Consultation on support for low carbon heating in residential buildings

I am pleased to launch this consultation on support for low carbon heating within residential buildings. I have been clear that decarbonisation underpins and interlinks all of my Economic Vision objectives: delivering good jobs, addressing regional imbalance and increasing productivity.

It’s accepted that living in a warm home is a basic human right and contributes positively to supporting our physical and mental well-being, however our heavy reliance on fossil fuels to heat our homes contributes significantly to volatility in energy costs and harmful carbon emissions. Low carbon heating technologies provide a reliable, sustainable, clean energy source. They emit lower carbon emissions into the atmosphere compared to fossil-fuel based alternatives such as natural gas and oil boilers. This consultation takes us a step closer to delivering self-sufficiency in affordable renewable energy which will benefit everyone.

This consultation seeks views which will help inform options regarding the design, rules, and guidance of future Government support for low carbon heating technologies. The consultation references the complexities decarbonising our homes will bring, acknowledges the varied nature of our homes, their age, size and location and also the challenging length of time this transition may take. We are all too aware of the challenges that face us, but climate change is one of the most pressing issues of our time so we must act now and at pace.

Importantly, we need solutions that address not only our environmental challenges, but that also foster economic growth. The early adoption of low carbon heating technologies will act as a catalyst for growth within our green economy and present huge economic opportunities.

• By stimulating a strong local renewables market, we can create the conditions for businesses to develop the skills and technologies to provide low carbon heating solutions. 
• Harnessing the significant potential to create a centre of excellence within our region for low carbon heating. 
• Encouraging local businesses to take advantage of export opportunities to European and global markets.
• We can support local businesses with training and apprenticeships in low carbon technologies, to upskill trainees and provide new career pathways.
• Increasing our low carbon heat installer base by training the next generation of heating engineers through our FE and Higher Education institutions.

It is evident that the implementation of low carbon technologies will benefit all our citizens. In doing so we will not only drive forward towards net zero, but we will improve our productivity, we will grow and nurture good jobs, and we will ensure the opportunity of net zero is regionally balanced.

The transition to decarbonised heat will affect everyone but also benefit everyone in the long term so it’s vitally important that we engage everyone in the design and decision-making process. I encourage you to have your say and respond to this consultation with your feedback to help us develop future low carbon heat technology policy.

Conor Murphy MLA

Minister for the Economy