Briefing Paper Launch:
The Future of Home Heating: The Role of Heat Pumps and Hydrogen
In order to mitigate the dangerous effects of climate change, it is vitally important to embark on far-reaching, ambitious efforts to decarbonise the UK’s economy and infrastructure. While renewable technologies are rapidly evolving and dropping in price to provide a cost-effective way to decarbonise the power sector, the heating sector, which is responsible for approximately 23% of UK emissions, is forecast to be more difficult to decarbonise. In this new Briefing Paper from Energy Futures Lab, the prospects for the future of home heating are analysed with specific reference to heat pumps and hydrogen heating. The report is based on extensive literature on the topic of decarbonisation of the heat industry in the UK and discusses the various advantages, challenges, and technicalities surrounding the two technologies. A set of recommendations is then proposed.
Co-authors Amy Trask, Dr Richard Hanna and Dr Aidan Rhodes (Imperial College London) will be joined by:
- Caroline Bragg, Director of Policy and Research, The Association for Decentralised Energy
- Dr Nixon Sunny, Centre for Environmental Policy, Imperial College London
- Dr Richard Hauxwell-Baldwin, Research and Campaigns Officer, MCS Charitable Foundation
About Energy Futures Lab
Energy Futures Lab is one of seven Global Institutes at Imperial College London. The institute was established to address global energy challenges by identifying and leading new opportunities to serve industry, government and society at large through high quality research, evidence and advocacy for positive change. The institute aims to promote energy innovation and advance systemic solutions for a sustainable energy future by bringing together the science, engineering and policy expertise at Imperial and fostering collaboration with a wide variety of external partners.