The persistence of gas use in homes with electric heat pumps

Frances Hollick, Jenny Crawley, Oliver Broad, and Cliff Elwell

As the UK makes steps to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to net zero, electric heat pumps are proposed as a solution for heat decarbonisation in the majority of homes. This paper used smart meter data to examine the gas and electricity consumption of 187 homes with air source heat pumps installed under the Green Homes Grant incentive scheme. It was found that 1 year after the installation, 24% of households were still connected to the gas distribution network and that 21% of households still used gas, either for cooking or for heating. We reflect on the implications of this ongoing gas connection and use in the light of the UK’s net zero plans, and discuss how households could be supported by government to fully transition away from using natural gas.

Practical application: This paper found that around a quarter of households in a sample of UK homes were still connected to the gas network 1 year after installing a heat pump, with most of these still using gas for cooking or heating. It raises important questions about why a minority of households continue to use gas and whether heat pumps may not meet their needs; makes proposals for practical amendments to encourage electric cooking or incorporate gas disconnection as part of current retrofit policies; and situates the findings within the wider context of meeting the UK’s net-zero targets.