On the back of the record energy price cap rise, Kensa Group said it wants government to level out levies causing electricity to be four times as expensive as gas.
The average cost of a kWh of gas in the UK is currently around 3.8p. For electricity, it is about 16.3p.
After the price cap rise, this is will be 7p for gas and 28p for electricity – four times as much, Kensa noted.
For those facing fuel poverty, extortionate increases in the energy price cap make replacing inefficient and costly heating systems, such as direct electricity in tower blocks, with ground source heating solutions all the more crucial, the company added.
Guy Cashmore, technical director for Kensa, said: “The government has put heavy levies on electricity however, this is at odds with their aims to decarbonise homes and buildings through the electrification of heat. It also causes people to lose out on a percentage of the running cost savings that could be gained from installing ground source heat pumps – the most carbon-efficient heating technology available.
“Policymakers have recognised this is wrong but, as yet, nothing has been done to correct this distortion. Now is the time to act to protect those who have already made environmentally friendly electric heating choices, and encourage more people to make the switch from fossil fuels. Surely it’s time for UK energy policy to follow the science.”