More support and more communication needed to drive clean heat

The government must take account of the cost of decarbonisation with continued subsidies and improve communication if it is to drive the uptake of clean heat.

That was the view of panellists at Energy UK’s briefing How can clean heat bring growth in 2026?

Panellists representing sectors from heat networks to housebuilding to industrial manufacturing underlined that the current high costs of both energy and low-carbon technology has to be addressed by the government, if it is to encourage industry to take up technology such as heat pumps and heat networks.

Paul Pearcy, Federation Manager for British Glass said that the significant volume of gas used in combustion in industries such as glass manufacture, meant that electrification is still not cost competitive for the sector. In addition, he warned that the speed and cost of connection to electricity networks was a significant barrier to industrial decarbonising.

He said:

Electrification is the most efficient method, but it needs a business model, because currently hydrogen is more cost-effective and has a published model.”

But perhaps the most provocative comment came from Chris Carr, managing director of ‘micro-housebuilder’ Carr & Carr.

He said: “For most SME builders, clean heat is not the priority. They are more worried about planning, infrastructure and regulations and labour shortages…”

He warned that while big building companies have the resources to have their own sustainability managers and the relationships with government to navigate the journey to cleaner heat, SMEs need more clarity on what is required to change.

He said:

Companies are building homes that are energy-hungry because of poor design, many are being built with the designs of 30 years ago. We fundamentally need to change the design.”

Chris said that houses could be built routinely with unequal pitches to accommodate solar panels; with airlocks in the entrance lobby to avoid heat loss; or oriented around the sun.

He said:

Get the fabric and the design right and then it doesn’t matter what we heat them with – I’d rather have an efficient house heated with gas than an inefficient electric one.”

He warned that it was also important to have the right skills for increased electrification, as well as to make design decisions to accommodate the new world of battery storage and heat pumps, such as including plant rooms.

Chris said:

We need better communication from the government on the requirements and the lifestyle changes for homeowners, because people too often mistake ‘energy efficient’ for ‘cheaper bills.’”

Summing up, chair Dominic Hurndall, Partner with Oaklin Energy said:

As we have heard, we can’t have better adoption of clean heat without demand, and so we need to create that demand, whether that is by addressing the skills, or the costs, or the communication. If the message isn’t right then customers won’t understand it and the industry won’t get on board with it.”