as best you can - ignore the questions you don't know about. Don't worry about the framing that is trying to exclude you.
    • CommentAuthorowlman
    • CommentTimeMay 12th 2020
     
    Thanks Wookey, I was minded to do just that.
    Part of my rationale was borne out of an annoyance which allowed Farm Boimass,(not the pure genuine waste kind ), which was pushed through into acceptance and subsidy because of, IMO, only having industry and agricultural pressure groups with vested interest, offering framework suggestions.

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