Earlier this year liquid fuels trade association, The Federation of Petroleum Suppliers (FPS) submitted a response to the government’s consultation on ECO 3 and has welcomed the news that pleased to learn that the government has listened to its argument to keep heating oil as part of the next stage of the ECO initiative.
ECO 3 covers the future ECO for the period 1 October 2018 to 31st March 2022 and sets out the Government’s high aspirations and commitment to delivering these measures whilst adhering to the Clean Growth Strategy.
FPS Chief Executive Guy Pulham comments: “Heating oil boilers will now be included in the ECO 3 scheme as part of the annual broken heating system cap of 35,000 systems and it is welcome news that Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) recognises that replacing a heating oil boiler with an energy efficient condensing oil boiler rather than higher cost alternatives is the right solution.
BEIS’ response to the consultation says: “This will help low income rural households replace broken oil boilers rather than having to rely on higher cost alternatives”.
BEIS has said in the ECO 3 scheme that heating systems that are deemed to be inefficient will be permitted to be upgraded through the revised ECO outside of the broken heating cap if installed with insulation. Oil boilers will not be allowed under first time central heating (FTCH), district heating, solid walled homes minimum, rural minimum, inefficient heating system replacements or innovation measures.
Guy Pulham adds: “We are not trying to protect the heating oil industry at all costs and we recognise and support the Government’s work to meet the 2050 carbon reduction target but feel strongly that oil can be part of the solution not the problem.