Insulation could cut gas imports by x3 more than new North Sea drilling

Getting many of the UK’s homes up to a basic level of insulation this decade could save up to 384TWh (terawatt hours) of gas over the period 2030 to 2035 [1], compared to 118TWh of gas that could be produced by new ‘already approved’ North Sea fields [2] over the same period, new analysis from the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit finds.

384TWh is equivalent to a fifth (20%) of current total annual household gas demand or 11% of gas imports [3].

In addition, the analysis finds [4] that reaching the Government’s target for all homes of Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) band C could lower the total amount paid for gas in the average home (currently EPC band D) by £1,944 by the start of 2030 in a central scenario. This rises to £2,469 saved in total by the start of 2030 if gas prices stay high for the rest of the decade as some industry experts are predicting [5]. For homes with a poorer EPC rating of band F, total savings could reach £4,486 in a central scenario and £5,697 if gas prices stay high.

In 2022, it is expected that just 150,000 homes will benefit from energy efficiency installations [6]. At that rate, just 1.2million homes in the UK will have had insulation installed by the end of 2030, far below what is needed to reach the Government’s target of bringing the vast majority of homes up to EPC C by 2035.

Previous analysis has shown that energy efficiency, including insulation, contributed 25% economic growth between 1971 and 2013 [7] and polling shows that energy efficiency is backed by the public, with 82% supporting the Government offering financial help to make homes more energy efficient [8].

It has been reported that delivery of insulation under the Government's flagship Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme has stalled after internal government delays, resulting in 18,750 low income households potentially missing out on the measures that could save them £300 each [9]