Learn about options to decarbonise your heating source
Low carbon heating
Installing a low carbon heating source is another way of reducing emissions from your home. Rather than burning a fuel like oil or gas, low carbon heating generates heat through renewable methods.
Heat pumps are one form of low carbon heating. Whilst they need electricity to run, they do produce more energy as heat than they use through electricity. When you have this together with a renewable electricity system, you could power your heating and power completely renewably.
Heat pumps work by taking air from outdoors. This is then transferred into fluid and compressed until it's hot enough to provide heating through a radiator system.
Advantages of air source heat pumps
- highly efficient
- can receive payment through the Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive.
- low maintenance
- long service life
- summer cooling options available with some models
Disadvantages of air source heat pumps
- may also need to invest in new radiators.
- need outdoor space for installation.
- may not be as efficient in older properties.
- initial cost
Other low carbon heat options
- ground source heat pumps
- solar thermal
- biomass boilers
Helping you heat your home
Through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, you could get a grant to cover part of the cost of replacing fossil fuel heating systems with a heat pump or biomass boiler. You can use the grant to replace a heating system in your home or a building used for your business.
Fossil fuel heating systems include oil, gas, electric or LPG (liquefied petroleum gas).
After you’ve checked you’re eligible, find out how to apply for the grant on the GOV.UK website.
You can get one grant per property. Current grants are available for:
- £7,500 towards an air source heat pump
- £7,500 towards a ground source heat pump (including water source heat pumps and those on shared ground loops)
- £5,000 towards a biomass boiler
- £2,500 towards an air-to-air heat pump
- £9,000 towards an air source heat pump to help rural households move from heating oil