Heat pumps and EVs making progress, UK climate advisers say

According to the government’s climatic consultants, more people buy electric cars and wear heat pumps, but these numbers need to increase further.

The Independent Climate Change Committee said that the government should benefit from the transition to cleaner technologies through lower bills.

“The government has made progress on a series of fronts, including clean power. [but] Emma Pinchbeck, General Manager of CCC, told BBC News.

In response, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband thanked the committee for his advice and said he was committed to reducing the bills.

According to the law, the UK should stop adding the total planet in the atmosphere until 2050. This “Net zero”.

Globally, it is common to reach net zero carbon dioxide emissions and to limit further heating.

However, the previous political consensus around England’s goal was broken with the conservative leader. Kemi Badenoch “impossible” and reform using the expression “Net Stupid Zero”.

However, the Committee argues that it is accessible and lead to long -term economic benefits.

“[The UK] With a net reset until 2050, it can definitely meet, Mrs Miss Pinchbeck said.

Greenhouse gas emissions within the borders of the UK has fallen more than half since 1990.

However, the reason for this is often changed with renewable energy such as wind and sun for electricity production – especially coal – especially the pollutant fossil fuels.

England’s biggest emitters last year were the transportation and buildings that should be cleaner to help reach Net Zero.

In the last two years, the CCC sees signs of progress, including almost double the number of electric cars on the UK roads. Approximately five new cars sold in 2024 were electricity.

This, despite the increase in traffic levels last year, for the second year in a row, the fact that aircraft and ships were not counted – helped to reduce shipping emissions.

The purchase of new electric cars is more expensive than gasoline equivalent, while the CCC expects them to cost the same in a few years.

Many second -hand models are already cheap and electric cars can be more economical to operate.

CCC’s net zero president “We see that these transitions are surprisingly fast after going, it usually starts slowly and rapidly accelerates, falling prices and increasing demand strengthen each other.” He said.

“When this is combined with an effective policy, this can really lead to this rapid change.”

The CCC is growing rapidly from last year to more than half of last year, thanks to the sales of electric heat pumps, partly under conservatives. But they still remain far below the target.

The committee also praised The new government loosening the planning rulesHe says he needs to encourage more people to build heat pumps.

However, even after grants, they can be expensive to install, and although they are much more efficient than a gas boiler, they are not cheaper to run.

The reason for this is that the electric cost is too high, the CCC says that it should fight again and again.

In recent years, CCC says the major reason for the increase in household electricity prices in recent years is the increase in wholesale costs directed by international gas prices.

“The only way to download bills for good is to be a clean energy superpower and we continue to work without getting tired to provide clean power for families and businesses,” the energy secretary Ed Miliband said.

However, the committee adds that electricity bills are artificially high, because largely added to the older renewable energy projects – more expensive – and costs to support energy efficiency.

The government announced on Monday He plans to remove these costs for some businesses.

The Committee says it will make them running out of home electricity bills, making a rapid correction of the UK’s high prices much cheaper to run an electric car or heat pump.

However, these costs would have to potentially go to general taxation.

It will take about £ 200 from the average ” [household] Bill but to Exchequer at a cost of approximately £ 6 billion per year,

Additional Reports by Jonah Fisher and Miho Tanaka