A NEW survey has found most rural households are unable or unwilling to pay for the green heating measures outlined in the government’s current proposals.

The survey raises questions over whether plans to reduce emissions from homes in County Durham are achievable.

The government’s current approach is to encourage most homes not connected to the gas grid, including the 16,000 oil heated properties in County Durham, to switch to heat pumps and, in some cases, solid biomass or hybrid systems.

The average cost to install an air source heat pump is nearly £11,000 and, for a biomass system, over £16,000.

However, the survey found that 55 per cent, of rural households would not be prepared to pay any more than £2,500, with a third unwilling to pay anything at all.

Malcolm Farrow of OFTEC, a registration body for off-gas grid heating which commissioned the survey, said: “We all agree we must reduce emissions from domestic heating to support our climate change targets, but our research shows many rural homes don’t have the appetite or ability to foot the bill for the government’s current proposals.

“This suggests the current plans are unlikely to be successful and a new approach is urgently needed.”

Consumers in poorly insulated homes may also have to fund the additional energy efficiency improvements needed to their homes for heat pumps to work effectively.

Figures suggest 65 per cent of oil heated properties, including the 16,000 in County Durham, fall into the lowest energy efficiency bands.

The government estimates the average cost to upgrade to Band C standard is £12,300 and, for Bands F and G homes, £18,900.

Mr Farrow added: “It’s hard to see how the seismic shift to heat pumps promoted by the government can be achieved, especially in rural areas, without very considerable financial support.

“With many consumers already struggling with household finances in the wake of the pandemic, low carbon heating solutions need to be affordable, fair and simple to implement.

“That’s why we are working to bring to market a new renewable liquid fuel for oil heated homes. “Trials are already underway using a near drop-in replacement for heating oil that is certified as sustainable and which could deliver greater carbon savings than heat pumps in the short to medium term, at a fraction of the upfront cost.

“We believe it’s essential renewable liquid fuels are considered as part of the solution to decarbonise rural homes.”

Lynn Hall, Durham County Council’s strategic manager for housing, said: “We have been successful in receiving around £5 million of Government funding and have added a further £500,000 from our towns and villages fund.

“This will support the installation of 100 low carbon renewable heating systems in homes across rural areas of County Durham which don’t use gas central heating – and this is at no cost to the household.

“We’ll also be installing wall insulation to targeted areas of Stanley, Chilton, Ferryhill and Bishop Auckland and have applied for further funding to support the installation of 150 renewable heating systems, solar panels and solid wall insulation in other areas.”

“This will help to significantly reduce carbon emissions and to save around £250 on the fuel bills of each eligible household.”