Is net zero achievable and will it benefit UK homes?
The UK has set a goal to reach net zero emissions by 2050. To help keep us on track, the government’s independent advisory body the Climate Change Committee (CCC) sets carbon budgets – suggested limits on greenhouse gas emissions over five-year periods.
They recently published their seventh carbon budget which covers what life in the UK should look like between 2038 – 2042. In this article, we explain what their recommendations might mean for you and your home.
A view of the UK’s progress on carbon emission reductions so far. Source: CCC.
So what does a net zero UK look like?
Half of UK homes will be heated by a heat pump
Switching away from fossil fuels is the key to reducing emissions, and the CCC is clear that hydrogen has no role in heating our homes, which leaves electrification of heat as the main pathway to decarbonising heating. They predict that half of UK homes will be heated by heat pumps by 2040, up from just 1% in 2023.
This will require a massive increase in installations, from 60,000 units in 2023 to 450,000 by 2030.
Heat pumps are a great alternative to traditional gas boilers, offering higher levels of home comfort and cutting carbon emissions. While installation can be expensive, the Boiler Upgrade Scheme offers a £7,500 grant and ongoing running costs are lower compared to gas heating, which over time leads to significant savings in your energy bills.
Good Energy’s perspective:
We’re already helping homeowners install heat pumps and are seeing fantastic results. However, to make heat pumps a more affordable option for everyone, we agree with the CCC that the government must reduce electricity prices relative to gas — what’s known as the ‘spark gap’.
We are actively lobbying government to move levies that are currently part of electricity bills into general taxation, to encourage more homes to adopt cleaner, more cost-effective heating. There also needs to be a huge investment in training and development across the country to create the skilled workforce this transition needs.
Solar panels: helping homes make big savings on their bills
The CCC projects that solar capacity needs to increase to 82 GW by 2040, up from 16 GW today. This requires a significant increase in installations, making solar power a much bigger part of the UK’s energy mix than it is now.
Solar power is one of the most cost-effective renewable energy solutions available for homes and businesses. Homeowners who invest in solar power often see a return on investment in about 10 years, and businesses in 5 or less. After that, solar energy can effectively provide “free” electricity for decades, significantly lowering your energy bills.
Good Energy’s perspective:
Today just 5% of UK homes have solar. The biggest blocker for households is the up front cost, and while costs for solar have decreased dramatically in recent years, it is still a substantial outlay especially for lower income households who are already disproportionately impacted by high energy bills. We believe more targeted support for solar would be hugely beneficial.
In addition, the government has committed to building 1.5 million new homes, but has blocked a bill to commit to mandating solar on these homes. We believe this is a mistake — an average 4kW solar system on these 1.5 million homes would contribute 6 GW of capacity and export enough power for a further 1.1 million households.
As one of the country’s largest solar power installers, we are helping to accelerate solar adoption.
Electric Vehicles: A cleaner, cheaper way to drive
The CCC’s view is that by 2040, 80% of cars and 74% of vans will be electric, up from just 2.8% and 1.4% today. The number of public EV charging stations needs to grow from 54,000 in 2023 to 300,000 by 2030.
Switching to an electric vehicle is not only better for the environment, but it’s also cheaper to run than petrol or diesel cars. Charging your EV at home is more affordable than filling up a gas tank, and as the public charging network expands, it’ll become even easier to go electric.
Good Energy’s perspective:
As the main backer of Zapmap, the UK’s number 1 charging point app that helps drivers to plan journeys; find and pay for charging; and is used as the Government’s data source for public charging infrastructure, we know EV charging well.
Although the CCC’s headline target of 300,000 may be right, what is more important is the power and distribution of chargers. We have seen accelerated growth in ultra-rapid chargers recently, making charging on the go during a long journey much easier. But slow on street charging, for homes without driveways, has also been slow to rollout outside of London and the South East.
If you can charge at home, tariffs like our Smart EV tariff with cheap off peak rates make driving an EV very cost effective. But we need better equality for charging prices for those who don’t have a driveway.
What impact will low carbon technologies have on our bills?
Reaching net zero by 2050 is projected to cost £108bn – 73% lower than the CCC thought just five years ago. However the costs are going to be higher in the medium term future, before becoming a net benefit to the economy from 2040 onwards.
As well as doing our bit to protect the planet and providing an example to other nations, achieving net zero will help the UK to save £30bn a year by 2050.
Households will benefit from lower energy bills, saving around £1400 a year in their bills from upgrading to a heat pump, solar panels and an electric car; and we’ll all be protected from the volatile global energy market.
Households can save around £1400 a year from upgrading to a heat pump, solar panels and electric car.
So, can the UK reach net zero by 2050? The answer is yes, but it will take determination and focus from the government, businesses and households. By adopting cleaner technologies like heat pumps, solar panels, and electric vehicles, we can all play our part in reducing emissions.
For homeowners, the shift to net zero means cleaner, cheaper energy and long-term savings. At Good Energy, we’re here to help – with solar, heat pump and EV charge point installations as well as 100% renewable electricity. The time to act is now, and the benefits are clear – both for your wallet and the planet.
