Household energy: buying British
Households with a heat pump and electric vehicle are far less dependent on foreign oil and gas imports, make more use of British electricity.
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Household energy bills over the past two years have provided a stark reminder that much of the energy consumed in British homes does not originate in Britain and its price is often dictated by international markets.
The analysis of households’ energy usage shows that those with higher use of oil and gas also have higher dependence on energy imports. This trend will likely only increase in the future as the North Sea’s output inevitably declines.
The Government’s mixed signals and track record on heat pumps, insulation and EVs isn’t helping households to shift away from this import dependence. The Prime Minister’s net zero speech in September, which saw a number of policy U-turns, has set the UK backwards in the Government’s own stated aim of driving the UK towards greater energy independence.
If the Government wants to boost energy independence, insulating homes and running electric heat pumps and cars on an ever expanding fleet of offshore and onshore wind and solar farms would do that.
2024 Household Energy Demand & Imports
