While the Plan demonstrates a strong commitment to Clean Power 2030 ambitions, Layton Hill (Vice President of Strategy for UK and Ireland at Schneider Electric) argues the plan must prioritise simplicity and ease of access for homeowners. He also highlights the need for investment in grid infrastructure that can meet increased electricity demand.
Layton Hill, Vice President of Strategy for UK and Ireland at Schneider Electric
“Today’s Warm Homes Plan clearly signals the UK’s commitment to Clean Power 2030 and decarbonising the wider UK economy – with clear incentives to accelerate the rollout of electrified heating and digital technologies for UK households. Electrification is critical to driving down costs for households and industry alike – it’s a cost-of-living strategy, one that can also lead to new jobs.
"Implementation will be key to the success of the Warm Home’s Plan. Previous schemes to incentivise decarbonisation of UK housing stock at scale were undermined by overly complex applications processes that discouraged homeowners from participating. It’s encouraging to see the Plan is supported by robust financing. What will be essential to driving public interest and uptake is that the policy prioritises simplicity and ease of access.
“Domestic energy policies cannot operate in isolation. If the Government is serious about delivering electrified heat to UK households, then we need whole systems thinking to ensure that increased electrical demand is matched by complementary investments to increase the capacity of the UK’s electrical networks. We will be examining the next round of NESO’s Future Energy Scenarios and Ofgem’s highly anticipated RIIO-ED3 electricity distribution price control framework to enable these essential infrastructure investments.”