Are gas boilers being phased out in the coming years? Here we explain the current situation.
You may have heard about the potential ban on gas boilers in the near future. But what are the specifics of this proposed ban?
Will it involve a phased approach, and will it impact all gas boilers across the UK?
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the details of the proposed gas boiler ban, address how it may be phased out, and discuss its implications for households throughout the UK.
We’ll also answer additional frequently asked questions on this important topic.
Let’s dive in!
Gas Boiler Ban Key Points:
Gas & oil boilers will likely be banned in new built properties only - from 2025 onwards.
This does not include current housing stock - there is no plan to ban them from current homes.
However, the Government are attempting to encourage homes to swap to renewables like heat pumps via the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS).
The Heat and Buildings Strategy also states that it's aiming to phase out the installation of natural gas boilers beyond 2035.
Please be aware that this does not mean you will have to remove your boiler beyond this date, however, when it comes time to replace it, you will have to choose an alternative option.
Exact plans, including dates and timelines, are still a moving picture and the government continues to review the situation.
Are Gas Boilers Being Phased Out?
First and foremost, the government has no plan to outright ban gas boilers.
However, there have been proposals to introduce a ban on adding gas boilers to new built properties from 2025.
What’s more, there have also been talks of banning the sale of new gas boilers from 2035 albeit this second goal seems highly ambitious and is unlikely to come to fruition.
Moreover, an actual ban on existing gas boilers is likely to be even more distant and presumably, the last gas boilers in the UK will not be banned until after 2050 unless there is a very rapid domestic heating revolution.
So, currently, there are no official plans to phase out gas boilers entirely.
Nonetheless, with the government eyeing a net zero UK by 2050 it would seem that the government will eventually push to ban the introduction of new gas boilers in all homes before banning the remaining gas boilers at some point after.
Therefore, it is likely that gas boilers will be phased out in the UK but thus far the only step that is near concrete yet is the goal of banning new build properties from using gas boilers within the coming years.
Naturally, this will only affect those buying a new built property after the ban is implemented.
What’s more, it’s not yet clear if this ban will come into effect in 2025 or if it will be delayed. Ultimately, only time will tell.
Domestic Heating Systems of Tomorrow
Imagine the UK in 2060. Gas boilers have almost entirely been phased out with just a small percentage of households still using ‘old-fashioned’ gas central heating.
But how would the homes of 2060 heat themselves?
There are several alternatives to gas central heating, and some seem more likely than others to play a significant role in the future.
Heat Pumps
One of the up-and-coming low-carbon heating solutions is that of heat pumps. A heat pump is designed to extract energy from the outside air or ground in order to heat the inside of a property.
The government appears to be wagering on heat pumps to play a major role in heating the UK households of the future.
For one, there are plans to ensure that all new build properties from around 2025 onwards are compatible with the installation of a low-carbon heating solution such as a heat pump.
Beyond that, the government also offers grants to households in England and Wales seeking to have a heat pump installed via the Boiler Upgrade Scheme or BUS.
Air source heat pumps cost approximately £8,000 to £15,000 to install whereas it costs somewhere in the region of £18,000 to £25,000 to have a ground source heat pump installed.
In each case, we have taken the cost of labour and supply costs into consideration.
For those in England and Wales, the BUS can slash the total cost of installing a heat pump by £5,000 if you opt for an air-source heat pump or £6,000 in the case of a ground-source heat pump.
Electric Boilers
While natural gas boilers are by far the most common option, electric boilers are increasing in popularity.
These boilers work in a very similar way to their gas counterparts (or rivals may be more fitting) with the key difference of course being how they are fuelled.
An electric boiler generally costs somewhere in the region of £1,000 to £2,500 to install making it marginally cheaper (on average) to install than a gas boiler.
Electric boilers, however, must be powered by a green energy source to be truly eco-friendly.
After all, if fossil fuels are used to generate the electricity used by an electric boiler it will not ultimately be good for the environment.
This is contrasted by a scenario where an electric boiler is powered by green electricity, whether supplied by a green energy provider or on-site renewable technology.
Hydrogen Boilers
While hydrogen boilers are still gas boilers, they are far better for the environment than natural gas or LPG boilers.
Therefore, you may see a scenario where hydrogen boilers remain prominent in the UK even with the use of heating fuels like natural gas, LPG and oil declining.
There is already a push for the widespread rollout of hydrogen-ready boilers, which would be capable of running on natural gas or hydrogen.
Alternatively, manufacturers may eventually produce boilers that are solely designed for hydrogen.
Recommended reading:
Biomass Boilers
Last but not least, some, larger properties may find biomass boilers appealing. These boilers burn organic material (e.g., wood pellets or logs) to generate heat.
They are largely eco-friendly, but they are primarily used in commercial settings.
While some larger households may take an interest, they cost somewhere in the region of £4,000 to £10,000 to install on average.
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