LPG will play vital role in the Clean Growth Strategy

Thursday 12th October 2017

UKLPG welcomes the Government’s Clean Growth Strategy, notably its ambition to decarbonise heat in homes and businesses located off the gas grid.

  • Clean Growth Strategy front page

The UK's off-grid energy mix needs effective and efficient, low carbon fuels to meet domestic and commercial energy demand both now and into the future. LPG is the lowest carbon conventional fuel available now that can provide an immediate, expedient and cost effective energy solution. 

In its Clean Growth Strategy, launched today (12th October), the Government makes it clear that it wants to reduce emissions from heating the 850,000 homes off the gas grid that currently use oil for heating, and takes a similar view for businesses that use oil boilers and face volatile costs.

LPG emits 35% less CO2 than coal, 12% less than oil and almost no black carbon. With low particle emissions, low NOx (nitrogen oxide) emissions and low sulphur content, it is the lowest carbon conventional off grid fuel, reliable and widely available, with a well-established supply infrastructure throughout the UK.

We are ready to replace the oldest most inefficient oil boilers today with clean condensing LPG boilers that both lower consumer bills and reduce carbon emissions. In many cases, consumers would not need a new central heating system, plus the LPG storage tank would be part of their supply contract, meaning a low cost transfer to a low carbon fuel.

The LPG industry is working with state of the art heating equipment such as hybrid heating systems, gas absorption heat pumps and combined heat and power units meaning LPG customers will benefit further as these technologies are made even more efficient in the future. 

LPG has been helping to decarbonise heat in homes and businesses for decades. Electricity alone cannot meet the heat needs of the rural community and as an industry we are developing bio-LPG as part of a portfolio of long-term, low carbon solutions that will support homes and businesses off the gas grid for many years to come.

The LPG industry welcomes the opportunity to engage with government and be an integral part of the roadmap helping to decarbonise off-gas grid Britain, and the Clean Growth Strategy provides a firm framework for our activities in this area to progress at pace.  

By Rob Shuttleworth, UKLPG Chief Executive

The trade association for the LPG and bioLPG industry in the UK