NAPIT welcomes Climate Change Committee report
NAPIT welcomes Climate Change Committee report which says switching to EVs and heat pumps will save householders cash as well as helping the planet
The Government’s climate advisers say households could save hundreds of pounds a year if they switch away from volatile fossil fuels to heat pumps and EVs instead. The Climate Change Committee published its advice on the Seventh Carbon Budget today (26 February).
They recognise that the upfront costs of fitting houses with low-carbon heat pumps instead of gas boilers are a “sizeable” part of the costs of the UK’s net zero shift and there will need to be continued support to encourage people to make the switch.
In its latest advice for how to end the UK’s contribution to global warming, the independent advisory committee is urging the Government to commit to an 87% cut on 1990 levels by 2040. Around a third of the emissions cuts in the period will have to come from action by households, mainly buying an electric car and a heat pump to replace an old gas boiler.
The committee said its modelling shows that, by mid-century, households would save around £700 a year on heating bills and another £700 on motoring costs, with a switch to electric heat pumps for home heating and electric vehicles (EVs).
But households would need support with the costs, particularly those on lower incomes, the cost of electricity needs to come down and action needs to be taken to tackle a lack of awareness and misconceptions around technologies such as EVs and heat pumps.
NAPIT, a leading Government-approved membership scheme operator with over 20,000 registered installers working across electrical, heating, plumbing, ventilation, microgeneration, and building fabric trades has welcomed the CCC’s recommendations.
Managing Director Frank Bertie said: “It’s clear that if the UK is to reach its emissions targets then more action will be needed to decarbonise heating in homes and transport. It’s good to see that the CCC is highlighting the potential savings to householders in their energy bills if they make the switch, although more needs to be done to bring the costs of heat pumps and EVs down.
“Many of our members are already installing heat pumps and EV chargers across the country and we also provide training courses to allow even more tradespeople to upskill.
“The CCC have recommended some challenging targets but they also create opportunities for our members to expand and create economic growth and provide skilled jobs across the low carbon sector as well as saving households money on their energy and fuel bills.”
The Government has to decide on the level of cuts it will commit to for the period 2038-2042, which is the seventh in a series of five-year “carbon budgets”, and put it to a vote in Parliament by the end of June next year.
Article Published:
26 February 2025
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