SUCKING heat out of the earth or air to power the nation’s homes could be far cheaper than dirty gas boilers, experts tell the PM today.
Eco-friendly heat pumps may be able to save cash-strapped Brits hundreds on their energy bills in future, if ministers swap over the current levies from electricity to gas today.
But bills would stay the same for people who have a gas boiler, they say.
The move wouldn’t cost the Treasury a penny but would incentivise people making green swaps, top boffins said.
They also call on ministers to offer the nation discounts to swap over to the pricier models, by slashing the prices – like they do with electric cars.
Research by the International Council on Clean Transportation found that heat pumps would produce less carbon and be half the price to run than boilers which use hydrogen.
It would mean the average set of energy for household bills would be around £500, the experts say.
Jan Rosenow, Research Associate at Oxford University said last night: “The majority of Brits are concerned about climate change but they might not realise that their boiler is part of the problem.
“The good news is we can solve this if Ministers grasp the opportunity to make the clean option the more affordable one.”
Standard boilers produce huge amounts of harmful pollution which is harming the planet, but ministers have vowed to reach zero emissions by 2050.
Heating accounts for nearly a sixth of the UK’s total emissions – the same as all diesel and petrol cars.