Government heat strategy paves the way for zero carbon homes

More than 7m homes are expected to receive a green makeover as part of government plans to cut carbon emissions from UK households.

The Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has revealed proposals for the UK’s long-term heat and energy saving strategy.

Energy and climate change secretary Ed Miliband outlined various schemes at today’s Heat and Energy Saving Strategy consultation launch.

Although the government has already released information on how future homes will be built within its zero carbon homes consultation, this latest package focuses upon existing housing stock.

The latest consultation discusses plans for a Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme, designed to encourage home owners to install renewable technologies such as biomass boilers, which can cost up to £10 000.

Under the RHI scheme, those who switched to renewable heating technologies such as air and ground source heat pumps, solar thermal and biomass boilers would receive a finance package to cover installation costs, with repayment from energy bill savings linked to property rather than residents.

Community-focused technology also features prominently within the consultation. The package examine the logistics of wide-scale district heating schemes, where a centralised boiler or Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plant generates heat for a number of buildings, which is then distributed as hot water through a network of pipes.

Carbon dioxide emissions from the housing sector account for 27% of the UK's carbon footprint.

Around 70% of the houses standing today will still be in use in 2050, by which time the government intends to have reduced housing stock emissions by 80%.