Fossil fuels, renewables and fuel poverty
There has been some discussion recently regarding fuel poverty, particularly in rural areas, and the technologies that can be used to address this issue.
According to the June 2018 Annual Fuel Poverty Statistics released by BEIS, 11% of UK homes are fuel poor, with the most critical being in rural locations where properties are often older and poorly insulated, meaning they require significantly more energy to heat them, at a greater cost to the homeowner.
It has been suggested that OFTEC have highlighted that Oil is the solution to the problem in rural areas. They highlight that electric storage heating is expensive and that oil heating systems are at least 40% cheaper to run. This may well be true, and given that OFTEC represent the oil industry can come as no surprise. What is interesting is the renewable industry response to this claim. There have been some very critical reviews which require some attention.
The claim that properties in rural areas are harder to heat due to age and poor insulation can be largely seen to be true. However, any heating engineer worth their salt should be advising potential customers to firstly improve the energy efficiency of their property before upgrading their heating system. It can be costly to do, but the immediate impact is saving on your energy bill – whatever fuel type you use. Here at H.D. Services we always recommend clients improve the energy efficiency of their home before they consider changing their heating system, as any heating system will function more efficiently in a home with suitable insulation.
The claim that oil is cheaper than electricity, is also broadly true – at current oil prices. However, as with most energy provision, pricing is variable and dependant on supply and demand – prices can fluctuate greatly. Global issues play a huge part in the price of oil.
In terms of renewables, the OFTEC press release fails to mention their suitability at all – but can we really be surprised? The renewables industry as a whole is grossly under supported by the Government despite continuously produced evidence that renewable technologies are highly efficient, do not utilise a finite resource and if given the appropriate support, can aid the UK in meeting energy targets and reducing the Carbon Footprint of the country. It is also important to accept that other heating industries which utilise fossil fuels are not going to be keen to promote a more sustainable and less ‘dirty’ technology.
A well balanced argument would state it must be remembered that the cost of renewable heating technologies varies depending on the type of system to be installed. A shared system will be more expensive overall, but as the cost is split will be cheaper to the individual than a single domestic system heating a single property. Air source heat pumps are less expensive to install than ground source and water source heat pumps but are at their least efficient when they are needed the most – i.e in cold months. Conversely, ground and water source heat pumps are more expensive to install, but offer more consistent efficiencies across the year due to the constant temperatures of their heat source when compared to air source.
We must also remember that people are fearful of what they don’t understand. Renewable technology is grossly misrepresented in many areas and there is a huge lack of education for the public about how renewable heating systems work. One of the things H.D. Services Ltd aim to do as an installation company is simplify and explain the renewable heating technology we install, which includes the benefits. We aim to provide a service which allows the client to choose the technology which suits their wants, needs and bank balance the most.
Fuel poverty is something that we all need to tackle together and in the short term, for those in rural areas, oil may well be the most cost effective option when ‘shared’ renewable heating systems may be financially out of reach. However, it is important that all heating industries recognise the finite resources of oil and gas and the hugely detrimental impact their continued use has on our world. It seems to us that the most important thing we can do is to work together to offer solutions to fuel poverty that will see us into the future and meet the needs of the world going forward. Much like politics, short term solutions and blinkered thinking will not bring about the long lasting change that is desperately needed as we progress deeper into the 21st century.