A parliamentary watchdog has reported that Britain's progress in reducing emissions in the home heating sector is hindered by a slow adoption of heat pumps.
The UK government is aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by replacing gas boilers with electricity-driven heat pumps, as the home heating sector accounts for around 18% of the country's overall emissions.
The National Audit Office (NAO) report revealed that the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero lacks a comprehensive plan to address the low awareness among households about decarbonizing home heating.
NAO head Gareth Davies emphasized the need for the government to involve every household in the decarbonisation of home heating as part of the transition to net zero.
The National Audit Office (NAO) has reported that meeting Britain's legally binding net zero emissions target by 2050 will necessitate a significant change in the heating methods of most of its 28 million homes.
The government installed 18,900 heat pumps between May 2022 and December 2023, exceeding its target of 50,000, and aims to install 600,000 annually by 2028.
The UK's Department for Energy and Security and Net Zero is launching a campaign on TV, radio, and newspaper to inform 16.6 million households about heat pumps, insulation, and cost-cutting measures.
The grant has significantly increased applications by nearly 40% by providing assistance rather than forcing families to install heat pumps.