OFTEC (the Oil Firing Technical Association) says that a new boiler scrappage scheme unveiled yesterday (2 February) to help Greater London residents reduce CO2 emissions from heating should be rolled out nationwide to help meet the UK’s ambitious carbon reduction targets.

The association warmly welcomes the eight week scheme which will provide a £400 cashback subsidy to households and landlords who upgrade a standard 70% efficiency oil or gas boiler to an A rated 90% efficiency model.

OFTEC has long championed the idea of boiler scrappage which can help the average three bedroom home using oil reduce fuel consumption by 23% (-528 litres pa) and cut CO2 emissions by 1,629kg p.a.

With an estimated 600,000 older standard efficiency oil boilers still in use across the UK, in addition to millions of low efficiency gas boilers, the potential for carbon savings via this simple, affordable route is huge.

Director general of OFTEC, Jeremy Hawksley (pictured), said: “The introduction of a boiler scrappage scheme in Greater London which includes oil is to be celebrated. It demonstrates what we have been saying all along – that boiler scrappage is an ideal way to help UK households reduce carbon emissions from heating in a practical, affordable way.

“With an estimated 4.5 million UK homes still classed as fuel poor, and cost remaining a major motivator for most consumers, our country urgently needs carbon reduction schemes that don’t cost the earth and actually work.”

Similar boiler scrappage schemes have already been tried and tested. In Great Britain 120,000 old, inefficient boilers were replaced in 2010 and, in Northern Ireland, 15,540 oil boilers were upgraded between April 2012 and September 2015. Both schemes had positive effects on the environment, in terms of reduced carbon emissions, and on fuel bills.

Around 12,700 households in Greater London currently use oil for heating and an estimated 60% of these still have standard efficiency boilers in need of replacement. As a predominately urban area, Greater London has one of the lowest percentages of oil households in the country. However, if the scrappage scheme were to be extended to help the rest of the UK’s 1.4 million oil using households, the resulting carbon savings would be much higher, OFTEC says.  

Jeremy Hawksley continued: “A simple, UK-wide boiler scrappage scheme is a realistic to carbon reduction which appeals to the majority of homeowners. If the Government can achieve mass consumer support, the fall in greenhouse gas emissions from heating would be enormous.”

Separately, Ideal Boilers, has also responded positively to the announcement of the scheme.

Head of product & marketing, Adam Foy, said: “It’s fantastic news that householders in the Greater London area can receive up to £400 off a new A-rated Ideal boiler with the GLA’s new London Boiler Cashback Scheme, worth £2.6m.

He continued: “The scheme is hugely beneficial for homeowners, as research from the Energy Saving Trust shows that replacing an old, non-condensing gas boiler with an energy efficient A-rated condensing boiler could save householders up to £340 in heating bills each year. This coupled with a £400 voucher and up to 10 years’ warranty on an Ideal boiler, will be of significant value to many across London, ensuring increased comfort and peace of mind as well as reduced costs.

“The UK has to meet tough energy reduction commitments – 20% by 2020 – and the GLA’s commitment to improving the energy efficiency of homes in its area will be another step towards meeting that target,” Mr Foy added.