Liquid Gas UK, the Trade Association for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and renewable and recycled liquid gas (RLG) in the UK, strongly believes that the path to Net Zero and a greener future for all lies in Renewable Liquid Gases. It takes its role and contribution to achieving Net Zero very seriously - indeed, the Trade Association has said that ‘Net Zero is more than a goal – it’s our mission!’.
Net Zero is a legally binding target set by the UK Government in 2019 which means that UK greenhouse gas emissions from the economy must be reduced to close to zero by 2050. The Strategy states that 'removing dirty fossil fuels will require the transformation of every sector of the global economy. This means no longer burning fossil fuel for power or heating.'
Whilst there are other heating options for off-grid homes, such as domestic heating oil and electricity, LPG is a critical energy source in the UK and is the lowest carbon traditional fuel source available. It fuels thousands of off-grid homes, businesses and industries and is highly efficient - but it is still a carbon fuel. However, as we transition to Net Zero, RLGs offer an alternative and cost-effective, renewable solution to traditional LPG for decarbonising rural homes and businesses throughout the UK and have the potential to drive carbon savings, economic growth, and create jobs.
What are RLGs?
Renewable liquid gases, like BioLPG, are derived from renewable and waste materials such as rapeseed oil and crude palm oil, and from the food processing industry. Renewable gases are clean-burning and can reduce greenhouse emissions by up to 90% when compared to traditional LPG.
Liquid Gas UK - its role in moving to Net Zero and RLGs
The Trade Association takes a leading role in liaising and consulting with the UK Government, engaging on all aspects of policy framework required for the roll-out of RLGs.
Liquid Gas UK has suggested, following analysis, that adopting a range of technologies will be needed to meet the Net Zero targets, including LPG/RLGs. The Trade Association has consistently advocated for a mixed-technology approach and has called for renewable gasses to be used in rural, off-grid homes. It is heavily investing in the development of renewable liquid gases, and in fact the industry has invested £600 million in infrastructure and £260 million specifically into the development of renewable liquid gases over the past 5 years whilst standing ready to invest millions more in the UK to support the decarbonisation of rural homes and businesses.
UK Government – no plan to ban gas boilers
It came as great news earlier this month when Ed Miliband, Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, speaking at The Energy Security and Net Zero Committee, confirmed there are no plans for the Government to introduce a future ban on gas boilers.
Whilst the previous Conservative Government championed heat pumps and had outlined plans to ban the sale of new gas boilers by 2035, Mr Miliband said ‘I’m very wary that we’re going to stop people having gas boilers at a point when we can’t guarantee that heat pumps are going to be cheaper for everyone’. He added ‘We said in our manifesto that we weren’t going to force anyone to rip out their gas boiler’.
According to the 2021 England and Wales Census, while 73.8% of households used mains gas, an estimated 4.5 million households across Great Britain were not connected to the gas grid, a total of 15.3% of domestic properties. So this comes as great news for off-grid households in remote, rural areas as according to think tank, Localis, 'installing renewable sources of heating is not always an immediate or straightforward option' for off-grid households. For instance, whilst they can be good for some properties, heat pumps are not suitable for all homes, and are not a one-size-fits-all solution to decarbonizing rural homes. Heat pumps often require additional home improvements to work efficiently and achieve the same heat output as LPG or heating oil such as insulation, larger radiators, underfloor heating, etc. and of course, they run on electricity too, potentially putting additional strain on electricity networks.
With Government support, RLG’s can become even more cost-competitive, unlocking millions in private investment to scale up the industry and bring affordable green solutions to off-grid households, helping homeowners throughout the UK improve their carbon footprint.
RLGs Vs traditional LPG
Whilst traditional LPG is a clean, efficient, safe, and highly versatile solution, renewable liquid gases such as BioLPG and rDME are even cleaner and more environmentally friendly. BioLPG can reduce carbon emissions by up to 90% when compared with traditional LPG, and rDME by up to 85%.
BioLPG is chemically identical to traditional LPG and rDME is chemically similar to butane and propane. Both are renewable and sustainable, and both are ‘drop-in solutions’ that will work in existing boilers and LPG tanks and can be blended with traditional LPG, so there are no expensive replacement costs.
Whilst there is no doubt that there are challenges facing off-grid households, with many homes throughout the UK relying on LPG, renewable liquid gases such as bioLPG and rDME can offer a cleaner greener alternative for home heating. Plus, for households that currently rely on heating oil, changing from home heating oil to LPG can be an excellent choice when their boiler has come to the end of its life. As the closest alternative to mains gas, it’s a much more environmentally friendly option with fewer pollutants and virtually no particulate matter, and is highly efficient and versatile. And with RLGs on the way, it could be the ideal time to switch.
At Northern Energy, we like to do our bit for the environment which is why we provide carbon offsetting as part of our service for all our oil Premium Package and LPG Package customers. We've just received our certificate of carbon credit for 2025 for 10,000 tonnes of CO2:
With Government support, RLG’s can become even more cost-competitive, unlocking millions in private investment to scale up the industry and bring affordable green solutions to rural properties. There's one thing for sure - the future of heating for off-grid homes looks bright!