UK energy POLL: Should PM turbocharge plans to ban gas boilers amid global shortage?

Emmanuel Macron says gas prices are providing ‘strong pressure’

Gas prices have risen by 250 percent since January, and keep on climbing every day, forcing energy providers like Pure Planet and Colorado energy to shut up shop. More than 1.3 million homes have been automatically switched over to larger suppliers like British Gas and EDF Energy as part of the Supplier of Last Resort (SOLR) system.

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But those customers now face the possibility of soaring energy bills as they go on a fresh tariff with a new company.

Britons have relied on gas boilers for decades, in fact, 85 percent of UK homes use gas central heating today – but is it time to switch to green boilers as gas bills are spiralling?

At the start of 2019, the Government announced a ban on gas boilers preventing their installation in new homes by 2025.

If they moved the plan forward by two years, there could be less UK houses relying on gas energy suppliers.

There are currently no plans to phase out gas boilers in existing homes and Boiler Guide state that a full ban on gas boiler installations in existing homes is not likely to come into effect until much closer to 2050.

However, it is expected that UK homeowners will increasingly choose green boilers over gas boilers, as the Government introduces more green levies to gas billls.

Would you invest in a green boiler?

Would you invest in a green boiler? (Image: Getty)

But why has the gas crisis hit us now?

The Met group predict natural gas will run out globally in the next 50 years, making it vital to transfer to green energy sources and reach the Prime Minister’s net zero 2050 target.

But this year in particular has seen a shortage of gas because the winter was colder than normal across the globe, which increased heating demand.

Over summer stocks were not replenished because suppliers were catching up with postponed maintenance – that was due to take place during lockdowns.

As another winter approaches, it is expected that more and more energy companies will go under, and bills will rise exponentially over the next year.

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So what are the green options?

There are many options that the Government has, but the two most prominent have been hydrogen boilers and heat pumps.

Hydrogen boilers heat the home with both natural gas and pure hydrogen.

But they will only come into play when gas distribution networks have converted from natural gas to hydrogen.

The Government has now published its Hydrogen Strategy in the hope of getting the ball rolling, but the Climate Change Committee warned that a hydrogen boiler replacement would cost the consumer £100 more per appliance.

Electric heat pumps are seen to be the most viable alternative.

These absorb natural heat to warm your homes and water.

But they can cost anywhere from £4,000 to £14,000 to purchase and install – which is significantly more than the £1,000 average cost of a gas boiler.

READ MORE: Russia sends terrifying threat as millions of Britons face winter cris

Another option is air source heat pumps that draw heat from above – even in temperatures as low as -15C – but even they start from £10,000.

Both of these sources run on electricity, but heat pumps are currently around £400 per year more expensive to run than boilers.

The Heating and Hot Water Industry Council (HHIC) warned Government advisors last week there is a potential £12.5billion risk to consumers if they stick to their current strategy for heating British homes.

HHIC claimed five million homeowners will also need to fund urgent system upgrades, costing an estimated £2,500 per household, to prepare for installing a heat pump.

The Government is expected to announce plans soon to explain how they plan to deal with the soaring costs consumers face.

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Gas prices are soaring for suppliers and consumers

Gas prices are soaring for suppliers and consumers (Image: Express)

There are also biomass boilers that burn wood and condensing boilers that re-use energy created by burning fuel.

Both still contribute to global warming, but drastically less than the traditional gas boiler.

A biomass boiler can cost between £11,000 to £23,000, condensing boilers are much cheaper ranging from £500 to £1,700, compared to the traditional gas boiler which sells at an average of £1000.

Would you invest a short-term expense for long-term savings if gas prices do not reverse? Let us know in the comments section below.

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source: express.co.uk