It should be intuitively obvious to the most casual observer that if wars are fought over oil all the time, the best way to avoid wars in the future is to stop using oil and other fossil fuels. And yet, humans really like what they are used to and get grumpy when they have to change. From that perspective, it’s a miracle that we stopped sleeping with the barnyard animals after the chimney was invented. A pig on a frosty night can be a great source of warmth, or so we are told.
The UK has decided the current war on Iraq presents an excellent opportunity to start weaning its citizens off fossil fuels. To make that happen, the government has instituted a new policy that requires all new residences constructed after December 31, 2027 to be equipped with heat pumps and rooftop solar.
According to the BBC, the UK government has been trying for the past ten years to create and implement what is known as the Future Homes Standard, which will increase the energy efficiency and lower the cost of heating and cooling residential properties.
The guidance published on Tuesday means that beginning in 2028, no new homes will be connected to the methane gas network. Instead they will be connected to a district heating network or rely on heat pumps. In addition, they will be need to have solar panels on the roof that combined cover an area equal to 40% of the ground floor. “The Iran war has once again shown our drive for clean power is essential for our energy security so we can escape the grip of fossil fuel markets we don’t control,” said Energy Secretary Ed Miliband.
The announced changes have been welcomed by the energy industry and those working in green technology because they provide certainty that heat pumps and solar panels are worth investing in. “It’s going to give clarity to the UK market, installers, builders, manufacturers, that there’s a significant market that’s there,” said Garry Felgate, CEO of MCS Foundation which certifies installers of low carbon heating systems.
The changes in building requirements are estimated to add an additional £10,000 to the cost of the home for developers. Well, no one ever wants to see prices go up, especially when the cost of living is rising for everyone. CleanTechnica readers, who are especially well informed, know those costs will be offset over time by lower energy bills. The analysis is very similar to the decision to purchase an electric car. Yes, the car is likely to cost more than a comparable gas powered model, but over its useful life, the money saved on fuel and repair bills will offset the increased initial cost many times over.
The BBC says the savings could be greater it homes also had a residential storage battery, but the government opted not to include them in the new mandate. Hannah McCarthy, head of partnerships for new homes at Octopus Energy, told the BBC: “Decarbonizing the new housing stock is a fantastic step. Batteries would take that a step further.”
Not surprisingly, the Home Builders Federation is not thrilled with the new mandate. Its interest is in keeping the cost of new homes as low as possible to people will want to buy them. It said the additional cost was “not welcome at any time.” Fair enough, although once the word gets out about how much lower the utility bills for the newer homes are, savvy customers may be happy to pay the slightly higher initial cost.
Neil Jefferson, CEO of HBF, said the size of the solar panels mandated for each home was unexpected. “The government has really pushed the number of solar panels that are required on rooftops right to the limit, we think 60% of homes can’t actually reach that standard,” he said. Really, Neil? British roofs can’t accommodate enough solar panels to cover 40% of the area of the ground floor? That’s surprising.
Both the Liberal Democrats and the Green Party welcomed the move to ensure all new homes have solar panels. But Dr Ellie Chowns, from the Green Party, added that it was “utterly ridiculous” to wait until 2028 before implementing the changes. In Scotland, gas and oil-based heating in new homes was banned two years ago.
The fossil fuel crazies are predictably opposed to the new policy. The Conservatives said the country should be focused on securing domestic energy supplies to lower consumer bills and called on the government to issue licences for new oil and gas fields in the North Sea and to scrap green subsidies. Richard Tice, Reform shadow business secretary, called on the government to scrap its ‘net zero’ policies. “All these measures will cost the taxpayer vast sums,” he said.
Some people are so cognitively impaired they add 2 + 2 and get 3.1416. They look at what is happening today in Iran and earlier this year in Venezuela and simply cannot make the connection between the cost of war and the cost of fuel.
Energy Minister Michael Shanks this week said he did not accept that more drilling in the North Sea was the answer to lowering energy bills. “For 60 years [the North Sea] has been a hugely important asset powering the country, but for the last 20 years it has been in decline. The North Sea will remain hugely important…but our long term future does not lie in fossil fuels,” he said.
As part of its new solar panel policy, the UK government this week also announced a major push to bring balcony solar to homeowners. In a statement, it said it was “driving forward with the roll out of “plug-in” solar panels — low cost panels that families can put on their balconies or outdoor space — to be available in shops within months and save people money on their bills. Retailers like Lidl and Iceland, alongside manufacturers such as EcoFlow, are working with government to enable them to be brought to the UK market.”
“The free solar power can be used directly through a mains socket like any other device, without an installation cost, thereby reducing the amount of electricity taken from the grid and cutting energy bills. The easy-to-install technology could save many households significant amounts on their energy bills and help make the UK less reliant on global fossil fuel markets.”
“Whether through solar panels fitted as standard on new homes or making it possible for people to purchase plug-in solar in shops, we are determined to roll out clean power so we can give our country energy sovereignty,” the announcement said.
Housing Secretary Steve Reed said: “Building 1.5 million new homes also means building high quality homes that are cheaper to run and warmer to live in. As we make the switch to clean, homegrown energy, today’s standard is what the future of housing can and should look like. Not only will these changes protect hardworking families from shocks abroad but will also slash hundreds of pounds off their energy bills every year.
Mark Coles, head of technical regulations at the Institution of Engineering and Technology in the UK, is all in favor of plug-in solar, but has some reservations. Because many homes in the country are old with “poorly maintained electrical installations,” introducing plug-in solar could pose risks to homeowners. “Before purchasing any off-the-shelf generation product, householders should have their electrical installation checked by a competent electrician. What may be safe in one home may pose a significant risk in another,” he said.
He’s right, of course. If your home is now supplied by a 40 amp fuse box connected to knob and tube wiring, you might want to consider an electrical upgrade before adding central air and a hot tub — or plug-in solar panels on your porch.
Such policies in the US would bring cries of government overreach and condemnation from the MAGAverse. The US is bound and determined to extract and burn every molecule of fossil fuel it can, the way God intended. It’s impossible to reason with people who believe they are on a mission ordained by a Messiah. Maybe once they realize they have made the US a pariah nation, they may have a revelation but the odds of that happening are quite small.
The UK policy could be overridden by a future government. The Brits have shown themselves to be quite comfortable with authoritarian rule supported by fossil fuel idiocy. The hope is that the current government will be in power long enough to see the Future Homes Standard take effect in 2028.
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Steve writes about the interface between technology and sustainability from his home in Florida or anywhere else The Force may lead him. He is proud to be “woke” and believes weak leaders push others down while strong leaders lift others up. You can follow him on Substack at https://stevehanley.substack.com/ but not on Fakebook or any social media platforms controlled by narcissistic yahoos.
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