Government publishes support for Heat Strategy initiative

Almost a year since the UK's first heat strategy was revealed, the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has launched further steps to encourage low carbon heating systems.

It is hoped that the implementation of such a programme will encourage businesses and homeowners to install heating systems which have little carbon impact into their properties, in order for the system to play a part in the nation's energy mix for years to come.

Currently up to 80 per cent of the heating used in UK homes, businesses and industries is being produced by the burning of fossil fuels. More startlingly perhaps is the fact that over a third of UK carbon emissions are from the energy used to provide heat.

Therefore, in order to push the government's low carbon policies and targets further and complement the Heat Strategy, a new follow up programme has been officially launched.

Energy secretary Ed Davey said that if homes and businesses increase the installation of low carbon heating options, such as solar heating systems, we can in turn reduce total UK carbon emissions and our dependence on fossil fuels.

“Last year we launched the UK’s first ever heat strategy, to get us on the right pathway to decarbonisation and today we have published an update on the progress we have made so far, alongside a new set of actions specifically targeted at industrial heat, urban heat networks and heat in buildings," he said.

Furthermore, Mr Davey added that a number of UK homes and business have switched to biomass boilers, heat pumps and solar thermal panels to provide heat, and government support had helped to achieve this.

As part of new plans, a £9 million package has been introduced for local authorities to get heat network schemes up and running in towns across the UK. In addition to this, a new Heat Networks Delivery Unit has been set up to offer expert advice.

A number of jobs are set to be created in the installation of small-scale renewable technologies with up to 100 green apprentices to be unveiled in addition to voucher schemes to cover the cost of training.