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As we come to the end of a year that saw the Labour party return to government for the first time in 14 years, Griff Thomas, Managing Director of GTEC and Heatly, both part of the United Living Group, looks back at 2024 to see what we’ve learned about the journey to net zero.
Climate change was a key issue for UK voters in the 2024 general election. Polling by More in Common after the vote confirmed that former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s watering down of climate policy in the lead up to the election did indeed cost him votes, and we all know what happened next; Labour ended up taking a House of Commons majority of 172, leaving the Conservatives with their lowest ever number of seats and Keir Starmer in Number 10.
With so much political instability and backtracking of climate deadlines over the last five years, Labour now have their work cut out. Can they kickstart economic growth and make Britain a ‘clean energy superpower’ as promised in their manifesto?
Here are five key lessons we’ve learned about decarbonising the UK’s infrastructure and energy landscape in 2024.
The debate about the role of hydrogen in domestic decarbonisation has been rumbling for many years but in May this year, it was confirmed that heat pumps, together with heat networks, will be the primary low carbon heating source in UK homes. The Department of Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) announced the cancellation of the final hydrogen town trial pending strategy decisions about the future of the gas grid in 2026. Low carbon hydrogen may play a limited role in domestic heating, however, the government is positively underpinning heat pumps and district heating going forwards.
Since the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) funding was raised to £7,500 there has been a massive uptick in interest, which shows the appetite for heat pumps is there if the price is right. In a clear sign of support for consumers and businesses operating in the heat pump industry, the government has approved the overallocation of BUS vouchers for this financial year. 2025 is set to be a big year for heat pumps.
The Labour Party’s return to government brought renewed commitment to climate action, including lifting the ban on onshore wind and a pledge to end new oil and gas licences. In his first major speech, Foreign Secretary David Lammy highlighted how deeply the issue of climate change is intertwined with national security and economic stability, expressing a keenness for the UK to lead the charge in this area. This stark and serious messaging was refreshing to hear, a very different approach to the previous government. I hope we now see some consistent and robust policy to support sustainable growth of clean energy – Great British Energy is a promising start.
There is also a lot of work to be done on countering the misinformation and fearmongering surrounding heat pumps. For too long, slanderous views surrounding the shift away from fossil fuels have been allowed to erode trust in decarbonisation and interrupt progress. Net zero is a cross-party issue, not a political tool or something to stoke divisions in the ‘culture wars’. What we need now is for our policy makers to lay a strong foundation and stick to the programme – I would like to see a 10-year plan for the path ahead.
As a proud Northerner, I was delighted to hear that the government is investing in two new carbon capture sites – a first for the UK – creating thousands of skilled jobs in the North of England, in the same week that the UK became the first industrialised nation to end coal usage.
The new projects in Teesside and Merseyside will set the UK on course to be a global leader in hydrogen and carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS), removing carbon emissions equivalent to four million cars each year and injecting £8 billion of private investment into the North of England.
Although the role of hydrogen in heating is likely to be limited, it holds huge potential in key hard-to-treat sectors, such as energy storage and transportation, where it can be used for heavy duty haulage where batteries are unsuitable. For contractors, this means staying informed about carbon capture technology and the evolving hydrogen market, as these innovations will play a critical role in reducing emissions in the coming decades.
Labour’s green initiatives, including the Warm Homes Plan, call for mass deployment of energy efficient technologies across homes and public buildings but the skills gap remains a significant barrier. While I applaud these bold initiatives, they must be backed by funding for skills development to ensure measures are delivered.
The launch of Skills England is a positive step and, for those in the low carbon sector, their first report made for exciting reading. Acknowledging that employee investment has been in steady decline for too long, the report outlined apprenticeship reforms and a ‘bottom-up’ approach to training that should provide more flexibility for employers and learners.
I also hope that next year, reforms in the accreditation process for heat pumps and renewable energy technologies will remove barriers of entry to the market for installers – we urgently need more heat pump engineers and solar PV and battery storage to prevent further delays.
Investment in skills and tech is crucial for every sector and holds great potential for the low carbon transition. If we can use artificial intelligence and real-time data from heat pump system monitoring, we can gain insight into energy efficiency, performance and user behaviour that can help optimise design and inform fit-for-purpose low carbon heating policy.
New digital tools will also help installers dramatically improve the ease, speed and accuracy of heat pump system design while delivering critical support to streamline the transition from gas to heat pumps, something that I am personally involved with in the development of Heatly. Installer trials are ongoing and we’re also forging partnerships with bigger organisations interested in using Heatly’s functionality to improve their own operations – including energy providers, wholesalers and manufacturers.
Technology also has a role beyond the industry, building trust and confidence in consumers. Using intelligent apps like Heatly, consumers can access reliable information, compare energy tariffs, track their energy usage and understand the benefits of transitioning to low carbon heating, which will be instrumental in countering disinformation and turning the tide on the perception of renewable technologies.
With a new government in power, this year has marked a shift in our approach to economic growth and industrial strategy. For those in the commercial building services sector, the change brings opportunities – whether through upskilling, adopting new technologies or adapting to meet emerging markets. Labour has made some positive moves towards net zero, it’s important that they now stick to the plan to ensure progress continues steadily into 2025 and beyond.
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