Net Zero - we'll be forced to replace our gas boilers, won't we?

[LizzieMacQueen]

Published today, the SG plans on reducing emissions in Scotland's buildings. Now I know there's a climate crises but this reads to me, much like the fire alarm legislation, laws are going to be put in place to force us to switch over. I've c & p a paragraph I found in the summary.

->

We will bring forward legislation during this Parliamentary term which, subject to devolved competence, will include regulatory proposals to require the installation of zero or v ery near zero emissions heating systems in existing buildings – in both the domestic and non-domestic sectors. This legislation w ill support our commitment to phasing out the need to install new or replacement fossil fuel boilers in off gas properties from 2025, and in on-gas areas from 2030.

More here -->

Owner-occupied Private Housing: We will consult on detailed proposals for minimum energy efficiency standards for all owner-occupied private housing. ItisenvisagedthatthesewillbesetatalevelequivalenttoEPCC. We propose to introduce regulations from 2023-2025 onw ards, and all domestic ow ner-occupied buildings should meet this standard by 2033.

Link to Doc,

link

And new homes -->

New buildings
To ensure that new buildings do not require retrofitting in the future to achiev e zero emissions, the Scottish Gov ernment is currently dev eloping
regulations w hich w ill require all new buildings, for w hich a building w arrant is applied for from 2024, to use zero emissions heating.

(By the way the weird gaps in text are theirs, not mine)

Saw the SNP gardeners wanging on about this earlier. Yes, change your boilers apparently.

(Lots of posturing ahead of COP26 trying their very best to look part of the discussions happening over on the grown ups table.)

I spent £11K thanks installing a new gas heating system and boiler in my draughty Victorian house in 2017. I wasn’t planning on upgrading again for some considerable time.
I don’t know anything about this really- would the plan be that we move to electric boilers and can these provide equivalent power?

The plan for gas is that we move away from natural gas and shift to hydrogen gas.

However this does mean that a lot of infrastructure and appliances will need changing, as hydrogen behaves differently to natural gas, for example our current gas pipelines will leach hydrogen gas above a certain concentration, so they are gradually being replaced with those big yellow pipes.
www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-government-launches-plan-for-a-world-leading-hydrogen-economy

www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360319913006800

I can't see how they can force it, replacing a boiler is a huge expense

They can only expect this to happen if people are offered grants and/or there is a phasing out in line with the natural end of the life of existing boilers.

Some companies are about to launch or have launched hydrogen ready boilers our is due to be replaced and I’m waiting til they come out as I can’t justify changing again if I don’t have to.

We replaced our c45 year old gas boiler last year with a new gas boiler that has a 10 year guarantee.

[quote Ihaventgottimeforthis]The plan for gas is that we move away from natural gas and shift to hydrogen gas.

However this does mean that a lot of infrastructure and appliances will need changing, as hydrogen behaves differently to natural gas, for example our current gas pipelines will leach hydrogen gas above a certain concentration, so they are gradually being replaced with those big yellow pipes.
www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-government-launches-plan-for-a-world-leading-hydrogen-economy

www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360319913006800[/quote]
Is this why cadent replaced the old pipes to properties recently? They said it was a national upgrade as the existing pipes corrode.

Hydrogen is only one option snd not looking likely for heating

New builds should have been on ground source heat pumps ten years ago

It's like phasing out petrol and diesel cars , you won't have to ditch the boiler by 2030

I've just changed my boiler. They can fuck off if they think I'm going to be buying another one before it gives up the ghost.

A Green/SNP fan at my work was horrified I wasn't installing a ground source heat pump at £30k plus the requirement to dig up the whole garden.

I am getting a bit concerned about their grip on reality, honestly

Way to make Scotland completely uncompetitive

Yep this isn't going to happen overnight, like the transition away from diesel etc it'll be a long gradual transition, so don't worry you won't be forced at gunpoint to replace your brand new boilers.

They can fuck right off. We've just installed a new boiler.

Tbh I wouldn't worry. It'll be another scot gov grand pronouncement that comes to nothing and is quietly swept under the carpet.

A Green/SNP fan at my work was horrified I wasn't installing a ground source heat pump at £30k

Well I've failed at the 1st hurdle.
I don't even know what this means

Yeah but @Rainbowshit they brought in the smoke alarm legislation. In their document they talk of trigger points, one being the sale of your house. Ie without being compliant, you wouldn't be allowed to sell.

BBC are reporting on it

Heated exchange for Scotland's homes www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-business-58842528

I funking hate SNP.

Here's the text about trigger points.

-->

Regulatory trigger points and area-based regulation
There are a range of natural points where changes happen to a building. These could be used as triggers at which regulation could come in to force including: change of tenancy (w hen a property is empty); point of sale; major refurbishment; or replacement or installation of a new heating system.

Our longish term plan is to get an electric boiler and cover our roof with solar panels and batteries to run it and the house. We already have some on my dhs cabin office.
We have just replaced our boiler though, a gas one, and it's so much more efficient that the previous one which really wasn't that old, so we will have to stick with that until we can afford to carry out our plan.

@mapleleavesreturn

I can't see how they can force it, replacing a boiler is a huge expense

The can force it by ending the gas supply.

We can't put solar panels on the roof as we're in a conservation area . We're also an upper conversion, so not sure where a ground source pump could be located

Well.4 different CH engineers when quoting me for a combi told me that even top brands like Baxi, Worcester Bosch etc etc only have an average life span of 8 to 12 years.

So I guess they'll force people to alternatives as these die and start breaking down, by limiting/non availability of spares etc maybe. Who knows?? I believe the Welsh gov have a similar plan with gas ch system in our homes.

@prettybird

We can't put solar panels on the roof as we're in a conservation area . We're also an upper conversion, so not sure where a ground source pump could be located

Details, details.

By all means encourage people who are building new properties to look at being eco and installing solar, or heat pumps, or whatever. But retrofitting into a Victorian tenement? It's almost as if the greens are on a different planet to the most of us.