Current status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 4 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will make an assessment of any potential merits of the use of renewable liquid gases in properties where a heat pump cannot be fitted.
While not appropriate for most homes, bioenergy, including renewable liquid biofuels, is a low carbon, renewable energy source which can prove the best solution to decarbonising heating in some remote and rural communities. We intend to ensure that sustainable bioenergy and biofuels remain an option for these communities, and the provisions of our proposed Heat in Buildings Bill will take a technology-neutral approach so that building owners are able to choose the technology which is right for them.
We are currently consulting on proposals for a Heat and Energy Efficiency Technical Suitability Assessment (HEETSA). The consultation will remain open until 29 August 2025. The HEETSA will include a technical suitability assessment methodology that allows for the comparative assessment of different clean heat options in a property and provide information on when the installation of a system would not be suitable.