Ed Miliband ‘plotting underfloor heating ban’ in net zero brainwave | UK | News
Ed Miliband plans to ban the sale of underfloor heating systems that use too much power as part of the new net zero drive, according to reports. The Energy Secretary wants to introduce new efficiency requirements that would make it illegal to sell a third of existing “space heating systems”.
Mr Miliband’s renewed push for carbon neutrality could also entail making temperature checks mandatory and allowing some towel rails to operate for just six hours a day, The Telegraph reported. He hopes the new regulations will force customers to switch to more expensive home systems with functions designed to limit energy use, including limiting heating to certain times of the day or switching it off completely after detecting inefficiency linked to problems such as draughts.
Shadow Energy Secretary Claire Coutinho accused Mr Miliband of pursuing a policy that amounted to “Soviet-level intervention” and meant “our lives are defined by net zero legislation”.
Richard Tice, deputy leader of Reform UK, added: “Mad Miliband’s latest net zero push to restrict underfloor heating and electric towel rails is pure madness. “Even the Romans had underfloor heating.
“Labor chooses to focus on tone-deaf green ideology rather than reducing household costs.”
The plans will bring Britain’s energy regulations closer to those of the EU, where only the most energy-efficient products are available.
Reports suggest the new rules will only apply to new sales, rather than existing underfloor heating systems and towel rails.
The government said the “excess energy” used by some older household products “creates an avoidable cost to society” through greenhouse gas emissions, which could be offset by government “intervention”.
Officials argue the restrictions will encourage companies to be innovative in their designs, while documents in the plans suggest the extra costs will be “passed on in full directly to the consumer”.
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) insists customers will be better off in the long run despite the initial price increase; but estimates suggest this could only average £8 when the rules come in next spring.
A DESNZ spokesman said: “Our reforms will save households money by improving the energy efficiency of underfloor heating, towel rails and storage heaters.”
