Question reference: S6W-10205
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 8 August 2022
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Current status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 30 August 2022
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on the percentage terms difference between the running costs of heat pumps compared with those of a gas boiler, including what that would mean in cash terms as of August 2022, in light of its proposal to prohibit the use of direct emissions heating systems, such as those run on fossil fuel, in new buildings from 2024.
Answer
The Scottish Government is introducing the New Build Heat Standard from 2024 in direct response to the recommendation of the Committee on Climate Change on how to meet the net-zero obligation legislated for, and agreed by all parties, in the Scottish Parliament.
Heat pump operating costs will vary across properties, with the precise impact depending on factors such as the design and quality of the heating system, user operation, and the energy efficiency of the property.
We have commissioned two research projects which considered the running costs associated with zero direct emissions heating (ZDEH) technologies within new homes, including heat pumps, against a gas boiler counterfactual. A copy of these research reports is available here:
- Costs of zero emissions heating in new buildings (climatexchange.org.uk)
- Renewable and zero direct emissions heating systems in affordable housing projects (phase 2): evaluation - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
This analysis supports the reasonable assumption that the costs of an air source heat pump are generally comparable with gas in a new home. However, we would highlight that the analysis pre-dates the energy crisis, and that we do not have updated modelling available to reflect the current price cap. We also urge the UK Government to follow through on its commitment to publish proposals to rebalance energy bill costs by the end of 2022. Given the abundance of low cost renewables in the UK and the urgent need to decarbonise buildings, it should be cheaper to run an electrically-driven heat pump than a gas boiler.
A full Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment (BRIA) will be published when these regulations are introduced, incorporating the findings from these research reports and other relevant information.