This is the sort of evidence-free crap I associate with the Tories. I expected @teamlabouruk.bsky.social to be more mature. We need to stop installing new boilers now, not kicking it down the road for another decade. It's almost too late now. www.theguardian.com/environment/... - ThreadSky

gazza-d.bsky.social • 58 days ago

This is the sort of evidence-free crap I associate with the Tories.
I expected @teamlabouruk.bsky.social to be more mature. We need to stop installing new boilers now, not kicking it down the road for another decade. It's almost too late now.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/jan/06/uk-government-scraps-plan-to-ban-sale-of-gas-boilers-by-2035

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fernsfeldflyer.bsky.social•58 days ago

Political cowardice at the first sign of resistance from interested parties. 1st of many?

calderwook.bsky.social•58 days ago

"However, minimum standards for energy efficiency in newly built properties under the rules will preclude the installation of gas boilers."

So ban on new builds only. I suspect it's been a landlord lobby that prompted this, as 13% of MPs are landlords.

calderwook.bsky.social•58 days ago

Actually, it's more likely been Worcester Bosch etc that pushed for this.

paulboldrin.bsky.social•58 days ago

Really weird headline and framing when the article says this: "However, minimum standards for energy efficiency in newly built properties under the rules will preclude the installation of gas boilers." So boilers won't be explicitly banned but won't meet standards so are de facto banned.

calderwook.bsky.social•58 days ago

It's removing the stick of forcing people to change to heat pumps when the gas boilers reach the end of life after 2035 in existing properties.

paulboldrin.bsky.social•58 days ago

Labour said before the election they weren't going to keep that target (which the Tories hadn't implemented in any case, just talked about) so that's not news.

alzrnb.bsky.social•58 days ago

A couple of my friends have looked into them but concluded they're not worth it because of the space it will take up in their home (currrently they have just a combi). Do you think a 100% no more new boilers policy would be feasible for all properties (especially old ones) not designed around one?

calderwook.bsky.social•58 days ago

The tech seems to be maturing pretty quickly. There is now combi cylinders that will fit in a kitchen cupboard sized space for example.

A ban would force extra innovation that would hopefully smooth over retrofitting issues.

calderwook.bsky.social•58 days ago

As for the old properties. National Trust for England manged to fit heat pumps in a 16th century mansion that was more efficient and saved then money.

alzrnb.bsky.social•58 days ago

That's interesting. I have a survey for a heat pump coming up and the dimensions they gave for pump and cylinder were definitely much larger than that.

Octopus also apparently will only fit at ground level, presumably for flats there would be specific companies who do installs on exterior?

calderwook.bsky.social•58 days ago

Here is what I was talking about. I'm in a maisonette flat so have been keeping my eye out for solutions for smaller places, and it isn't quite there yet it. The ground level seems to be a sticking point in the UK right now. https://youtu.be/a1XGBmBLUnA?si=c5_WW-dUkRXibiX_

gregorynorminton.bsky.social•58 days ago

That's the key, isn't it? If the minimum standards aren't watered down, it's smart politics. If they are, it's a disaster. And there would appear to be briefing about just that.

paulboldrin.bsky.social•58 days ago

Also that they're going to be massively expanding the capacity to build grid infrastructure over the next few years to enable the clean power plan, and the logical next step after 2030 is to use that capacity to facilitate EV charging and electric heating.

gregorynorminton.bsky.social•58 days ago

Well, yeah.

paulboldrin.bsky.social•58 days ago

I don't see that it would make any sense whatsoever to allow gas boilers in new homes in 2035. It wouldn't make any sense with the clean power targets, with the demand shifting required for that, with the oncoming increases in fixed costs of gas infrastructure due to falling demand. I don't see it.

tjmoore.co.uk•58 days ago

They see Trump coming and know there's going to be a big pro fossil fuel push and anti-EV / HP / windmill coming and some of that is aimed at the UK with Trump already dictating we should ditch the green agenda.

williamnb.bsky.social•58 days ago

I admire your optimism in thinking Starmer's Labour is any different to the Tories.
He's trying to out-Tory them.

gazza-d.bsky.social•58 days ago

Oh I don't have any enough expections to actually vote for them.
I just didn't expect labour to be worse than the Tories in so many ways.

ilminstersteve.bsky.social•58 days ago

Under current planning/conservation/building regs I cant fit a heat pump as I have nowhere that I can legally fit one.
So until rules change I'm pleased that this has happened. Agree something needs to happen wrt to new builds, but for replacements there needs to be a joined up solution.

secretsquidgle.bsky.social•58 days ago

Did you read the article? It’s worse than that. They are kicking the can down the road indefinitely - the 2035 boiler ban is gone.

gazza-d.bsky.social•58 days ago

I read that and to be honest I thought I was mis reading as it doesn't make sense.

secretsquidgle.bsky.social•58 days ago

My read is that house builders can skip installing heat pumps from now until infinity and all that will happen is they may not get an A grade on the house energy efficiency certificate. What the Tory’s were kicking the can down the road on Labour have said meh - let’s not bother at all.

gazza-d.bsky.social•58 days ago

It's bound to be house builders and boiler makers lobbying Labour.
It's ridiculous watering down to the point of uselessness, and will cost the home owners more to run a house.
Continuing to rely on gas isn't a good plan anyway aside from the environmentals

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