Solving the clean heat conundrum 

Amongst the many pieces of the puzzle that will make up the UK’s route toward delivering on its net zero ambitions, the way in which we heat our homes is becoming a growing area of concern. Energy used for heating accounts for around 17 per cent of the UK’s carbon emissions, the majority of which comes from domestic buildings heated by natural gas boilers.

Efforts to address this have led to talk of a potential ban on conventional gas boilers. In July 2020, the CBI called on the government to implement the proposed ban on sales of new natural gas boilers from as early as 2025. At the time of writing, the UK was still awaiting the government’s anticipated heat and building strategy which looks set to confirm the suggested ban’s fate.

A range of solutions are being explored, from the installation of heat pumps to a nationwide switch to hydrogen fuelled boilers. Whilst it’s looking likely that a blend of innovations will be key to achieving the ambitious targets, James Macnaghten – CEO of Hampshire heating technology firm Caldera — believes his company’s zero-carbon heat battery could also play a key role.