GB News: Expert criticises the costs of net zero
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Gas boilers may no longer be installed in homes from 2025 as the Government looks to curb the nation’s greenhouse emissions. Phasing out gas boilers in favour of more eco-friendly solutions is part of Boris Johnson’s agenda to hit Net-Zero emissions by 2050. The Prime Minister has urged the nation to back his plans for a green Britain, claiming proactive action now will be far cheaper in the long run
Mr Johnson’s announcement, which was published in a video on social media, comes amid claims senior Tory MPs are rebelling against the cost of going green.
According to some estimates, it will cost the Government £1.4trillion, with low-income households bearing the brunt of the costs.
The Prime Minister said in his video: “It is far cheaper and more effective to act now to avoid incalculable damage to the future, and economic as well.
“Here in the UK we have proved we can do it, we have halved emissions in the last three decades, even though our country has grown much richer.”
It follows the latest report by the IPCC on the state of climate change.
Ministers are said to be looking at ways of easing the transition into a gas boiler-free society, with plans for a £4,000 “clean heat grant”.
The Government scheme would help homeowners slash the upfront cost of installing greener alternatives.
According to a report in The Telegraph, the Government is presently looking at launching the scheme next April.
The update comes after the Government was reportedly looking to delay its proposed ban on gas boilers from 2025 to 2040.
Concerns have been raised about the feasibility of installing new boilers in households – particularly older buildings and flats – not fitted for greener alternatives
There has also been an intense backlash to the plans from Express.co.uk readers, according to a recent poll.
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A staggering 79 percent of those who took part said gas boilers should never be banned in the UK.
In his roadmap to a greener Britain, the Prime Minister outlined four main areas the Government will focus on the in coming years.
These are: banning the use of coal for power generation by 2040, banning the use of fossil fuels for cars, committing money to help clean up the planet, and putting a stop to the destruction of Britain’s forests.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) has warned gas boilers need to be banned if the UK is to meet its net-zero targets.
Gas boilers are a major contributor to greenhouse emissions, with an estimated 85 percent of UK households using them.
Domestic heating accounts for about 14 to 15 percent of the nation’s overall emissions.
One proposed alternative is the use of heat pumps – devices that draw heat from a renewable source such as the air or earth and transfer the heat to a liquid.
The liquid is then compressed, further heating it, and pumped around the home to keep you warm.
However, heat pumps are considerably more expensive than traditional gas boilers.
Air pumps typically cost upwards of £6,000 while ground-based pumps can cost you upwards of £10,000.
Brian Berry, chief executive of the Federation of Master Builders, has warned heat pumps also introduce other issues such as noise and lack of space.
The expert has instead argued the Government should focus on making buildings more energy-efficient.
He said: “The technology needs to advance to make heat pumps quieter, smaller and more efficient, and that takes time.
“The solution I think is to concentrate on the fabric and then let the heating technology catch up.”
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