Gas network price rises heading to the UK (eventually)

[Mike]

Just spotted that, in France, the regulator is raising gas prices by between 5.5% and 10.4% from July, mainly because the number of gas consumers is falling (by around 1.9% per year) as electrification progresses and the cost of the gas grid has to be shared by fewer users. The trend is unlikely to slow - gas boilers were banned in new-build homes in January 2022 and air-water heat pumps installations were running at 350,000 in 2022 and accelerating fast.

 

I've not seen a discussion of this prospect in the in the UK, probably because the adoption of heat pumps is so dismal (35,000 air-water & air-air installed under the MCS in 2023), but no doubt it will eventually happen. An extra factor in favour of going all-electric.

 

More (in French): https://www.cre.fr/actualites/la-cre-fixe-le-tarif-des-reseaux-de-distribution-de-gaz-naturel-de-grdf-pour-la-periode-2024-2027

[ProDave]

So how are the French installing so many heat pumps and us so few?  Are their houses generally better than most of the UK rubbish and better suited?  Are there more skilled people there to fit them?  Better grants?  or what?

[Mike]

2 hours ago, ProDave said:

So how are the French installing so many heat pumps and us so few?

The MCS Foundation published a report on that last year - see https://mcsfoundation.org.uk/news/new-report-france-cuts-heating-emissions-ten-times-faster-than-uk-with-heat-pump-roll-out/

 

Short version: Strong government action over decades, boosted recently by Macron who campaigned on improving energy efficiency in 2017.

 

Slightly longer version: Started promoting heat pumps in the 1980s after the 1970s oil shock, heat pump subsidies started in 2005, better grants & 0% loans regardless of income (to €15,000, with & quick approvals & payments + 1-stop shop for advice on energy-related renovations), lower-cost electricity (a heat pump costs less than a gas boiler to run), lower use of gas (though higher use of oil - but energy isn't dominated by the gas lobby as it is in the UK), indigenous aircon companies & installers able to branch into air-water heat-pumps (with Government financial support), Government accredited installer qualifications, better consumer understanding...

 

Edited February 6 by Mike