OFTEC IRELAND NEWS
renewable liquid fuel, we advocate that changing the fuel is the easier option. “In fact, changing the fuel that liquid- fuelled boilers currently use to a low carbon fuel would offer immediate and substantial carbon reductions - a near 90% reduction in carbon emissions compared to traditional home heating oil. “The fuel we propose is Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO), and our response to the consultation outlines the work that the trade associations have done to date across the UK with respect to the conversion of oil heated homes to a renewable liquid heating fuel.” It is widely accepted that some homes (and non-domestic buildings) are not suitable for conversion to heat pumps and other solutions will be needed. Both the Climate Change Committee (CCC) and the National Grid Future Energy Scenarios (FES) predict approximately 900,000 of UK based off-grid homes will require some form of renewable fuel other than electricity to provide home heating by 2050 to help meet the UK’s net zero commitment. Lab trials and small-scale demonstrator field trials have confirmed that HVO has similar traits to kerosene while offering an 88% reduction in carbon emissions. The trade bodies are calling on the Northern Ireland Executive to work with them now, to actively promote the introduction of a renewable liquid fuel to homes currently heated by oil. They say this could be achievable in a timescale which would exceed expectations, enhance workforce opportunities, and allow customers, to decarbonise at limited cost and disruption. OFTEC, UKIFDA and NIOF are asking the Northern Ireland Executive for the following help, • Work with Westminster to remove the current c11p duty on renewable heating fuels to stimulate uptake. • Introduce a short-lived incentive scheme (as has been the case in transport fuels) to stimulate the early adoption of the fuel and therefore supply. • Include renewable heating fuels in current government schemes such as NISEP. • To actively promote all decarbonisation
“The cost of converting the 526,000 oil heated homes in Northern Ireland to heat pump technology would be £8.7bn. Whereas the total cost, of converting all of Northern Ireland’s oil heated homes to utilise a renewable liquid fuel would be £618m.”
solutions in a technology neutral way that reflects the individual nature of people’s homes and choices. To actively remove trade barriers to low carbon fuels. • To work with the industry to support a larger scale trial in Northern Ireland to demonstrate the potential for the
they firmly believe that a move from kerosene to renewable liquid fuel (HVO) offers the Executive a simple, cost- effective solution to decarbonising the off-grid sector. With the correct policy and support, the transition could be easily delivered within five years and substantial carbon
adoption of renewable liquid fuel. Concluding their response to the consultation, the trade bodies said
reductions achieved. For more information, visit www.oftec.org
David Blevings, OFTEC Ireland Manager on T: +44 (0)28 9186 2916 Sean McBride, Ireland Representative on T: +44 (0)7540 502 304 (NI) or +353 (0)87 241 7041 (RoI) www.oftec.org
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