Recommendation 17

HM Government Acknowledged

The government believes that access to accurate and up-to-date information tailored to occupants and owners is a key part of improving the energy performance of homes effectively. Our Simple Energy Advice (SEA) service has already had over 1.5 million users, providing homeowners with personal, tailored advice for improving and decarbonising their homes and links to local, accredited, trusted installers. Homeowners can also find out about Government schemes they may be eligible for. We will enhance the digitally-led service and are considering options to support tailored retrofit advice in local areas. The aim is to create a government-led home energy advice journey, supported by tailored local advice. This includes moving our Simple Energy Advice service to GOV.UK, which will improve user experience, and supporting local advice provision. The Government is also making improvements to Energy Labels, which will support consumers to choose more energy-efficient products. Finally, through the Home Upgrade Grant, individuals will work with a retrofit coordinator to find the right retrofit package for their home that achieves the scheme’s key aims of tackling fuel poverty and reducing carbon emissions. The Government is absolutely clear that net zero will require a range of technologies and solutions for buildings and that there is no single silver bullet. There are a number of options that will play an important role in decarbonising heat, including heat networks, heat pumps and, potentially, hydrogen and biogas. Given the diversity of heat demand, no one solution can provide the best option for everyone - a mix of technologies and customer options will need to be available to decarbonise heat at scale. Heat pumps, highly efficient electric heating appliances, have a critical role to play in decarbonising how we heat our homes and businesses. Even in a scenario where much of our heating in 2050 comes from hydrogen, a substantial proportion of homes can be expected to use heat pumps, and potentially many more in scenarios where hydrogen for heat plays a more limited role. Low-carbon hydrogen could be a key option for decarbonising heat in buildings. However, unlike other technologies such as heat pumps and heat networks, 100% hydrogen for heating is not yet an established option. The Government is working with industry and regulators to deliver a range of research, development and testing projects, including pioneering community trials, to assess the feasibility, costs and benefits of using 100% hydrogen for heating. This knowledge and experience will enable Government to take strategic decisions in 2026 on hydrogen’s role in heat decarbonisation, including whether to proceed with delivering a hydrogen-heated town before the end of the decade. The Government recognises that biofuels such as bioLPG and hydrotreated vegetable oil biodiesel may also play a small role, particularly for some off gas grid properties. However, further evidence is needed to consider what role these biofuels could play. In gathering further evidence, we are giving consideration to the availability and sustainability of biofuel feedstocks, the total lifecycle emissions for different fuels, and the best uses of biofuels across the economy. The Government published a Biomass Policy Statement on 4 November, which sets out strategic aims for sustainable biomass use ahead of the publication of a full Biomass Strategy in 2022. This strategy will review the amount of sustainable biomass available to the UK, including liquid biofuels, and how this could be best used across the economy to achieve our net zero target. It will also assess the UK’s current biomass sustainability standards, which are some of the most stringent in the world, to see where and how we can improve them even further. Regarding the support and resources needed for local authorities to fulfil their important role in retrofitting, please refer to our response to recommendation 9 for further information.