Trouble On The Road To Clean Energy
Investment in the UK’s clean energy sector has fallen by 10% in the past year. The country has dropped behind in the global efforts to transition from the use of fossil fuels, lagging behind the US, EU, and the rest of Europe. The UK’s efforts have been severely hampered by refusion to adopt greener measures for new homes, such as mandated solar panels and the continuation of tight planning regulations, effectively banning onshore wind farms.
Without significant investment, the UK will dramatically fall short of its Net Zero by 2050 target. Alternative, non fossil fuel, systems do exist. Air Source Heat Pump has been touted as the entry mark for homeowners, but the scheme hasn’t taken off. Around 60,000 were installed in 2022, despite the government offering a ‘Boiler Upgrade Scheme’ supplying £5000 off the cost. The numbers place the UK near the bottom of the chart compared to the rest of Europe.
Why Is The UK Falling Behind?
Keith Bastian, CEO of Fischer Future Heat, an alternative to fossil fuels heating company based in Leicester – who has supplied and manufactured handcrafted electric heating solutions for 15 years, doesn’t think the government is going far enough in its ambition to transition the public to clean, sustainable energy:
“I think the government is a perhaps a little bit out of touch with what’s happening in the marketplace.
The adoption can only take place if the government pushes heavily toward people moving to any form of electrical heating.
I think because, given the market, there are so many options available for consumers. A heat pump could be for somebody else, a boiler for somebody else or just normal radiators, you know, it could be all kinds of things, infrared heating, there’s loads and loads of heating.
The end result is we’re no longer using fossil fuels in the home. You no longer have pollution from homes to boilers and combustion units. Also similar to what they’re doing with cars. I think there should just be the term electric heating.”
Fischer specialises in electric heating products, a market that has seen a significant increase since homeowners have become more climate-conscious.
Finding the Right Product Is Essential
In the past 12 months, 47% of UK consumers purchased low-carbon technology. For Fischer, there is a worry that the slow take-up of the Air Source Heat Pumps and negative media attention could lower consumer confidence in alternative methods of sustainable heating. Mr. Bastian goes on to say:
“I think we’ve already seen a little bit of that (lower public confidence) in the media. The national press has been talking about how ‘moving to electric is not an option for some of the homes’ now. I think that’s because, they have only focused on one thing, and that’s the heat pumps.
Yes, the heat pumps are not an option for their homes. There are other options, electrical options, which will get us to net zero but that’s something that’s not been looked at by the government because they haven’t pushed it. So yes, I think they’ll be a slow movement, there may be even a backlash or there could be a movement against it for a bit.
I think what we’ve got to do is actually go and advise customers on a daily basis of what we think is the right solution for their home that is net zero, that will have no emissions from their home.
That’s our target, just to ensure that every home has a form of heating that does not emit anything into the atmosphere. I think there are plenty of options available for it. I think that this will slow it down.”
Approaching A Crossroads
Negative public reaction from Air Source Heat Pumps and a lack of consistent effort from the UK government is causing concern about ambition and losing sight of its goals to transition to Clean Energy. It also comes at time The North Sea Transition Authority has begun the process to award more than 100 licenses for 900 locations to extract oil and gas and when the government is also expected to imminently approve the permit for Rosebank oilfield, the biggest undeveloped oilfield in the North Sea.
The UK is approaching a crossroads of sorts, where gaining the trust of the consumer, matters more than anything.
From having 15 years of industry experience with products like HeatCore Electric Radiators, Aquafficant water heaters, and our own brand of Air Source Heat Pumps with unique individual water and space heating components. Mr. Bastian believes the key to the mass adoption of products is the simplest factor: Warmth. With Fischer, offering a free heating survey designed to help you find out if electric heating products are right for you and provide you with the warmth you desire, is standard.
Experience is Key
“With our radiators, over the 15 years now that I’ve been in the industry with Fischer, no consumer has ever complained that the room wasn’t warm enough. They will always be content with the comfort level that they received from it.
Some people say it costs a bit less. Some people say it’s costing me more, but nobody ever said they were cold. And I think that’s the key.
Because if you can deliver that for the consumer, you will always move forward. The adoption will take place because people will go to homes. They sit there and ask ‘How are you getting on with this house?’ ‘Oh it’s lovely and warm’ Now we get a lot of recommendations because of that because that’s the way people adopt things”
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