Phasing out oil boilers - can anyone give me the definitive situation!

Tunstallstoven

Hi

It's such a nice idea that the internet and information age makes getting answers and gathering knowledge much easier.  But so often it seems the opposite is true!  

I was chatting with a boiler engineer yesterday.  I thought new oil boilers were being banned from 2025/2026 and that while you won't have to get rid of an existing boiler after that date, when it goes kaput you won't be able to replace it with a new one. 

He said I was wrong...

His understanding of the situation is that it's only new builds that won't be able to install new oil boilers after 2025/2026.  Existing properties CAN install new oil boilers up to a date that has not been decided yet, but is likely to be around mid-2030s.  Furthermore, as a Bosch engineer he said that they are still producing lots of new boilers and this is not being wound down.  

I stupidly thought I would get clarity with 5 minutes of googling.  But quite the opposite; lots of articles.  Lots of contradiction.  I'm not sure if some of the contradiction is being fuelled (pun intended) by differences between the future of gas and oil?  

So it's over to MSE forumites to hopefully give some clarity.  Because of the wide range of opinions, any links to back up views would be fantastic.  

Many thanks

tacpot12

UK Gas Boiler Ban – Complete Guide | EDF (edfenergy.com)

Unless someone makes a convincing case to the government to do something differently, I would fully expect that oil boilers will be banned at the same time and by the same regulations as gas boilers.

BUFF

to counter that https://www.theecoexperts.co.uk/boilers/oil-boiler-ban# (& updated yesterday).
I suspect that nobody can give you a definitive answer because it is not yet settled what will be enacted ...

dunstonh

The consultation outcome hasn't been published yet.   Hence why info is inconsistent.  However, here is the consultation and proposals.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1026356/domestic-offgg-consultation.pdf

As it stands, the proposals are to ban all oil boiler installations (and replacements) in 2026.

 Furthermore, as a Bosch engineer he said that they are still producing lots of new boilers and this is not being wound down.  

There is going to be a boom in oil boiler sales before the 2026 ban as people look to delay any move to alternatives.

Tunstallstoven

Right - that all makes sense as to why I'm hearing different things.  Thanks for the explanations.  

dunstonh said:

However, here is the consultation and proposals.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1026356/domestic-offgg-consultation.pdf

Thanks for the link too.  Some bedroom reading for tonight   

mark_cycling00

We're opening a 300bmillion barrel oil field (rosebank) in a few years. It pays a lot of tax and profits.

A lot! 

But you won't see a penny towards your £25,000 heat pump system 

jashe

The consultation paper has been out for around 2 years (see attached highlighted version).  

I'm part of a voluntary oranistaion who have been commissioned by our County & District Councils to look into decarbonising an entire village that is "Off Gas Grid Network" and putting forward a strategy for that, then teaching other local groups about our findings, strategy, pit-falls, etc.

It's going to be a long road, mostly because people have their heads in the sand about this consultation and the legislation that's likely to follow very soon.

The strategy they're pursuing is very aggressive, but if we hope to make a dent in carbon emmissions by the target dates we've signed up to, it's a very necessary step.

dunstonh

The consultation paper has been out for around 2 years (see attached highlighted version).  

I'm part of a voluntary oranistaion who have been commissioned by our County & District Councils to look into decarbonising an entire village that is "Off Gas Grid Network" and putting forward a strategy for that, then teaching other local groups about our findings, strategy, pit-falls, etc.

It's going to be a long road, mostly because people have their heads in the sand about this consultation and the legislation that's likely to follow very soon.

The strategy they're pursuing is very aggressive, but if we hope to make a dent in carbon emmissions by the target dates we've signed up to, it's a very necessary step.

I think a lot of the problem is that current alternatives are not suitable for most old houses without significant and expensive modifications.  Some of which destroy the history of the house.

We had someone call round and they estimated that brining our property upto standard for heat pumps and he effectively told us not to bother as it was too expensive and to wait until technology improves.    We want to improve the property but there is no way to do it that quickly.   

I think oil is being unfairly picked on.  It accounts for just 4% of UK heating.   It is used by properties that are amongst some of the hardest to move to other methods.

Reed_Richards

I moved from oil to a heat pump and it was quite easy.  Okay, I live in a 1980 timber-frame bungalow so not as badly insulated as some dwellings.  But heat is heat and the only reason a heat pump could not replace an oil boiler is because you can't buy a heat pump of large enough capacity.  Domestic heat pumps seem to go up to about 18 kW of heat output.  An oil boiler may be rated with a higher output than this but that's usually to allow rapid heating of the hot water for a combi boiler. 

Anyway, if you are consumign18 kWh of energy per hour in cold weather then your home must be costing you a lot to heat and anything you can do to reduce that heat loss might well be worthwhile, whether or not you stick with an oil boiler.      

QrizB

Domestic heat pumps seem to go up to about 18 kW of heat output. 

And there was a thread recently over on the main Energy forum about a 5000 sq. m. house with three-phase power and two separate heat pumps, so I suspect you could install 3x 18kW heat pumps if you really needed 54kW of heat input to your home.

All the claims that "heat pumps need well insulated homes" are shorthand for "heat from heat pumps is often more expensive than oil or gas, so insulation is likely to be more cost-effective".

Ectophile

QrizB said:

Domestic heat pumps seem to go up to about 18 kW of heat output. 

And there was a thread recently over on the main Energy forum about a 5000 sq. m. house with three-phase power and two separate heat pumps, so I suspect you could install 3x 18kW heat pumps if you really needed 54kW of heat input to your home.

All the claims that "heat pumps need well insulated homes" are shorthand for "heat from heat pumps is often more expensive than oil or gas, so insulation is likely to be more cost-effective".

The reason that you need insulation is that heat pumps work most efficiently at lower output temperatures.  So that means pumping warm, not hot, water around the system.  So unless you line all the walls with radiators, a heat pump system will never adequately heat a badly insulated house.

A well set up heat pump should produce around three times as much heat as the electricity it uses.  Leaving aside the cost of installing the thing in the first place, the running costs should be similar to mains gas.