It’s clear that the Government’s plans set out in the Heat and Buildings Strategy will mean the ‘forced early adoption’ of heat-pumps from 2026 for most off-gas grid households that need to replace their boiler. Businesses will be targeted even earlier – from 2024 in some cases.
This is extremely unfair. As forced early adopters, homes and businesses off the gas grid will pay the highest costs and face considerable disruption, while those on the gas grid won’t be required to take action until 2035. It’s could also derail progress with decarbonisation. Off-grid homes are not a sensible place to start the mass deployment of heat pumps and progress may stall.
We know what a better option would look like – a technology neutral approach that allows the installer to recommend the best option and for homeowners to be given a choice – which of course should include conversion to HVO.
However, unless we alert off-grid households and businesses and get them to make their concerns known, the Government will simply press on with its plans. We need your help to get the message out to your customers.
Five easy things you should do now:
1. Give all you customers a copy of the Future Ready Fuel flyer – it’s available as print or electronic version – simply contact the OFTEC marketing team marketing@oftec.org and we’ll send it to you.
2. Put links to the Future Ready Fuel campaign
www.futurereadyfuel.info on your website.
3. Follow the Future Ready Fuel campaign on social media (Facebook and Twitter) and like the posts.
4. Display the ‘I’m supporting the Future Ready Fuel campaign’ logo on your website and social media channels.
5. Write to your MP – there’s a draft letter ready for you to personalise and send – just contact the OFTEC marketing team using the email above and we’ll send it to you.
Campaign news in brief
Mo and Sue – our new video stars!
It’s time to meet the latest additions to the campaign team – two characters, Mo and Sue, who star in our cheeky new, animated video. The video highlights the simplicity of converting a rural home to HVO, compared to installing a heat pump. You can find the video on the Future Ready Fuel website – please help the campaign by sharing it on social media.
100 not out!
Over 100 homes and businesses are now successfully heating their homes with HVO. Homes from Scottish Highlands to Cornwall are now participating in the demonstration project, showing conclusively that you can use HVO anywhere in the UK, regardless of the heating system.
Future Ready Fuel website
The campaign website, www.futurereadyfuel.info and associated social media campaign have been successful at reaching rural households and businesses:
• 36,000+ people have visited the Future Ready Fuel microsite since its launch in early May 2021
• 4,600+ people have signed up for the Future Ready Fuel e-newsletter
• 3,500+ people have completed the Future Ready Fuel household survey
• 1,300+ people have downloaded a template letter to send to their MP
But this is a small number compared to the 1.7 million households that use oil heating in the UK. We need as many supporters as possible if our campaign is going to be successful – which is why we need your help!
