Focusing on the issue of incumbency, we investigate the emergence of a low carbon gas coalition in the UK. We investigate what the coalition has been doing and the messages it has been promoting primarily through political lobbying and policy engagement.
Converting the gas grid to low carbon gas is presented as *the* option for heat decarbonisation in areas with a gas grid at the expense of other options such as heat networks and heat pumps.
The end of the article critically and forensically analyses the potential for low carbon gases to decarbonise heat in the UK. We review the most up to date modelling associated with heat and net zero in the UK and compare this to the pathways presented by the coalition.
Currently, hydrogen appears to be the only gas option which may be able to decarbonise heat at scale but even this appears deeply uncertain from a cost, technical and carbon perspective. Hybrid low carbon gas/electrification options may also have system value.
Hence our conclusion states:
Thanks to everyone involved including the anonymous peer reviewers who encouraged a more critical and policy relevant paper.
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Today, just in the nick of time, the @CommonsEAC has published its report into the sustainable electrification of the economy. It's a dense report and makes a number of recommendations. It is required reading for the next government 🧵.
It's been an absolute honour for me to have been working as a specialist advisor with the EAC, a powerful cross departmental select committee, and I'm very grateful for the appointment and original proposal. There is clearly a lot that needs to be resolved.
The committee recommends a need for much clearer project management of the whole electrification issue. It's huge and it's required. A cross departmental and ongoing planning group is needed. Currently things sit badly across departments.
ICYMI, Worcester Bosch, UK's largest manufacture of gas and oil boilers last week announced a £3000 support package for heat pumps subject to the introduction of the Clean Heat Market Mechanism.
But has this company really changed course so dramatically? I think not (thread).
This company, along with the other boiler manufacturers has been against this policy from the outset. Their trade body has, and continues to call it a 'soviet style' policy.
I pointed out previously that the manufactures are playing politics with their prices, as a last ditch attempt to try and stop the scheme regulations being introduced. The manus have also bee referred to the Competition and Markets Authority on this.
This is NOT straightforward. Air to water heat pumps are much simpler from a policy perspective. Air-to-air systems are extremely heterogeneous, going from a single room unit you can buy online and plug in, to a whole house heating, cooling and hot water solution.
In the UK, where the majority of homes have wet central heating, air-to-air may only have limited value. But, we know that in markets where heat pumps have grown rapidly, air-to-air systems have played a very important role.
Heating and eating. The similarities between the two sectors and the issues at play are insane. And I'm wondering if thinking about them together can help stimulate some action🧵
Inefficient buildings losing energy = third of the food produced ending up as waste.
Decompression: Policy and regulatory options to manage the gas grid in a decarbonising UK
TLDR: As we decarbonise heating, the gas networks represent a significant liability for UK plc, and the sooner we act the better. 🧵
https://t.co/B18RRPWelXraponline.org/knowledge-cent…
For a short written version you can check out this blog I wrote for @GreenAllianceUK but the briefing is rich with detail
The problem. The @theCCCuk balanced pathway suggests just 11% of homes would have any gas connection in 2050, an 87% reduction in the scale of the gas grid. Could be less owing to limits to blue hydrogen.
Heat pumps are rightly a focus of today's progress report from @theCCCuk. The tone of the buildings chapter (5) of the report is also rightly critical as commitments and plans have not come to fruition despite the development of a heat and buildings strategy 🧵
For buildings '77% of the required emissions reduction by the Sixth Carbon Budget [2033 to 2037] period [are] judged to be either at significant risk or with insufficient plans'
Of course any further delays may the risks even higher.
There is now a huge recommendations list for buildings. All of which is clearly sensible, if you are serious about the transition to clean heating.